Glove for my daughter 13u...

Need to get my daughter a new glove. She plays travel ball, 13u, outfield and is on the smaller side. I was looking at the 12" Akadema AJB74 or the Shoeless Jane Fastpitch Series: 1200FPBW. Would anyone recommend either or recommend a different glove all together?

Hard to beat a Vinci and there are a couple of their reps on DFP who will get you a deal. I bought one for my DD through Casedawg51.

JAD said:

Hard to beat a Vinci and there are a couple of their reps on DFP who will get you a deal. I bought one for my DD through Casedawg51.

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Are they hard to break in, etc? Unfortunately, I don't see many reviews online about them.

My DD has an Akadema fielders glove and had an Akadema catchers mitt. The catchers mitt lasted about 80 games. She now has a Vinci catchers mitt and absolutely loves it. 70+ games with it so far and I expect it to last many more years.

Her Akadema fielders glove lasted about two years before it became a floppy useless mess. Granted, that was two years of practice 2-3 times a week, year round. Decent glove, but not built last on the travel ball circuit. Time for a Vinci.

The Vinci catchers mitt was tough to break in, and I assume the Vinci fielders gloves are as well. However, it is well worth the effort as this glove is awesome.

Just to be fair, a couple of her team mates have Worth Liberty gloves and love them.

Thanks, Rob.

HomerunMonkey is clearing out the Wilson A2000 Cat Osterman 12" at $149. In my opinion, the A2000 series are and have always been among the best gloves available.

The Akadema AJB74 is a nice glove in the price range, but is not a "forever" glove. It breaks in easily. For younger players looking for a 12" pattern glove, I think it's a very good call. (If you're interested, PM me)

That said, glove preference can be a very personal thing. A few months ago, my DD was in need of a new fielders glove, and had her hand in 8-10 gloves, all $100 and up. Many of them (including the Wilson A2000 and top-end Mizunos) she rejected immediately because of how they felt on her hand. I really wanted her to love the All-Star Vela (excellent leather), but she settled on a 12.5" Worth Liberty Advanced, and is very happy with it.

There is no doubt that Vinci makes an excellent product.

simplyYours said:

Are they hard to break in, etc? Unfortunately, I don't see many reviews online about them.

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Break-in time is probably 3X a normal glove, but it is worth it. Just do not expect to play games with it for the first month.

I don't think many younger girls will gravitate towards the higher end gloves when trying on in-store because they're never going to feel the softest and most comfortable. I had to convince my daughter that she would love the glove once it was broken in. She does.

strawman said:

I don't think many younger girls will gravitate towards the higher end gloves when trying on in-store because they're never going to feel the softest and most comfortable. I had to convince my daughter that she would love the glove once it was broken in. She does.

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I don't disagree with you. A broken-in glove will feel different. I also know that my DD is very sensitive about how her hand feels inside the glove, and the texture of the leather is a critical factor for her. She tried her teammate's fairly-new, broken-in A2000, and still didn't like it.

Eric F said:

The Akadema AJB74 is a nice glove in the price range, but is not a "forever" glove. It breaks in easily. For younger players looking for a 12" pattern glove, I think it's a very good call. (If you're interested, PM me)

That said, glove preference can be a very personal thing. A few months ago, my DD was in need of a new fielders glove, and had her hand in 8-10 gloves, all $100 and up. Many of them (including the Wilson A2000 and top-end Mizunos) she rejected immediately because of how they felt on her hand. I really wanted her to love the All-Star Vela (excellent leather), but she settled on a 12.5" Worth Liberty Advanced, and is very happy with it.

There is no doubt that Vinci makes an excellent product.

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In looking at the "Liberty Advanced 12 Inch Glove", it doens't appear to have a strap, does this cause any issues with your daughter?