Is a Mizuno first base glove REALLY worth the money and all the “best glove EVER” hype?
I will answer those questions and more with this in-depth review of Mizuno first base gloves.
Let’s first take a quick history lesson.
Any baseball fan or player knows that different positions need different types of gloves.
And in fact, in baseball history it was a first baseman who first had the “audacity” to wear gloves while playing baseball.
His name was Charles C. Waite, and he was ridiculed by fans and other players for such an un-masculine act. But soon more famous players started wearing baseball mitts too, especially when they played first base.
Today, the Mizuno first base glove is the latest in a long line of excellent gloves for that particular position.
It’s more accurate to say, however, to call it a Mizuno first base mitt, since it doesn’t have any slots for the fingers.
In a hurry?
==>> Read all consumer reports on these first base mitts here
Here are some reasons why the Mizuno 1st base glove is popular all over the world.
1. Plenty of Choices
Mizuno makes many types of gloves for every baseball position, and if you’re looking for a Mizuno first baseman glove, you’ll have plenty of choices too. Your options include:
- Mizuno GXF28 Classic Pro First Baseman Mitt
- Classic Pro Soft GXF26 Baseball Firstbase Mitt
- Classic MVP Prime SE Basemans Mitts
- Global Elite GXF10 Baseball Firstbase Mitt
- GXF57 MVP Baseball First Base Mitt
- GXF50PSE3 MVP Prime SE First Baseman Mitt
- MVP Prime GXF50PB1 13″ Adult Baseball or Softball First Base Mitt
- Mizuno Prospect Series GXF102 12″ Youth First Base Mitt
- GXF90B1 Franchise First Baseman Mitts
- Prospect Series GXF101 Youth Baseball Mizuno First Base Glove
- World Win GXF75 Baseball First Basemans Mitt
- Bio soft leather: professional style smooth leather that has the perfect balance of oil and softness for exceptional feel and firm control that serious players demand
- Professional level lace: same durable lace that's offered in our professional-level gloves
- Outlined, embroidered logo: for a rich, premium look
- Right hand Throw= worn on left hand, left hand Throw= worn on right hand
- US kip leather: tighter fibers creating more durability and a premium, soft feel for top of the line performance you can trust
- Shell leather palm liner: same premium leather on the outer shell of the glove as the palm liner, giving you a durable and consistent feel
- Player pocket designs: pockets tailored specifically to the player's needs and how they prefer to break-in their glove
- Comfortable, hand based patterns: sets your pocket under the web and helps to shape your glove like a Pro
- Worn by the pros
- Bio soft leather: professional style smooth leather that has the perfect balance of oil and softness for exceptional feel and firm control that serious players demand
- Professional level lace: same durable lace that's offered in our professional-level gloves
- Outlined, embroidered logo: for a rich, premium look
- Right hand Throw= worn on left hand, left hand Throw= worn on right hand
- 3D Technology
- Throwback Leather - Rugged, rich, naturally pre-oiled leather that keeps its shape over time
- Ultra Soft Pro - New Palm liner with excellent feeling and soft finish
- Roll Welting for increased support throughout the fingers
- New outline patch
- Steer soft Elite palm liner: Elite leather palm liner provides exceptional feel
- US Steer hide leather: premium US Steer hide is firm and built to hold up to the rigors of a full Season
- Comfortable, hand based patterns: sets your pocket under the web and helps to shape your glove like a Pro
- Thumb slot: provides additional comfort and a solid, secure fit
- Breaks in quickly
Last update on 2023-10-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
That’s just a sample of what Mizuno has to offer for first basemen.
Here you have lots of different sizes, features, and looks, and you have premium models as well as more affordable choices. Both adults and children alike can get what they need from Mizuno.
The Pros Tell Why They Use Mizuno Gloves
2. A Long Excellent History
Mizuno has a very long history, and they’ve been around since the early years when baseball wasn’t popular yet.
Western sports had arrived in Japan after the Meiji restoration in 1868, and by the turn of the century modern sporting events were becoming more accepted in Japan.
Mizuno was founded in 1906, and among the first items they manufactured and sold were baseballs.
By 1913, they were making gloves as well, and by 1914 they opened a factory for full-scale production of athletic goods.
In the picture: Mizuno PRO GMP300BK
Today, Mizuno makes many types of athletic gear, including baseball bats, running shoes, and golf clubs. But let’s not forget that they started with baseballs and their Mizuno gloves, and the company never forgot about it either.
It’s a cliché that Japanese manufacturers are experts in combining traditional craftsmanship with the latest technological improvements, but Mizuno exemplifies that kind of manufacturing tradition.
3. Premium Features
A quick look at the Global Elite GXF10 shows why first basemen appreciate the fine quality of Mizuno first base gloves.
The GXF10 uses what Mizuno calls E-Lite leather, and it is extremely soft and light so that it truly offers excellent performance.
It’s counter-balanced, so it removes the weight from the finger areas of the glove. This gives the first basemen more control and a lighter feel.
Control is crucial for first basemen, because often they’re asked to do complicated things.
For example, they need to stretch as far out as possible so that they can catch the ball earlier before the hitter reaches first base.
Since fielders tend to throw the ball hurriedly, the aim may not be perfect, so the first baseman needs to get the mitt in the right spot to catch the ball.
Sometimes they even have to catch the ball on the hop. In other cases, they actually need to get their foot off first base to get the ball and they need to tag the hitter instead to get an out. All these kinds of plays require great control.
The GXF10 Mizuno first base glove also features roll welting, which boosts the structure and support throughout the finger areas. This is important because next to the catcher, the first baseman is the most popular destination for thrown baseballs.
This means that an entire game can be very punishing for fingers if they’re not properly protected. Baseball games can also wear down a first baseman’s mitts more quickly if it is not durable.
4. Superb Features in Affordable Gloves
Even the more affordable Mizuno first base mitt models come with excellent features as well. For example, the Franchise GXF90PB1 comes with pre-oiled Java leather.
This minimizes the need for extensive break-ins, and in fact it can be game ready right out of the box. And it is also durable as well.
The special Parashock Plus palm pad offers great protection for the palm.
The unique Hi-Low lacing provides the same integrity as a fully laced web, but it offers greater flexibility so that the first baseman can quickly close down on any caught throws.
The patterns are all hand-based, so they’re inherently comfortable.
And of course, they also look good. This is important for many players, as a great looking Mizuno 1st base glove provides extra confidence and swagger.
And players look great when their parents or friends take pictures of them—or perhaps even the newspaper photographers may snap their photos!
5. Outstanding Fit
You can buy Mizuno first base gloves in a wide variety of sizes, so children and adults alike can find a mitt that “fits them like a glove”.
The straps on the wrist offer multiple adjustments so that the hand can really fit in snugly with maximum control and a comfortable feel.
6. Less Sting
Every Mizuno first baseman glove offers terrific padding for the fingers and palms, and what that means is that the hands won’t get too stung by fast balls coming their way.
7. Adam Laroche Wears It
Adam Laroche of the Chicago White Sox was the 2012 Golden Glove winner and he uses Mizuno. Other first basemen such as Bully Butler and Corey Hart use it too.
And of course the great Ichiro uses it as well. He may not be a first baseman, but his patronage of Mizuno is a testament to Mizuno’s quality.
Verdict on the Mizuno First Base Glove
Any Mizuno first base glove will do what’s supposed to do, which is to help first basement catch throws, field balls, and tag runners.
They’re very comfortable, and they don’t need a lot of time to break in. They can last for a very long time and the price is very affordable.
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