Racquetball players constantly debate the advantages of wearing a glove. While some may consider them unnecessary and a style choice at best, racquetball gloves provide players with several benefits, all of which may improve on-court performance. Expert players seldom take the court without donning a glove on their racket hand.
Identification
A racquetball glove fits over the player's dominant hand. There's no need to wear two gloves since only one hand ever comes in contact with the racket handle. Manufacturers typically make racquetball gloves from leather, sheepskin, goatskin or synthetic materials. Most gloves tend to be basic black, although more vibrant colors may be worn to make a fashion statement. The glove's color has no bearing on its performance.
Grip
First and foremost, racquetball players wear gloves to improve their grip on the racket. Even though most rackets have effective grips, the handles may become slick due to sweating during competition. Gloves provide another layer of traction, with many featuring tacky surfaces on the fingers and palms to reduce potential slipping. Tackier gloves grant the most racket control. Manufacturers design gloves to become tackier the more they're used, so there's no worry of wearing them out with rigorous play.
Moisture Absorption
Aside from the extra tackiness of their surface materials, racquetball gloves improve grip by absorbing sweat and moisture. The glove's cuff also prevents sweat from running down the arm and into the hand. By keeping sweat off the racket handle, players don't have to worry about losing control of the racket during a powerful swing. The added security may enhance confidence and result in more accurate shots. However, don't overlook the importance of proper ventilation. The glove should allow the hand to breath while still absorbing moisture, otherwise the hand may become slick inside the glove, compromising grip.
Protection
Racquetball gloves also protect players from developing painful blisters on their hand and fingers. Blisters may be particularly problematic for players who grip the racket with the handle's knob in the center of their hand and one finger completely off the handle. Such a grip provides more flexibility and more whip on shots, although placing the handle's edge in the middle of the palm greatly increases the chance of developing blisters due to the constant friction present on each racket movement. A glove guards against such skin abrasion injuries, allowing the player to swing without trepidation.
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