Issue with Mizuno Glove

Drakemir · Feb 2, 2017

I apologize, as I just didn't elaborate enough - the Heart of the Hide gloves are significantly higher quality gloves than any of the midrange Steerhide gloves, and lets not get it wrong, its all cow leather, just different cuts. The cuts of steerhide used in the lower and midrange gloves is not the same cut used on the HOtH or Pro choice gloves.

With that being said, the Kip leather option IMHO is a better option over the midrange steerhide gloves - for girls that are going to play a lot, as it holds up longer as the leather is higher quality and more consistent. Is the HoTH and PC gloves also good choices? Absolutely. One of the main reasons that board loves Vinci's so much is that you can get those higher quality gloves for a pretty good price.

Ultimately, gloves are a personal preference - regardless of brand - the confidence of having a glove you love and are comfortable with is much more important than anything else

And I don't take it as bashing Vinci, the more informed we all are the better we all are - I love my 22 series gloves, I personally use one - but ultimately they will not hold up as long as the upper end gloves (from any brand) with everyday play.

Annasdad have you had hands on any of the Vinci Optimus gloves at all?

ANNASDAD said:
Drakemir said:

I believe those are steerhide gloves, and also the reason I don't recommend the 22 series Vinci gloves for people that are going to use it more than a season or two , or as a secondary glove (like someone who plays 1 game at first base a weekend) as they just don't hold up to the rigors of every day play for longer than that.

Hey Drakemir, sorry but I've got to disagree with your comparison of steerhide to kip unless you're just comparing Vinci's 22 series steerhide leather to Vinci's Kip leather? As someone who's had probably 10 Vinci's through my hands, and probably 8 of those kip, I'll take a steerhide Heart of the Hide Rawlings, whether it be their horween or Japanese tan leather any and everyday of the week over Vinci's Kip. There's no comparison! I also have a 30+ year old Wilson A2000 XLO that's Japanese tan leather, it's been through the ringer and I still use it, they don't make a Vinci today that could stand up to what that Wilson has seen over the past 3 decades!
Not a slam on Vinci, we use them and my DD loves them (more than me lately) I just don't agree with the steerhide comparison. You should buy a Rawlings PRO1000HC from Don Morton's sports and experience the wow factor for yourself.

Edit: BTW, the steerhide leather on the last JCV-22 mitt was outstanding!

Click to expand...

ANNASDAD · Feb 2, 2017

Thanks Drakemir, I re-read my post this morning and was hoping you didn't think I was coming across as rude! I've only handled one Optimus, I received a package from Casedawg with two gloves in it here at work a couple of years back, my painter just happened to walk in my office as I was opening the box, we both looked them over together. He just happens to have a DD who is older than Anna and also plays travel ball, he said "give me that dude's phone number" and later that week he walked in with a Optimus RV1961. That's actually the glove that sold me on the 1961 pattern, I think Casedawg has ordered (4?) 1961's for parents/girls that I gave them his phone number.

BrianTx01 · Feb 4, 2017

The Mizuno isn't the only glove to do this. it seems to be pretty common. Another thingnI noticed about this glove is it doesn't seem to have a crease in the hinge. I am not sure if this is an improperly broken in glove or perhaps a brilliant idea for a younger player.

BrianTx01 · Feb 7, 2017

Eric F said:
The Miz Finch gloves are targeted at the very bottom of the entry-level player market - easy to use right off the shelf for little hands.

The MVP series is decent mid-level stuff, but will eventually become fairly useless. How quick depends on how much it's used, how it's taken care of (this is a huge factor), and whether it was broken in properly to start with. They break in pretty easily with only a moderate amount of mafia-style beat-down. If you're looking for a glove to last a reasonable amount of time under moderate-heavy use, one that is game-ready (easy to close) off the shelf is probably not a good choice.

As for the "power close" notch, it's a marketing play pretending to be a positive feature. It also promotes a single-hinge, thumb-to-index break-in pattern, which is not ideal in a full-size glove.

What is the threshold for a full size glove? Also, I am beginning to think that a lot of younger players tend to close their glove fingers to palm, rather than thumb to fingers. I have been looking at a lot of pictures of used gloves and none of the smaller gloves tend to have a thumb hinge. This is probably because they do not have the strength to break in the second hinge. I have also heard some say the best way to break in a glove is to just play catch. I am planning on getting my DD a new glove soon and my thought was to get her to do much more of the breaking in herself by playing catch as opposed to the beat down I gave my son's glove. At 5 years old, there was no way he could do it by himself. The only problem is I am not convinced that a second hinge will form without my intervention.

