Youth Sliding Mitts for Ages 10 to 13
Younger players slide harder than anyone and go through gear fastest. Our youth sliding mitts are sized for ages 10 to 13, with a shorter cuff and a narrower hand opening so the mitt stays put instead of spinning on the wrist. Same protective plates and compression strap as the adult version, just scaled down. Kids sliding mitts get used every practice, so the wrist strap gives you room to adjust as hands grow.
Adult Sliding Mitts for Teen and Up
Our adult sliding mitt covers teen players through to college and beyond, with a longer cuff and a wider hand opening built for bigger hands. Anyone shopping for a sliding mitt for baseball at high school level or above should start here. Most players wearing one also run elbow guards, since the lead arm takes contact on the same slide.
Sliding Mitt or Sliding Glove?
Sliding gloves and sliding mitt mean the same thing. Softball players tend to say glove, baseball players tend to say mitt, and both refer to the padded mitt worn on the lead hand when you are running bases. It is not a fielding glove or a batting glove. Searching for a baseball sliding glove lands you in the right place.
Built for Baseball and Softball
Every mitt here works for baseball and softball. The slide is the same in both, and so is the risk to your fingers and wrist. Our softball sliding mitt sizing follows the same youth and adult split, so pick by hand size rather than by sport.
Colorways Built to Stand Out
Nobody remembers a plain sliding mitt. Cotton Candy, Vice Vice Baby, El Tigre, Danger Zone. Pick one, then match it to your batting gloves.
FAQs
Which hand do you wear a sliding mitt on?
Whichever hand reaches for the bag first. Most runners lead with the same side every time, so watch a few slides and you'll know. Headfirst sliders take the hardest contact through the fingertips, which is where the plate does its work.
What size should I measure for?
Measure across the palm, knuckle to knuckle, with the hand flat. That number tells you more than age does, especially for players between the youth and adult cut. The strap adjusts either way if you land between sizes.
Are sliding mitts allowed in youth leagues?
Yes. Little League, travel ball and high school all permit them, and umpires see them on the base paths every game. Nothing here needs approval before your player wears it.
How do I clean one?
Wipe the plates down with a damp cloth and let the air dry away from direct heat. Never put it in the washing machine or the dryer, since heat warps the plates and breaks down the strap adhesive.
Do sliding mitts work with batting gloves?
The batting glove stays on underneath, or you pull it off once you reach base. Neither option bunches at the wrist. Plenty of players keep the mitt in a back pocket until they're on first.
When is my kid old enough to need one?
Around the age players start stealing bases, which is usually 9 or 10 depending on the league. Once they're sliding into second at full speed, the fingers take the impact whether they're protected or not.