How to Break in a New Baseball Glove

Co-authored by Isaac Hess

Last Updated: June 24, 2024 References

A new baseball glove can feel stiff and clumsy. It can even make it difficult to play the game. You can always wait for your glove to break in naturally, but that can take a very long time. Luckily, there are quicker solutions to breaking in a new baseball glove. The following suggestions can let your glove feel like a second skin and allow you to get back to concentrating on your game.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Softening with Sunlight and Conditioning Oil

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1
Purchase baseball glove conditioning oil. Most manufacturers offer oils specifically formulated to treat their gloves. Applying a small amount of conditioning oil will soften, enrich, and preserve the leather in the pocket of your glove.
- You can use some shaving cream with lanolin in it as a cheap alternative to conditioning oil.
- Do not use too much oil or cream on your glove. Applying too much can cause the leather to deteriorate.^{[1]
  X
  Research source} Use just enough to apply a light coating all over the pocket.
They're not the same thing. Softball gloves have slightly larger pockets to fit the slightly larger ball.

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Put it in the "sweet spot." The sweet spot is where you would ideally catch the ball, in the lower part of the webbing between the thumb and forefinger.
4
Wrap several large rubber bands around the glove with the ball inside. The bands should be tight so that the ball rests snugly in the pocket of the glove and not be able to move around. This is to shape the pocket to fit the ball.
- Don't use string for this. Tightly wound string or twine can leave an odd-looking imprint around the outside of the glove.
The sunlight will make the leather warm and flexible. Do not leave the glove on a hot surface. You don't want to cook it.
Shape the glove by punching your fist into the pocket and opening and closing the glove. Throw the ball hard many times into the center of the glove's pocket, and close the glove over the ball as soon as it hits the webbing. The more you do this, the better the ball will fit and the more you'll develop a feel for catching and retaining the ball.
Store it for a day or two in a dark, dry spot. Choose an out-of-the-way place away from pets and small children (who might disturb the process).
Remove the bands and ball. Your glove should be ready for action. The more you use it, the more the glove will conform to your hand.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Steaming the Glove

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Coat or spray the entire surface of the glove. You may want to apply a little extra to the laces to make sure they are adequately protected. Let the glove sit for several minutes and soak up the conditioner. Then wipe the glove with a towel until dry.
2
Place the glove on a rack above a pot of water and turn the burner on. Be sure to keep your glove several inches above the water to avoid splashing. Place a curved lid or a large upside-down bowl over the glove to trap the steam. Let the glove sit in the steam for two-to-five minutes, depending on how soft you want the leather. You want the temperature of the glove to reach about 150° F.^{[2]
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- Many sporting-goods stores offer professional glove-steaming services. ^{[3]
  X
  Research source} Some will even steam a new glove for free when you buy it from them.
Turn the stove off and wait until the steam dissipates to retrieve your glove. Dry the glove with a towel. The glove should feel much more flexible now.
Fold the glove in half so the thumb is on top and hit the heel close to the thumb side with a mallet to bend the material. Work your way toward the center of the glove.
5
Hit the glove in the desired spot to form a pocket. Depending on your preference, you might want a deep or shallow pocket.
- Hit the glove near the webbing for a deeper pocket or more toward the palm of the glove for a shallow pocket.
Your glove should be much easier to open and close now. Play some catch to help finish the process of breaking it in.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Glove Foam

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This method is equivalent to breaking in a new glove for six months.
Cover the entire surface of the glove. Coat the back of the glove as well. Let the material soak up the lather for several minutes.
3
Place the glove in a 300ºF oven for four minutes. Put the foamed glove on a cloth-covered baking sheet. Set it on the top rack of the oven. ^{[4]
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- Set a kitchen timer to make sure you don't leave the glove in too long or forget to take it out.
Allow it to cool. Wipe away any residue from the treatment.
5
Work the glove repeatedly every which way for ten minutes or more. Insert a baseball or softball into the glove's sweet spot where you are most likely to catch the ball. Allow the glove to cool around the ball.
- Note: Most glove manufacturers recommend against using chemicals or heat to break in gloves. In other words, take the above steps in moderation. Too much heat or chemical treatment can ruin the flexibility and comfort inherent in leather.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you break in a new baseball glove fast?

Isaac Hess
Baseball Coach & Instructor
Isaac Hess is a Baseball Coach, Instructor, and the Founder of MADE Baseball Development and Champion Mindset Training Program, a baseball training program based in Los Angeles, California. Isaac has over 14 years of experience coaching baseball and specializes in private lessons and tournaments. He has played baseball for both professional and collegiate leagues including Washington State University and the University of Arizona. Isaac was ranked as one of Baseball America's top 10 prospects for 2007 and 2008. He earned a BS in Regional Development from the University of Arizona in 2007.

Isaac Hess

Baseball Coach & Instructor

Expert Answer

Just pound it in with a ball. If it's a brand new glove and you got pretty firm leather, the better the glove, the more stiff it's going to be and the longer it will take to break in — but the longer it will last, too. So just throw a ball into the pocket of the glove over and over again. You can also use a little bit of oil, but not a lot; don't overdo it. Other than that, just play catch, and the better you get, the more you want to play with somebody that can throw hard. If you're playing catch and going hard and you're catching the ball in the pocket, then it will start breaking in.

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Question

Can I use olive oil to break in the glove?

Community Answer

Olive oil will deteriorate the leather. If it's an inexpensive glove, then that would work; however, if it's a higher-end glove, buy some glove oil.

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Can I put the glove under my mattress and sleep on it for a week?

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You can, but put something in the pocket of your glove so it doesn't become completely flat.

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One of the best ways to break in a new glove is simply to play catch with it—the longer the better.^{[5]
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Isaac Hess
Baseball Coach & Instructor

Expert Interview. 20 March 2020.} Professionals will hit their gloves with a wooden mallet to start the process but will typically finish by simply playing catch. Of course they could have someone break in a glove for them, but often they do it themselves in order to mold the gloves to their own hands.

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Avoid plastic gloves. They don't last long.

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Breaking in a new glove takes time and patience.

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The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Though some people say to do these things, I don't recommend baking your glove (because it could ruin the leather), putting it in the freezer (because it will get too stiff to break in), or running it over with a car (because it will get pancaked and it will shorten the life of the glove).
Work with your new glove in practice to get used to it and break it in before using it in games.
Let a catcher break it in for you at practice if they're willing to.

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Warnings

Wrapping your glove with rubber bands can leave marks on the glove. Use an old belt or a cloth to wrap your glove around instead, as this will not damage it.

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If your child gets a new glove, do not break it in for him/her. Your hand is probably bigger than theirs, and you'll stretch the inside of the glove out too much.

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Be cautious when breaking in new, expensive baseball or softball gloves. Using methods such as oven heating, foams, petroleum jelly, and leaving the glove out in the sun can be risking the glove's appearance and longevity. Use these methods sparingly.

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Don't let others use the glove until you've finished breaking it in. You want the glove to fit your hand "like a glove."

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