Eric F · Feb 7, 2017

BrianTx01 said:
What is the threshold for a full size glove? Also, I am beginning to think that a lot of younger players tend to close their glove fingers to palm, rather than thumb to fingers. I have been looking at a lot of pictures of used gloves and none of the smaller gloves tend to have a thumb hinge. This is probably because they do not have the strength to break in the second hinge. I have also heard some say the best way to break in a glove is to just play catch. I am planning on getting my DD a new glove soon and my thought was to get her to do much more of the breaking in herself by playing catch as opposed to the beat down I gave my son's glove. At 5 years old, there was no way he could do it by himself. The only problem is I am not convinced that a second hinge will form without my intervention.

"Full-size" may have been the wrong term to use. I was speaking more towards higher-quality gloves used by more advanced players, rather than entry-model gloves. Smaller players with small hands generally can't make a dual-hinge break-in pattern operate properly. For your young son, I wouldn't even worry about the concept. As for used gloves you're seeing with improper break lines, I chalk this up mostly to a lack of knowledge by the general population.

BrianTx01 · Feb 7, 2017

Eric F said:
"Full-size" may have been the wrong term to use. I was speaking more towards higher-quality gloves used by more advanced players, rather than entry-model gloves. Smaller players with small hands generally can't make a dual-hinge break-in pattern operate properly. For your young son, I wouldn't even worry about the concept. As for used gloves you're seeing with improper break lines, I chalk this up mostly to a lack of knowledge by the general population.

I took your advice and broke down the heal of my son's glove. He is doing much better with it. I am more concerned about my 8 year old DD (size of typical 10 year old). I bought her a cheap exact replica of her low end Rawlings 11.5 glove off of eBay. It has not seen much use. It has the Mizuno like notch. I think I am just going to to let her break this in herself by playing catch as a single hinge. I am then going to purchase a Fortus or some other mid range 12" glove and break it in as a dual hinge. That way she can have a glove she can grow into. She is strong but she definitely doesn't have the strength to break in a Fortus. That Pro Palm is stubborn. She likes to steal my 12.5" Easton Alpha that has a dual hinge break because the "leather is so soft", but at glove is way too big for her. She doesn't like how the plether lining of the cheap Rawlings is discentagrating.

ANNASDAD · Feb 7, 2017

I know in a perfect world every glove would have a U-shaped double break heel and close thumb to pinky, but in the real world that just isn't the case. My favorite glove is an old Wilson A2000 XLO with an old school single break heel and closes thumb to middle finger and is THE most comfortable glove ever! Fast forward 30+ years and many gloves later, one of my latest glove purchases is a high dollar horween Rawlings I broke in two in the pinky (TIP), a first for me.

My very latest purchase is a really cool Rawlings PRO-RV23, I decided to break this one in old school traditional grip, index finger out, single break, thumb to in between middle/ring finger like my old Wilson. Now there's no doubt the horween Rawlings (TIP) is broke in perfect, because the very few people I'll let touch it says so! Old school traditional grip is just more comfortable to me...........and obviously to my DD, her Vinci closes thumb to middle finger. Different strokes!

BrianTx01 · Feb 7, 2017

ANNASDAD said:
I know in a perfect world every glove would have a U-shaped double break heel and close thumb to pinky, but in the real world that just isn't the case. My favorite glove is an old Wilson A2000 XLO with an old school single break heel and closes thumb to middle finger and is THE most comfortable glove ever! Fast forward 30+ years and many gloves later, one of my latest glove purchases is a high dollar horween Rawlings I broke in two in the pinky (TIP), a first for me.

My very latest purchase is a really cool Rawlings PRO-RV23, I decided to break this one in old school traditional grip, index finger out, single break, thumb to in between middle/ring finger like my old Wilson. Now there's no doubt the horween Rawlings (TIP) is broke in perfect, because the very few people I'll let touch it says so! Old school traditional grip is just more comfortable to me...........and obviously to my DD, her Vinci closes thumb to middle finger. Different strokes!

I think the bigger the glove the easier it is to get away with the single break because it has a deeper pocket. My Easton Alpha has a double break but it still doesn't to close evenly.

Issue with Mizuno Glove

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