Wilson A2K FP-CM11

[RobD]

Has anyone used the Wilson A2K FP-CM11? I am looking to get a good catchers mitt for my daughter. I know the Wilson A2K gloves are good, and am just wondering about the catchers mitts. Let me know what you all think.

Rob

 

[Hogfan]

Wilson gloves are VERY stiff even after a good break in. The glove really is just a baseball 1B mitt that they call a FP catchers mitt. They have a wide piece of plastic in the thumb that is bigger than it should be for FP and can hinder catching 12" balls. I have always like Easton for youth but really prefer the Nakona. Worth the money for a serious full time catcher. (older TB or HS) Glove will last for years with routine care. Warning: Kangaroo back is great because it's light but the leather will need to be replaced every two years or so. Nakona has a refurb service that isn't too expensive. They will replace the leather and re-lace. If you don't mind a weight then the Akadema mitts are well made and nicely priced.

 

[RobD]

Well, I had just ordered one and it came today, the Wilson A2K FP-CM11 that is. I really couldnt find anything for reviews and I know most any of the higher end gloves/mitts are going to be pretty good. I just put some conditioner on it and tued it up with a 12" softball in it. I will just work it every night while I sit here watchign tv and have my daughter use it while playing catch to try getting it broke in as soon as we can. I had a Nokona catchers mitt that I sold a couple months ago as I needed the moeney at that time, but this one seems to have a thicker palm area, more padding. I also got her a Xprotex glove to wear inside the glove, will see if she needs it or not now.

 

[CPSBDad]

You didn't mentioned the age of your daughter, but I asume based on 12 inch ball 12U on up.

When we decided to get a new catcher's mitt I bought three from an online vendor. DD is 11. I let her pick the one she wanted to use and it was the Mizuno GXS100. 32.5". The vendor allowed me to send back the other mitts. She does very well with it and it didn't cost a fortune. She has a Nokona for when she is in the field. BTW, highschool catcher we know has the same mitt DD has and loves it.

 

[D.G. OutLaws 16u]

As with any equipment it must give the user confidence! Stay away from Adidas n Nike (cheaply made, disposable).
IMO Nakona & Mizuno, most popular. With minimal good care these will last a career. DD (18u HS senior) plays 3b and C, Her Nakona(6yrs old this season) mitt will take her through college whereas her Easton fielders glove gets replaced annually. I've tried hard to get her in a higher quality, expensive fielders glove. Product research, consumer reports and knowledge go out the window as soon as DD puts (insert glove name here) on, smiles, and says 'I feel the love in this glove'. I guess some girls get emotionally attatched?
Typically she carries the Nakona catchers mitt and 3 gloves around. A practice glove, newest in the rotation being 'worked in', A game glove, perfectly worked in. A back up glove, a softer weathered one used only in emergency.

 

[RobD]

My daughter is 16 and plays high school softball. Last year she played some shortstop, caught and pitched on our JV team, and when she filled in here and there on the varsity team, she played some outfield. This year should be more settled as catcher and shortstop. Her regular glove was a cheaper one I got last year, and she seems to like it. I got the catchers mitt because if she catches alot this year, she should be using one or her hand will take a beating. She found that out last year in a Sunday league as she bruised the base of her thumb and it didnt feel very good when the ball hit it. I think this mitt will work out pretty good once it get broke in. I will work on it to get it lossened up the ebst I can and when it warms up and the snow is gone, we will use it alot just playing catch to get it fully broke in.

 

[D.G. OutLaws 16u]

an older post i liked about glove conditioning.....

03-11-2010 07:08 PM #4 mudbug
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I believe hands down the best glove conditioner is petroleum jelly, ie vaseline. This is just a higher molecular wt mineral oil.

This is what Nokona recommends, and does to their gloves. At one point they found a crate of old gloves that were like 50-70 yrs old, the Nokona ones that had been treated with petroleum jelly were in remarkably good condition while others were falling apart.

The problem with thin oils is that they are too easy to over-apply, and they will soak right thru the leather, make a glove heavy and make the padding soggy too and cause it to lose function.

You would be surprised how fast vaseline soaks into leather too, you can put a whole jar into a glove and make it heavy too if you arent careful, that is why you use any oil very very very sparingly. Any oill doesnt leave the glove, it just soaks into the leather every time you reapply until the leather is saturated and heavy, so use sparingly.

Being thicker, vaseline soaks in slower, stays closer to surface, and is much easier to limit application

Rub down the whole glove, laces, inside of finger stalls, inside palm , trim etc. (not if fabric lining though, only for leather linings) leather palms and linings will not crack and dry out in gloves treated this way. Let sit for a day or so and it will be dry-like.

Only needs to be done moderately once when new, then maybe once per season. Wipe dirt off after season with damp rag and very lightly reapply .

Oil is to prevent the leather from deteriorating from sweat and dirt.

the only way to break it in is to play catch and let it form to your hand with time, just like your shoes do to your feet. Most pros have several gloves and are at various stages of break-in. They wont play with one until it ready. some claim they can tell if someone else even put their hand into their glove.