Gridiron Grips: The Best Football Gloves for 2022

The Stealth Pro Elite football gloves from Grip Boost address two of the biggest complaints that players have with receiver gloves: that the palm grip loses its tackiness over time and that the grip is ineffective when conditions get sloppy.

This problem isn’t an issue with the Stealth Pro Elite, thanks to the proprietary palm grip formula that utilizes modified chitosan, a natural polymer derived from crab shells with excellent adhesion properties. It is used to develop blood-clotting bandages and surgical sprays. It apparently sticks to footballs, too, because the Stealth Pro Elite uses it to maintain a ridiculous amount of tackiness in both wet and dry weather. Just enough, in fact, to stay within the standards of NFHS and NCAA regulations.

Also, the sticky palm is refreshable, so if it starts to lose its stickiness, quick treatment with Grip Boost’s glove grip gel will make them feel good as new.

We haven’t worn the grip down yet, but I can tell you that the grip is unbelievable. I was more of a hitter than a receiver, but these gloves had me pulling one-handed catches during testing in the park – like Odell Beckham Junior in his prime. The weather has been perfect during testing, so I soaked the gloves with a hose to check the grip in wet conditions, and they still stuck like glue to the ball. Read the in-depth review here.

If you’re looking for some killer receiver gloves, the Adifast 2.0 from Adidas might be the best football gloves in the world. The combination of super-tacky palm and the (shoot, there’s no better way to say it) glove-like fit is a hard combo to beat.

Most of the receiver gloves on this list have some form of sticky grip or another, but the skintight fit of the Adifast 2.0 really makes it stand out. This is thanks in part to the four-way stretch back, which contours to your hand and prevents any sliding around.

From the guys who make the legendary Battle Binky mouthguard comes some of the stickiest football receiver gloves you’ll find on this list. Literally, you won’t find any regulation gloves stickier than these because the Double Threat Football Gloves from Battle are rated at the top end of legal stickiness for the National Federation of State High School Associations, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and the National Operation Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment.

The sticky material covers the entire palm side of the glove, giving both the palm and the fingers a huge, sticky surface area for both one-handed acrobatic catches and for tucking the ball in right before a linebacker lights you up. The ventilation on the top of the fingers and back of the hand keeps your hands cool and dry, and a dozen colorways ensure that you’ll find a pair that fits your uniform.

There’s no replacement for the smell of fresh-cut grass on a football field or the fun of sliding your way through a muddy, sloppy playoff game in late November. For better or worse, though, more and more fields are being converted to turf, which provides a consistent response and excellent traction throughout all weather conditions. Unfortunately, it also shreds your uniform (and your skin) over time.

Gloves aren’t immune to this extreme amount of wear and tear that turf creates, which is why we love the F7 Football Gloves from UnderArmour. These gloves sport an extra durable TurfGear material on the backs of the hands. When you dive for a pass and tuck it before you land, your hands are going to be taking the brunt of the slide with your full bodyweight laying on top of them, so this extra armor (hey, like the brand name!) goes a long way in adding durability to both the gloves and your hands.

If you play football in a hotter climate or you’re just exceptionally sweaty, the Game Day Football Gloves from Cutter could be just the thing for you. What makes these stand out among the other gloves on this list is the full mesh backing. The entire back of the hand and fingers is made up of a fully breathable and stretchy mesh, which not only provides a comfortable skin-tight grip but also sports an open weave that allows hot air and moisture to escape the glove. During hot summer practices and early-season games, when things tend to heat up, this does a great deal in keeping your hands from feeling slick and clammy. 

On top of that, the silicone SpeedGrip palm provides a tacky grip for catching passes, and the fact that you can throw them in the washer and dryer without ruining them is a huge plus. The mesh backing does mean a sacrifice in durability, so be aware that you may need to replace the pair mid-season, especially if you play on turf. And to stay safe from injuries while playing, be sure to invest in some of the top-rated football helmets from our list.

I had to include these gloves because they made me laugh out loud when I first saw them. The Peace, Shaka, and Hook ‘Em Gloves from Grip Boost win the best style points for contrasting designs on the palms showing hands doing the peace sign, the shaka brah, or rock ‘n roll horns.

The illusion of a receiver going up for a pass while throwing up two shakas might be the most epic image I can imagine, and it gives me no end of joy that these gloves exist. It serves a strategic purpose as well: having a receiver wave at you with a peace sign while he burns you for a 60-yard touchdown is probably one of the most demoralizing things a safety can see. Nothing says “I can do this all day” like a guy who can laugh at himself while he puts a whooping on you. These are just damn cool football gloves.

If you’re looking at this list, you’re likely searching out receiver gloves, but defensive players need some good kit as well. Since I spent most of my time playing safety and linebacker, I had to throw a bit of love to the guys on defense with a legit pair of linebacker gloves.

Officially, the Freak 3.0 glove from Adidas is a receiver glove, which is great for snagging passes in the flats for a quick pick-six. But linebackers spend a lot of time in the trenches, so most receiver gloves lack the protection that you’d need at the bottom of a dogpile or when getting sandwiched between linemen.

We’d be doing a disservice to our players in the trenches if we didn’t include at least one glove for linemen. It’s been said that crashing headfirst into the opposing line is like getting into a car crash on every down, so it makes sense that our lineman’s glove is the most padded and protective glove on this list. With 5-mm foam padding on the back of the fingers, the Scorch Destroy 2 from Adidas will provide plenty of protection down in the pit.

For offensive linemen, special padding in the palm absorbs the shock of keeping separation and maintaining control of a tackle who’s trying to get through to your quarterback. The grippy palms are perfect for keeping the hands open and avoiding a holding call. And for the defensive guys, yes, a head slap is illegal, but only if anyone sees it. The padded palm lets you swing away at that left tackle’s earhole all game…or until the ref drops a flag on you. For more amazing sports gear, be sure to read our comprehensive guide to the best-rated baseball gloves.