Let me hear the pros and cons of the mitts you are familure with. I am trying to choose one for my HS Freshman dd. As of now, she is looking at the Worth Liberty.
Thanks!! Scott
My DD loves Mizuno. She needed a bigger Mitt this year, she will be a freshman also. I went the extra yard and got her the top of the line Mizuno catchers mitt. (pretty good deal on amazon). I can't remember the number of it right now. She was able to use it right away. She's been using it for about two months. I'm hoping that it will last her through HS, but it probably won't. I've told her that no one else is to use that mitt. I want it shaped to her hand and no one else.
I personally have had good luck with Akadema fielding gloves. Have never used a catcher's glove but did some quick research on them before this post and they seem to be made in a similar fashion. Some of their fielding gloves are already broke in so they can be used right away. Not 100% sure about the catchers mitts.
For the money, I think Mizuno makes a pretty good mitt or glove.
The mitts and gloves with the Power Lock closure break in pretty easy.
I think the GXS100 is pretty good for younger players and at 39.95 not a bad price. and the Velco wrist strap makes it nice.
The GXS91 Model would probably be more for your player at runs about $10.00 more
Hope this helps with your search.
I purchased the Liberty for my DD last year. It was a good glove last year but seemed to break down this year during play. I like Glovesmith due to the quality and price. The only problem with Glovesmith is they don't make a female specific glove. Nokona makes the best female mitt IMHO if you are willing to spend the money.
With my DD it's usually fashion over function. I wasn't too excited about purchasing the Liberty since I knew nothing of the companies gloves and thought it was a marketing ploy aimed at girls fashion impulse until I spoke with a Rawlings rep. The Rawlings rep told me they owned Worth and that it was a good glove. I guess it comes down to the quality of leather, amount of use, caretaking and personal opinion. My DD still uses the Liberty and I want to buy another mitt due to the glove breaking down IMO. The sides of the glove don't have the firm feel I like. She likes the Liberty and I don't but she makes the call since she is the one using it.
I've had several girls use Akadema gloves, including one of my catchers, and they all love them. Quick break-in, good feel. In addition to the catcher's glove, I have players with a 12.5 and 12.75 fielders glove, and one with a first baseman's mitt.
As an aside, I recently purchased a palmguard catcher's glove (wear on hand inside the glove) and my daughter loves it and I love it when using it to warm up a pitcher. It has extra protection for the two fingers closest to the thumb and a small pad to protect the joint where the thunb meets the hand. My only complaint is that the protection on one of the fingers stops a little short of the tip of the finger and I've gotten a stinger there and questioned why they didn't continue the pad to the finger tip like they do on the other finger. I know that if you catch the ball properly it shouldn't hurt, but when you have pitchers with great movement and/or catching foul tips you don't always get to pick which part of the glove your using.