7 Tips For Choosing The Best Baseball Protective Gear

By Jonathan Clark
Updated: September 23, 2021

Sports injuries are nothing new to baseball players. Beginners and professionals alike know that there’s always a risk of getting hit with a bat or ball when you play baseball. Players could also get scrapes and bruises on their knees and arms. However, even if getting hurt in baseball is part of the game, it doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to prevent injuries.

So, whether you play this sport for fun or participate in an amateur league, always remember to use proper protective gear for baseball to prevent serious injuries.

Below are six tips when choosing the best baseball protective gear for you or your loved one.

Choose Quality Over Price

When it comes to your safety or that of your loved one, you shouldn’t be frugal. If you’re buying protective gear for you and your family, don’t let price dictate your decision. Picking the cheapest one isn’t always the best choice. Often, inexpensive gears are made of flimsy materials that may not provide adequate protection. On the other hand, the most expensive ones aren’t necessarily the best, too. Pricier equipment may come with all the bells and whistles that are geared more toward aesthetics instead of function.

It’s always prudent to choose based on quality and not price. Select safety gears that make use of durable, lightweight, and breathable materials. Make sure the features of the elbow guards, sliding pants, and gloves you buy are sturdy and properly positioned.

For a wide variety of baseball gear choices, click here.

Fit Matters

You need to invest in essential baseball equipment to enjoy the sport and ensure utmost protection. Apart from quality, it would be best to make sure the protective gloves, helmets, and other gears fit the wearer properly. Even if you acquired the most expensive gears, they would not give much protection if they’re loose-fitting or very tight.

Thus, it would help to check the size and fit of your safety gear. When buying equipment online, ensure that you have an option to return or exchange the items in case the ones delivered to you don’t fit well.

Consider Extra Protection

The majority of youth sports injuries can be avoided. It’s one of the reasons why league officials typically have guidelines on what type of protective gear an athlete must wear during practice or play. So, it’s best to check what your sports league requires for protection. By doing so, you’ll know the essential equipment to get.

However, even if some safety gear may not be crucial, it’s still a good idea to wear extra padding while playing baseball. If you want to prevent sports injuries, it’s better to err on the side of over-protection than the lack of it.

Ensure Flexibility And Ease Of Movement

Another vital consideration when picking protective gear is the ease of movement. Of course, you want to protect your elbows, legs, knees, and chest from trauma and bruising, but you also don’t want your safety equipment to get in the way of your movement.

Safety gears don’t have to be bulky nowadays. Advancement in fabric and plastic technology has paved the way for lightweight clothing and security equipment that offers utmost comfort and flexibility.

Focus On The Helmet

There are various ways to get a concussion from playing baseball, especially for kids. You can get hit by a bat or a ball, and you can hit your head on the ground when you slide for the bases. Thus, think twice if you plan to get just any plastic helmet you see in the sporting shop’s sales bin.

Be pickier when it comes to shopping for a baseball helmet, especially if you’re a catcher. Check for durable materials and properly working chin straps to help make sure the helmet will fit snugly during the game.

Don’t Forget Protective Cups

For male baseball players, protective cups are essential to keep their groin area safe. Pick cups that have ample cushion to protect internal organs from harsh impact. Also, find one that’s banana-shaped for more support and effortless adjustment.

Female players may not need protective cups but may look at using shirts with extra chest protection.

Look For Added Features

When buying baseball safety gear, don’t forget to check out value-added features. Some desirable features you may want to look for in baseball gears include weatherproof, easy dry or moisture-wicking, machine washable, and left or right-handed usage.

Additionally, it would help if you didn’t sacrifice fashion for safety. Some gears offer utmost protection that comes in sleek designs and vibrant colors.

The Bottom Line

When playing baseball, you need to concentrate on the game if you want to win. Wearing the right protective gear to keep your body safe is a big step toward better performance and minimizing distractions during the game. You’ll gain confidence if you know that you can rely on the quality and functionality of your baseball protective gear.