Baseball Equipment Tips: Caring for Your Baseball Glove

By Damien Moczynski

The spring and summer months mean many of you will be out playing the game of baseball again this year, and because baseball has recently become so specialized, with various summer leagues, clinics and tournaments, many of you will be kept busy playing this great pastime all summer long. However, when you're not on the field playing, it's very important that you take certain steps to ensure your baseball glove will continue to serve you well. A new glove can be very expensive if you have to replace it-sometimes well over $100-and what's even worse, a glove not cared for properly can pose a number of safety hazards. To help you avoid this, in this article we will provide a few basic tips for keeping your baseball glove in tip-top condition, including tips on how it should be stored when it's not in use.

Caring for Your Baseball Glove: A Few Tips

Your glove is by far the most important piece of baseball gear you own, and unless you care for it properly, it may let you down in the field. No baseball player wants that to happen, so to avoid this scenario, try following the few basic tips listed below-tips that are sure to keep your glove in the very best condition:

• Baseball gloves are, for the most part, made of leather, so you need to care for it just as if it were a fancy leather coat. Direct heat and wet conditions can seriously damage leather in a very short amount of time, so when you're not wearing your glove, or rather, when you're not at the field, always store it somewhere cool and dry, such as your bedroom or a cool closet. Never leave your glove where it can become too hot such as a garage or the trunk of a car.

• If your baseball glove does happen to get wet, don't panic. Just grab a clean dry towel to soak up any excess water, and leave it to dry once again in a cool, dry place. It may take a bit longer to completely dry out this way, but this method is much better for the leather. NEVER try to dry your glove in an oven or with any other heat source, including blow dryers and space heaters.

• Don't over-oil your glove! This is a mistake made by far too many baseball players, and one that can easily be avoided. Oiling your glove about once a week is usually sufficient for conditioning the leather. Also, be sure that the oil you apply has been approved for use on your glove type.

• Check the laces. Over the course of a few practices or games, it is not uncommon for some of the laces on your glove to work their way loose. Before participating in any baseball-related activity, use a glove repair kit to ensure all the laces are tight and secure.

By following these very basic glove-care tips you can preserve the life of the glove and avoid any unwanted mishaps on the field.

http://www.bearears.com

For more information on this topic & more about baseball, go to http://www.bearears.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damien_Moczynski