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WPW Asks the Pros: Rawlings Heart of the Hide vs. Pro Preferred

rawlings-pro-preferred-vs-heart-of-the-hide

Anyone who has considered a Rawlings glove has been faced with the question, Heart of the Hide or Pro Preferred?  Lets see if we can clear things up.

From Rawlings, about Heart of the Hide:

“Handcrafted from the top 5-percent of steer hides, Heart of the Hide leather tends to be the prime cut or center portion of the smaller hide and is usually thicker and more durable than other leathers, resulting in a firm glove that is easier to shape. The top-grade leather will allow the glove to mold to the player’s hand for a proper feel while maintaining the durability needed to play at the highest level.”

About Pro Preferred leather:

“Supple kip leather provides a tight grain structure for a smooth look and feel…  Pro Preferred gloves feature an impeccable kipskin leather that breaks in to specific playing preferences, forming the perfect pocket. The high-performance sheepskin lining wicks moisture away, keeping the hand dry for better control when players need it most.”

These descriptions aren’t bad and decently informative (for a sales pitch), but I’m always skeptical of marketing speak.  If you’re reading this, you’re probably like me and need a little more than that to commit to a glove, the Most Sacred Piece of Equipment in All of Sports.  So, you go ask someone you trust, a coach, or a teammate, or your dad, and you unfailingly will get an extreme opinion on one or the other.  If they like their HOH, then the Pro Preferreds are “garbage” and “overpriced” or if they’re a Pro Preferred guy then they will tell you why HOH sucks.  I have seen anonymous message board ogres argue the same exact points for both gloves—on one forum, HOH takes longer to break in but lasts longer, on another forum, its Pro Preferred that is the longer-lasting glove.

via @GeminiKeez

Votto’s Pro Preferred via @GeminiKeez

Instead of consulting anonymous people who most likely have no idea what they’re talking about, I figured I’d seek professional opinions.

Note: You’re probably not going to get a black-and-white answer from reading this post, but what I tried to do was get a few guys who had experiences with each (playing a pro-level schedule) to get a body of knowledge on the subject.

(AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Source: (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Daniel Klein, Catcher, Blue Jays Org.:

“I’d go with Heart of the Hide, but I’d prefer most brands instead of Rawlings. In my experience, Rawlings leather tends to vary based on the color of the leather. I found that the Pro Preferred all black took a very long time to break in and it seemed to keep form much longer than other Rawlings. I used a Pro Preferred Mocha for a very short period of time in 2013 and It broke in easily and turned into a P.O.S. way too quickly. It got soft and had lost all previous form after a few game uses. Not a big Rawlings fan.”

(AP Photo/ Richard Shiro)

Source: (AP Photo/ Richard Shiro)

Taylor Motter, UTIL, Rays Org.:

“To start, as a utility guy I don’t have time to break in all the gloves I’m going to need for the year so I need a glove that is game ready in a week or two. In the outfield I can have a glove that is a little stiffer and be fine with it, that’s why I like the Rawlings’ Heart of the Hide in the outfield. The Pro Preferred is to hard to break in and have game ready in less then a week. Heart of the Hide is easy to break in, but that doesn’t mean its bad leather.  It is great leather—most big leaguers use HOH.  Heart of the Hide is a little heavier but in the outfield that doesn’t bother me.  It’s more about feel and comfort. The HOH doesn’t crack and dry up as much as the Pro Preferred does, it stays moist and doesn’t dry out.  HOH holds form well and can be formed by just playing catch.

Pro Preferreds are still great gloves.  They’re very light and the leather on the glove makes for a little longer break in, but they hold form very well. The binding of the Pro Preferreds are very stiff, which makes it harder to break in. One negative in my opinion is that the Pro Preferred leather can dry out pretty quick, causing cracks. However, I found a trick that has prevented cracking—it is a spray you can find at any auto store, it’s called Lexol in a brown spray bottle. After using the glove for 2-3 months it will dry out, so 2-3 times a week (if you use the glove everyday) spray that stuff on the entire glove, rub it in with a towel, let it sit for the night and the leather should suck that stuff up and stay moist.”

Source: Seton Hall Athletics

Source: Seton Hall Athletics

Giuseppe Papaccio, SS, Cubs Org.: 

“The differences between Rawlings HOH and the Pro preferred are mostly in the durability of the glove. The Pro Preferred definitely takes longer to break in but from my experience, it is certainly worth it because the glove lasts a long time.

Heart of the Hide seems to be a tiny bit thinner leather, so it breaks in a little bit easier and gets worn out a little faster. I used an 11.5 all black I-web Pro Preferred last year and it held the shape for over 100 games that I played in along with practices so I loved that one.

