Rawlings HOH Custom: Palm Pad?

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Feb 3, 2010
5,752
113
Pac NW
I’m ordering a custom Rawlings HOH mitt below and don’t know what I should select for a palm pad? Any suggestions?

Thanks ahead,
Ken
 

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Oct 26, 2019
1,375
113
I feel like you can’t go wrong with leather, but the XRD is more of a foam/gel pad that’s supposed to be more cushioned than the leather option. The thing I like about leather is it molds and breaks in like the rest of the glove. I’m not sure if the XRD does that.

I had an All-Star glove once that had a palm pad in it that was a gel type pad and it served basically as an ejector mitt. Nothing you caught ever really felt secure.
 
Oct 26, 2019
1,375
113
Why would someone choose the “No” palm pad option?
I would guess if I was ordering a catchers mitt or first baseman’s mitt I would want one, but not if I was ordering a MIF glove or outfield glove where “stingers” weren’t as big an issue. I know when I played MIF I liked to be able to “feel” the ball when I caught it to help with transfers so I didn’t like the pad in there. I would imagine without the pad it wouldn’t be as stiff or take as long to break in - that could be another reason depending on your preferences.
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
Ken, absolutely go with leather, do NOT order that mitt with a XRD palm pad! That stuff breaks down and disintegrates into little balls of S*** all throughout the palm of the glove!
 
Feb 25, 2020
953
93
Id go leather. I have a HoH 1b mitt with a leather palm pad and it makes a quite satisfying "pop" and I havent felt much through it yet either.
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
I would guess if I was ordering a catchers mitt or first baseman’s mitt I would want one, but not if I was ordering a MIF glove or outfield glove where “stingers” weren’t as big an issue. I know when I played MIF I liked to be able to “feel” the ball when I caught it to help with transfers so I didn’t like the pad in there. I would imagine without the pad it wouldn’t be as stiff or take as long to break in - that could be another reason depending on your preferences.
Ken, ^^^^^ here’s your perfect answer! The new custom NP6 I got in last week, I ordered it with a leather palm pad, but not for stingers. I think the leather palm pad adds overall structure to the glove, and it helps eliminate palm wrinkles.
 
Feb 25, 2020
953
93
Ken, ^^^^^ here’s your perfect answer! The new custom NP6 I got in last week, I ordered it with a leather palm pad, but not for stingers. I think the leather palm pad adds overall structure to the glove, and it helps eliminate palm wrinkles.

Oh I didnt think of that. That makes sense when I look at my DD's glove(the 206DFP) vs that 1b mitt. The 1b mitt sits on its side wide open. Hers is about half open.
 
Jul 29, 2013
6,782
113
North Carolina
Ken, not trying to tell you what kind / color leather to order but the tan Jtan leather on my new NP6 is fantastic!

Mock up your same color scheme with a tan Jtan base and see what you think?
 

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