How to Choose a Fastpitch Softball Glove for the Outfield | Sizing Rules That Work

A ball that clears your fingertips by an inch is a double. That inch is why outfield gloves are built differently, and picking the right one comes down to length, web style, and fit. Get those right and you catch more fly balls; get them wrong and you’ll watch balls land just out of reach.

This guide covers fastpitch outfield sizes, how to measure your hand, and which webs hold up on fly balls and line drives.

What Size Fastpitch Glove Do Outfielders Use?

Outfield fastpitch gloves generally run 12.0 to 13.0 inches, and that extra length over an infield glove buys reach on sinking liners and balls hit over your head. Dick’s Sporting Goods’ softball glove buying guide lists 12.0 to 13.0 inches for players 13 and older, and Scheels’ fastpitch glove guide points to the same range for high school and adult outfielders.

Younger players scale down. Scheels gives 11.5 to 12.0 inches for younger outfielders, while BaseballMonkey puts 11.75 to 12.5 inches on players aged 11 to 13. Either way, the outfield glove is the longest glove on the field.

Longer isn’t automatically better. An oversized glove slips on the transfer, feels heavy on a running catch, and gives a young player less control. Snug and comfortable beats roomy every time — do not buy a glove for a kid to grow into.

Which Web Style Helps You Catch Fly Balls?

H-web and trapeze webs are the standard outfield choices because they let you see the ball through the web and create the deep pocket that swallows a fly ball. Modified trapeze and basket webs also show up, depending on the manufacturer.

• H-web: the most common outfield web, with an open design that keeps the ball visible as it settles in.
• Trapeze and modified trapeze: a longer web that adds pocket depth for diving and running catches.
• Basket web: solid and forgiving, though it blocks your view of the ball more than an open web.

Fastpitch gloves also fit differently than baseball gloves. Manufacturers build them with a smaller wrist opening and tighter finger stalls to match female athletes’ hands, so a fastpitch glove will feel more secure than a baseball glove of the same size. That fit matters on a full-speed catch.

If you’re comparing specific models, our tested roundup of the best fastpitch outfield gloves breaks down how each one plays.

How Do You Measure Glove Size and Fit?

Glove size is measured from the tip of the index finger down to the heel, so a 12.5-inch glove is 12.5 inches along that line — the number on the tag, not a guess at how it will feel.

To check fit, slide your hand in and close the glove. Your index finger should reach near the top of the finger stall without your fingertips curling, and your wrist strap should tighten without pinching. Scheels notes the glove should feel snug and comfortable from day one rather than loose.

Here’s the gate most buyers miss: an adult woman with a smaller hand may find a 13-inch glove too wide at the wrist even though the length is right. If that happens, drop to 12.0 or 12.5 inches and keep the deeper web — you lose less than you gain in control. Dick’s Sporting Goods’ buying guide covers the same measurement approach for fastpitch and baseball gloves. The official softball glove buying guide is worth reading before you order.

Do You Need A Different Glove For The Outfield?

Yes, if you play outfield regularly. An infielder’s short glove is built for quick transfers on ground balls, while an outfield glove is built for reach and a deep pocket on fly balls. Using an infield glove in the outfield costs you the reach that turns a gap shot into an out.

Unless you play both positions, buy one glove sized for where you play most: 12.0 to 13.0 inches for high school and adult outfielders, or 11.5 to 12.5 inches for younger ones, with an H-web or trapeze web and a fit that’s snug from the first catch.