Rawlings Higher end gloves?

You can't go wrong with PP or the HOH. I still have my HOH that I bought in 1972. My son loves his PP. They take some effort to break in, but in my opinion, well worth it. Some info below. As to which is better, it depends on individual feel and available $$$.

Primo is the premiere baseball glove series. Two layers of the finest Italian leather create a pocket built for performance at your position. The third layer of Italian calf lining creates a luxuriously smooth feel while the 100% wool padding adds an extra layer of cushion. The Primo Series uses Dual-Core technology along with hot stuffed 100 lb. tensile strength laces to provide unprecedented quality.

Shell Leather: Full Grain Italian Calfskin
Lace: Hot Stuffed 100lb. Tensile Strength
Padding: 100% Wool
Target Players: Elite
Glove Break In: 20% Factory/80% Player
Price Range: $399.99
Patterns: Professional

Pro Preferred
Pro Preferred™ series takes the Heart of the Hide® series to the next level. Made from supple Kip leather, these gloves are marked by a tight grain structure which allows for a soft, smooth look and feel. We utilize lace from our own Tennessee Tannery that's 15% stronger than standard Pro lace. Only the finest quality materials are used including 100% wool padding and Deerskin lining for superior comfort that has made this the new industry standard.

Shell Leather: Kipskin Full Grain
Lining: Deerskin
Lace: 100 lb. Tensile Strength
Padding: 100% Wool
Target Players: Elite
Glove Break In: 30% Factory/70% Player
Price Range: $279.99 - $299.99
Patterns: Authentic Rawlings Pro

Heart of the Hide
The Living Legend. Since 1958, the Rawlings Heart of the Hide® series has withstood the test of time. Handcrafted from the top 5% of steer hides and the best pro grade lace, its durability remains unmatched. With position specific pro patterns and nice deep pockets, Heart of the Hide® gloves provide the playability that has made them among the most sought after gloves in the market.

Shell Leather: World Renowned Heart of the Hide
Lining: Deer Tanned Cowhide palm and finger back linings
Lace: Tennessee Tanning Rawhide Pro Lace
Padding: Wool Blend
Target Players: Elite
Glove Break In: 40% Factory/60% Player
Price Range: $199.99
Patterns: Authentic Rawlings Pro

When the guys got into high school, they used Pro Perferred. Great gloves much better and well worth the difference but will take a little time to break them in, they will last longer than HOH which they used when they were younger.

If you want to drop some coin, you can check out the Primo line...

Side note: Some colleges provide gloves to their players. But you have to go with who they use.

4thGen has had 3 custom configured Pro Prefered MI golves in a row. He also has a larger glove for when he played third and a closed web Heart of the Hide glove for pitching.

We've always felt these high end rawlings gloves were a great investment. He can break them in with little effort, he keeps them in a form and strap so they don't get crushed in his bag and they have all lasted for multiple seasons.

My son uses a Wilson A2000 11"for MIF but that glove is about 4-5 years old and will be replaced soon. The glove is great it just a little heavy but has held up very well.

He also has a HOH 12" for 3b and pitching. We considered the PP but decided to go with the HOH and have it personalized. I don't think you can go wrong with any of these high end gloves.

Find the glove you like but before you buy anything check out online prices. The gloves you are considering are very expensive and I've been able to save a few bucks through the years by looking around online. Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. I didn't know about the Primo line, but you need to be a pro to afford gloves at those prices.

If you know the exact glove and size that you want I would strongly suggest buying it off of EBAY. I know many teams have retail sporting goods stores as sponsors/benefactors and feel you should patronize them but EBAY will save you $$$...

Heart of the Hide is a great glove and good enough for any player at any level. The others are great, too, but not so much better than HoH to be worth the extra cost.

Bit the bullet and bought my son a Pro Preferred glove this summer before he left for college for some of the same reasons you are. Straight A's and achieved his goal of playing college baseball. We went to a local big box sporting goods store. He initially found the PP, but I balked at the price. He tried on several other less expensive gloves and would have settled for them, but I know he really liked the PP. We went home to consider it, and the next day I bought the PP. It's a beautiful glove that fits him well. The point to all this is, even if you decide to buy online, you really need to physically visit some stores and let your son try the glove on before you decide on a specific model. It would be a shame to spend that much only to find out it's uncomfortable for your son's hand.

