Think about your favorite dessert.
Got it in mind? Now think about how that dessert is made. More than likely, it takes perfectly combining the necessary ingredients to create a tasteful masterpiece. If one ingredient is changed or forgotten or increased or decreased, your favorite dessert is no longer just the way you like it.
Now think about a softball glove. There are countless features that go into making a glove: size, pattern, color, break-in period, weight, etc. When all the right ingredients come together in just the right way, you can create another masterpiece: your perfect glove.
According to thousands of softball players across the world, their favorite ‘dessert’ is the Rawlings Liberty Advanced glove.
Liberty Advanced Leather Explained
For more than a century, softball and baseball players have known Rawlings for the quality of our leather, and durability, and performance of our gloves. The Liberty Advanced softball glove series is no exception.
When we launched the Liberty Advanced line in 2017, we made sure that all Liberty Advanced gloves were made of high-quality, full-grain leather. This set features cowhide palm lining for added comfort, and an adjustable wrist strap for the perfect fit every inning out. As a result, these gamers stand up to the highest levels of play in high school and beyond, but they’re still approachable enough to be used by younger players too.
Liberty Advanced leather is soft enough to be easily broken in by younger players, but sturdy enough to be worn by high-level superstars like pro pitcher Keilani Ricketts.
Compared to other fastpitch gloves offered by Rawlings, the leather of a Liberty Advanced falls right in the middle of the pack when it comes to softness and shape retention. It’s a sturdier leather than the Player Preferred and R9 series, but much softer than our Heart of the Hide or Pro Preferred softball gloves.
Built for Fastpitch
When you don’t really like a dessert, it’s typically because there’s a little too much of this, or not enough of that. Your favorite dessert has just the right amount of everything. And that’s what a Liberty Advanced softball glove is like.
Because of the softer leather used in this line, the break-in period is shorter than that of a Heart of the Hide or Pro Preferred. A typical full break-in for Liberty Advanced gloves is around 3 to 4 weeks. That means you’ll be using your new glove in games in no time. For break-in tips, check out these TIPS & TRICKS from our very own glove pros at Rawlings.
The Liberty Advanced was also designed with weight and comfort in mind. The softer, lighter leather results in a glove that’s easier to use – especially for those quick-pick backhanders. Players love a quick glove, and in a game that’s getting faster and faster every year, having a that in your arsenal is important regardless of the position you’re playing.
Although the leather of a Liberty Advanced is lighter and softer, we’ve managed to maintain the same durability that Rawlings has built its reputation on. A Liberty Advanced glove can be expected to last you for multiple seasons, making it the perfect option for competitive high-school to college-aged softball players.
Comfort + Design = Performance
One of the most important things when choosing a glove is finding one that comfortably fits your hand. If you have a glove that’s too big, it can feel like it’s slipping off, especially when you sweat during play. On the contrary, a glove that’s too small may make it harder to close your glove comfortably. Both of these problems can be avoided with the Liberty Advanced.
This glove has a pull strap that allows you to loosen or tighten your glove opening, ensuring it will fit a variety of hand sizes. For extra comfort, we even added Poron XRD padding to reduce sting in the palm of the glove.
In this photo, you can see the adaptable wrist strap and reinforced palm lining that make the Liberty Advanced the most comfortable softball glove on the market.
Now that the glove fits your hand, it’s time to find one that fits your position. Liberty Advanced gloves come in a variety of sizes and web patterns - fit for any position on the fastpitch field. Our 11.5” and 11.75” models are perfect for infielders at 3B, SS, or 2B. For our pitchers, we offer a 12” model with a closed web to hide those grips. The 12.5” basket web is perfect for the utility player bouncing from position to position, while our 12.75” is built to help any outfielder rob some extra bases. For first base, we have a 13” first-base mitt. Last, but certainly not least, we have a 33” catchers’ mitt for our bosses behind the plate.
The Liberty Advanced Color Series offers a variety of colorways to add a little flavor to your game as well! You can even snag a limited-edition Liberty Advanced Color Series glove for even more flair across the diamond too.
Custom Liberty Advanced Fastpitch Gloves
To top everything off, we also offer all our Liberty Advanced softball glove patterns on our Custom Glove Builder. This allows you to choose from three different shell colors, along with various sizes, patterns, and webs. You will design every aspect of your custom glove! From the way it looks, to the laces, binding, and even stitching. To finish it off, you can even add your name, number, or favorite saying. It all adds up to one sweet custom Liberty Advanced glove.
So, what are you waiting for? Get your Liberty Advanced softball glove today!
