Brine King 6X Goalkeeper Gloves
Brine is one of those companies that always produces some high quality products, and this brand new King series from Brine is no different. The King 6X is the new top of the line glove from Brine and it offers quite a few unique features that I have never seen from any other goalkeeper gloves.
The fit of these gloves are very comfortable and for being a glove with finger spines, they fit on the tighter side. Your looking at fingers that are about average length, as well as about average width, with a slightly wide palm surface. I am a size 9 in goalkeeper gloves and these fit me perfectly, but note that they are a tighter fitting glove, so if you do like your gloves a little bigger, go up a size. Another thing worth mentioning about the fit of the glove is the securing system. The wrist area is made up of about a 2-inch elastic band, with a reinforced slit that lets your put the gloves on easier while still maintaining that tight fit around your wrists. There are also two securing straps, one being the usual thick strap, and right above that one is a thin nylon strap. The thin strap doesn't do much, but it is a nice addition if you are trying to get the most secure fit possible.
The palms, and wrist wrap, are made from a 6mm German Foam material, with a hybrid cut palm, and two types of cuts depending on the finger, the palm on these gloves is made to be as form fitting as possible. Being that the palm is 6mm, which is pretty thick, I immediately noticed that the palms did not feel all that thick on your hands or when catching and stopping the ball. I would say that the actual thickness of the palms is just in-between thick and thin. The actual grip of the palm is also very good, but not the best. The palms are soft, but not as soft as other top end gloves on the market. The reason for this is mainly because Brine seems to have taken durability into consideration, something that a lot of high end gloves do not have, in exchange for better grip. With all that being said, the grip that these gloves do offer is still premium. In combination with the rolled cut on the index and pinky fingers, you always get as much of the palm as possible coming in contact with the ball when catching the ball, which means more grip. One very unique feature on this glove is the Tuff Palm, which is essentially an extra layer of foam right above the wrist, at the bottom of the palm. As you know, usually the very first part of the palm that begins to wear is the area of the palm, but with this extra material in that area, it will double the life of your gloves, which is always a good thing.
The finger spines are put together in very small section, so you get very good flexibility in your fingers. The small section allow for very good freedom of movement and they don't feel stiff at all when opening and closing your fingers, even from brand new. The actual support that the finger spines will provide is what you would expect and the extra thumb protector is also a nice addition. If spines aren't really your thing, you can remove them from the glove, and because the glove has a tighter fit to begin with, they will not feel sloppy without the bulk of the finger spines.
One of the really innovative features that these gloves have is the terry cloth covering on the thumb. It was included as a place where you could wipe the sweat off of your face, a simple task that can become very challenging with a pair of goalkeeper gloves on your hands. The last unique feature of the King 6X is the Outlast liner on the inside of the glove. Outlast is a material that was developed by NASA, and essentially what it does absorb and store excess heat, and then releases it when you need it. As I am always skeptical when it comes to this kind of thing, after using the glove, I can tell you that it really does work. It really does a great job at keeping your hands cool, especially in hot weather.
The Brine King 6X really is a solid goalkeeper glove. Where it lacks ever so slightly in grip, something that never seems to last in any goalkeeper glove, it makes up for in durability and a variety of "bonus features" that you just can't get from other gloves on the market. It is also worth mentioning that these gloves are very reasonably priced, at only about $100, which is on the cheaper side for a top end glove. If you are looking for a great glove that is going to last, the Brine King 6X is really good option.
Final Score 8 out of 10
