Some of the most frequent questions I get involve keepers trying to make sense of all the glove options out there. It might seem intimidating at first, especially when you’re trying to figure out what your first pair of gloves should be, but trust me it’s simple once you learn how to distinguish glove cuts.There are three basic types of cuts: the flat cut, roll finger cut, and negative cut. Hybrids are also a favorite on the market as the meld together different aspects of the three typical cuts, the combinations of which sometime result in the best option for some keepers.
So without further ado, let’s break down the flat, roll, negative, and hybrid goalkeeper glove cuts.
FLAT CUT
Sometimes referred to as the ‘traditional cut’, flat cut goalkeeper gloves are the oldest in the game. They feature outside stitching and gussets all around the outer edge so they have a very box like look to them (they’re sometimes also referred to as the ‘box cut’). Because of the outside stitching the fit is usually very loose making the flat cut a favorite among keepers with larger hands who may feel constricted by the limited amount of space in tighter fitting gloves. Keepers with average to small sized hands should buy a size about an inch and a half below what they would normally get when purchasing flat cut gloves. If you prefer tighter fitting gloves, the flat cut might not be for you.
NEGATIVE CUT
You can easily spot a negative cut by checking for the gussets that run up and down along the sides of the fingers. Unlike the flat cuts, the stitching on negative cut gloves is located on the inside of the glove with the hem rolled inward. The result is a much tighter fit compared to the flat cut and a shape which most closely resembles the human hand as the fingers are much more compartmentalized and needle like. This cut may not be what large handed keepers are looking for, but for keepers with smaller or thinner hands this is a good option. The formfitting finish will allow smaller handed keepers more control.
ROLL FINGER CUT
The roll finger cut is known for its wrapped around latex which extends and connects all the way to the backhand. This gives the roll finger cut a great grip compared to other traditional cuts. Typically roll cuts resemble flat cuts in bulkiness but fit a lot better and boast the ability to get the most latex possible on the shots. Unlike the flat and negative cut, the roll cut does not have gussets. Roll finger cut gloves are easily distinguished by the rolled latex on the fingers or the latex on the middle and ring finger area. Since the roll finger doesn’t have any gussets or stitching, it's a lot tighter on your hand so it's known for a very snug feel.
HYBRID
The cool thing about hybrid gloves is that there are so many different variations and possibilities that a goalkeeper brand can go with. Basically a hybrid glove is one that features a mix of different cuts or one that adds an entirely new aspect to the glove all together. The hybrid cut has become increasingly more popular among manufacturers during recent years. You can now find hybrid cuts at almost any major goalkeeper glove retailer. If you like specific aspects of different types of glove cuts, hybrids might be for you.
Keeping your hand size in mind will undoubtedly make your search for the perfect glove a lot more seamless. Really no one glove cut is better than the other, it simply what the specific goalkeepers needs are. Hopefully this answered some for you and if you have any comments make sure to leave them down below!