Son has used a2000 for years both infield and catchers gloves, loved the ease of breaking in the catcher mitt and all of them (4) have held up really well. Last year we were at a large sporting box store and they had a infield Rawlings PP 50th Anniversary gold glove on sale for less than the a2000 plus another 25% weekend special discount. He talked me into getting it. Noticed it was a little heavier than his Wilson gloves, but has been using it now for fall ball last year, regular season, summer ball and now fall ball. Shows very little wear and still has a tight pocket. He says he likes it more than any of his a2000's.
Saved me a lot of money and he got a great glove. Both of us are very happy.

If you want a rawlings go with heart of the hide or Pro Prefered because Primo's are too heavy.

Bought Son #2 a Primo for Christmas a couple of years ago. Didn't like it. Said it felt heavy.

Everything sounded good until a few mentioned they are heavier. I have never seen weight displayed like you might on a bat or tennis racquet, however some gloves feel heavier.
I am a firm believer that a pitchers glove should be light, not heavy. It may be back to the drawing board unless I can determine how much heavier a 11.5-12.0 is in this line of Rawling gloves.

I have not used either line for an infield glove (for extended period of time), but have used both catcher's mitts. The difference was in the leather. The PP was a little bit lighter than the HoH, and a bit softer. Either glove is a good choice, but the PP infield gloves I've seen of teammates are really nice (as well as the HoH infield mitt that I had that was subsequently stolen... ). Btw, once a player gets to competitive ball, it is well worth the investment for a good glove (especially at positions that require great hands...). I can't tell you how many players I've instructed or played with who struggled with their hands purely because they were using a bad mitt or one that isn't broken in properly (or isn't taken care of properly). It seems like your son has a level head and appreciates what you do for him, so I'd be willing to bet that he'll take care of it. It also might be a good idea to get him to try both models on and see which one he likes. Feel is really important. Hope that helps, and happy glove shopping!


p.s. - On the weight thing, often what you do to break a mitt in affects the weight more than just the glove design. For example, some people use petroleum jelly as glove oil. This makes the glove heavier. I've had good success with Rawlings "Gloveolium" (is that how you spell it?). Doesn't really add much weight.

I like the HOH for the quality and the price. Can't go wrong with what has been perfect for so many years.

I second the opinion of e-bay by jonhj. If you are willing to buy last years models you can ususally save significantly vs. retail. Just do some research on the seller. I have bought several gloves that way. Even an A2000 Catchers glove that was less than a year old and just broken in. Paid next to nothing compared to a new glove and 2011 saved 6 months of breaking in a new glove. Have to admit though, he needed a new one and bought a Rawlings PP catchers glove retail. Its really nice.

Son's friend is a Blue Jay AA player, who sent my son a new Pro Preferred infielders glove. It is really, really nice. I have no idea how long it lasts, but it is very nice while it does.

My son has both a Pro Preferred and a Primo 11.25; a previous mentioned the Primo being heavy; it is a heavy glove; BUT it also VERY nice! He will use all year this sr year at 2B and he loves it. I got his on ebay with a huge discount.

The Pro Preferred was a fantastic glove and he just wore it out (got it for "big field"); he loved it and it performed above expectations. He still takes it out for practice sometimes.

I have a high school freshman and I bought him a Rawlings HOH Mesh back PRONP5 last year for him to play 3B with.

It turned out to be his favorite glove ever. He had a Wilson A2K for pitching but he stopped pulling that glove out of the bag and just uses the PRONP5 for everything. Yes it has an open web, but at 60.5 ft a decent pitcher should be able to avoid tipping pitches anyway.

And I mentioned this because the glove is very light due to the mesh back.

You can get them from Don Morton's (www.ballgloves.com).

My 12 year old stole my Rawlings HOG PRONP3 (non-meshback) for himself about 3 weeks ago. He's had a number of different middle-of-the-road gloves. But he picked mine up one day and loved it.


So those Rawlings HOH gloves are the favorites in our family.