New Vinci catchers mitt

[Silverfox1589]

My daughter received her new Vinci catchers mitt yesterday. Any ideas on how to break it in? The stiffest catchers mitt we've owned.

 

[chazbz1]

Couple of questions.... How old is your daughter? Which model Vinci did you purchase?

 

[coach james]

Take a large pasta pan and boil water with a spaghetti strainer on top. Put the mitt in the strainer and soak in the steam. Steam all sides for about 3-4 mins each then allow to cool enough to put on hand ( as hot as you can take it) and throw a ball into pocket repeatedly. Repeat these steps 3 or 4 times until glove is breaking in. Once its soft enough, apply a liberal amount of conditioning oil.

 

[Silverfox1589]

Couple of questions.... How old is your daughter? Which model Vinci did you purchase?

Vinci jcv-vm
11U

 

[Silverfox1589]

Take a large pasta pan and boil water with a spaghetti strainer on top. Put the mitt in the strainer and soak in the steam. Steam all sides for about 3-4 mins each then allow to cool enough to put on hand ( as hot as you can take it) and throw a ball into pocket repeatedly. Repeat these steps 3 or 4 times until glove is breaking in. Once its soft enough, apply a liberal amount of conditioning oil.

I'll give the steam a try. The mitt came with conditioning oil and we applied to the mitt. However, Vinci does recommend that you not oil it again for two weeks. Vinci advises that over conditioning the mitt with cause damage to it.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Just wait until Casedawg, the Vinci rep, sees your post. He will help you. Until then, just play catch with it.

 

[iMlearning]

Break in

If you have one, take a 5lb dumbbell to it. Make sure to keep your hand out of the glove so you don't stretch it out.

 

[casedawg51]

They are rather stiff at first but that leads to their long life. Here is my method, your mileage may vary.

1. I warm up the glove in a dryer with a few towels for 3-4 minutes. Gets the leather warm and loosens up the Kip leather a little.
2. I condition with the Vinci conditioner thoroughly (warm the conditioner too)
3. Wrap overnight
4. Recondition the hard to break in areas. Heel and base of web mainly. Leave the laces alone
5. Manipulate by hand, work the heel, work on pulling the mitt open as well as closing.
6. Sweat equity. Find a pitching machine and pull up a bucket.

I do all of that to the mitts I sell except #6. Takes me about 4 days to get them at least practice ready.

 

[Coach Fastpitch]

They are rather stiff at first but that leads to their long life. Here is my method, your mileage may vary.

1. I warm up the glove in a dryer with a few towels for 3-4 minutes. Gets the leather warm and loosens up the Kip leather a little.
2. I condition with the Vinci conditioner thoroughly (warm the conditioner too)
3. Wrap overnight
4. Recondition the hard to break in areas. Heel and base of web mainly. Leave the laces alone
5. Manipulate by hand, work the heel, work on pulling the mitt open as well as closing.
6. Sweat equity. Find a pitching machine and pull up a bucket.

I do all of that to the mitts I sell except #6. Takes me about 4 days to get them at least practice ready.

The key comment is sweat equity. It took a while to get dds broke in. Dd and I spent many an hour working on the glove with a softball and a softball hammer (not sure of correct name, just a softball shaped piece of wood with a handle) pounding the glove. But it is a great glove now. We have opposing coaches ask about it all the time.

 

[ScottyDont]

Don't use steam...the water will saturate the leather and make the glove heavy (and reduce its useful life). The best piece of advice I can give is that the Vinci is a glove that should last a lifetime...don't rush the break-in period. Think of it like a car that has to be driven at low speeds for the first 500 miles to allow the engine to break in. Sure, you can do it quickly, but to the detriment of the long-term durability.