Gloved

I have been keenly interested in gloves long before Michael Jackson put a single sparking one on to perform Billie Jean at the ’83 Motown Awards.  I started playing polo in the era when polo sticks came with towel grips.  When rubber started to be used on the handles, we quickly discovered that it was slippery when wet.  It was about that time that some fiend started the polo glove industry. 

We tried cotton work gloves.  The cheap army issue type gloves didn’t last very long, and they didn’t give much feel or grip either.  Many players still preferred to shake hands with their sticks bare-handed.

The breakthrough came in the mid-eighties when we discovered Neumann Tackified Gloves.  These were gloves with a wax impregnated leather on the palm side.  They were used by baseball batters and worked pretty well with polo mallets, especially when they were new and very sticky.  But the tackiness eventually wore off, and the leather was a little too thick to give a nice feel of your stick.

Thin leather gloves worked well but finding right handed cabretta leather golf gloves in large quanties was a sales opportunity that golf stores never saw.

It was not till Franklins came on the scene that we had a workable leather polo glove.  It is no surprise that they are still the best selling polo glove in the world today.  I have been faithful to Franklins from the day I tried them.  I never thought I needed anything more.  The downside is that they don’t stay soft and grippy after you have washed them a few times.

Ona gloves came along with their higher prices and their fancy carbon pro knuckle protection.  I looked it and remarked to myself that in 35 years of polo I had never been hit on the knuckles.

Cue Murphy’s Law – I promptly got bashed over my knuckles at the next tournament.  I have been using Ona gloves for the particularly violent games when I think those knuckle dusters might have a different use than just protection.

I thought I had it covered – Practice in Franklins and play in Ona.

Then Roeckl released the Pinedo Polo Glove and my world changed.

I have been a Roeckl groupie since my showjumping days.  I even tried their Unique Original glove for polo way back when, but it wasn’t sturdy enough to last the rigours of polo.  I didn’t think the Pinedo would do anything much different except perhaps last longer, after all, what does a German equestrian glove-maker have to teach the world of polo?

Boy, was I surprised.  Believe me, the Roeckl Pinedo Polo Glove revolutionises polo gloves.  It isn’t just the superb fit of the glove even with the knuckle protection, or the kevlar protction at the cuff.

It is the addition of silicone to the grip that changes the whole game.  Nothing works better in gripping the rubber on the handles than silicone.  The grip is the best I have ever experienced.  Silicone on rubber just doesn’t slip.

Their knuckle protection is subtly hidden inside, something that I like in their design.

And with sizes from 6.5 to 11, there are 10 sizes to choose from, instead of the standard 5 choices of XS to XL.

The Pinedo isn’t a soft dressage glove masquerading as polo toughie.  This is the real thing.  The one and the only.  The Michael Jackson of polo gloves.  The King.