I used a HOH Pro Mesh and either I broke it in bad or it just isn’t what I thought t would be. I used it for a month and sold it because it wasn’t stiff enough for me.”

(AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

Source: (AP Photo/Dave Weaver) (Adam Matthews cameo)

David Lyon, Catcher, Rangers Org.: 

“I used Rawlings my entire collegiate career. I found that the Heart of the Hide glove took a fair amount of time to break in. I used it for roughly 2 weeks of games before the leather ripped and I had a 3 inch hole in the pocket. The mesh-backed catchers glove (also Heart of the Hide) I owned was very easy to break in. It became floppy very quickly and almost felt as if the glove was bending every time I caught the ball. Just awful.

I only use Pro Preferred now after trying the different kinds in college. The Pro Preferred takes a long time to break in, but I believe that is why it lasts so long.  This is the only Rawlings glove that holds up to the every day beating. It holds form great and the leather stays soft but durable with little treatment. (I like to use saddle soap to condition my gloves probably once or twice a month.) Ultimately, I prefer the Rawlings Pro Preferred catchers mitt over any other make and model.”

Source: PiratesProspects.com

Source: PiratesProspects.com

Joshua Bell, OF, Pirates Org.: 

“I’m definitely all about the Pro Preferred models but this year Rawlings is releasing the Gold Glove Collection which I’m gonna check out for sure.  That is supposed to be Rawlings ‘best’ leather.  As for Heart of the Hide, it is a softer fit. I like hard leather but that means more effort in the break in process.”

What These Opinions Tell Us

I think there’s a few interesting points in here, one especially from Motter, the Rays Utility guy.  He relies on HOH to be game-ready quick whereas he sees Pro Preferred as a longer-term option that “holds up to the every day beating.”

Bell made mention that the harder Pro Preferred leather “means more effort in the break in process,” which is also something to consider.

As for the catchers (Lyon and Klein), they clearly have a strong opinion on the HOH’s not being catcher-capable, which I can completely understand when you’re talking about a “softer” leather getting pounded with 90+ mph ched on a daily basis.  To me (a guy who’s caught a total of 1 very confused and disoriented inning in his baseball career) I feel like the stiffer the leather, the better off you are.  You don’t want something that’s going to flop around when you’re trying to quietly frame a pitch, right?  Just seems counter-intuitive.  So, to me it makes sense that these guys would opt for Pro Preferred leather.

So how about the MLB stars we’ve profiled?

"The Gold Glove Co." Black Patch is an Element Used Exclusively on Heart of the Hide Gloves.

“The Gold Glove Co.” black patch on this Bryce glove is an element used exclusively on Heart of the Hide gloves.

Of the 33 WPW-profiled MLB players wearing Rawlings, 21 wear Heart of the Hide and 12 wear Pro Preferred.

This is an interesting split, 64% opting for the Heart of the Hide.  As for my call on catchers wanting stiffness, I was completely wrong, or so it seems.  Every catcher (Yadi, Buster, Mauer, Wieters) we polled uses Heart of the Hide. Why? I have a theory, and you might agree or disagree: guys like the ones we profile get their gloves by the plenty, whenever they need one.  They don’t need them to last 3 seasons like a lot of us out there, even minor leaguers.  It is not an “investment” like it is for the average player, so its less risky to go with a glove that will break in easier, even if it might not last as long.  In that way, I think it might be more of a luxury to go with the softer HOH leather, knowing that you can just re-order when it loses its shape.  Also, there is the possibility that these catchers, all Rawlings contract guys, get the finest .000001% of leather and that the label means absolutely nothing.

Yadi

Yadi’s Rawlings Heart of the Hide PROSCM41JB

What do you think?

Feel free to chime in in the comments below, but keep in mind we just heard from some of the most qualified people in the baseball community, so you should be ready to back up your opinions.  And let us know, if you’re a Rawlings guy, which is the leather for you?

24 comments

  1. This is pretty weak, incomplete evidence. You aren’t discussing the years in which these players used these gloves (the PP before pittards cracked terribly), nor are you specifically discussing by color or leather type (HoH J Black leather is much different than their dry leather). Leather also has significant differences based on the run, so a player might not like one of the PP he used and never touched it again. Also, HoH leather has different leather codes (5, 55, 555) that greatly effect overall break in time & longevity. Without this information you are making an extremely high level comparison equivalent to: do you prefer late model Chevy’s or Fords (all makes and models).

    1. I dare you to find a complete guide to these gloves, comparing and contrasting them, anywhere out there. This is as good as I have found.

  2. Before last year Yadi was only forced to use 1 gamer glove per year. Last year, with all of the 90+ MPH hard throwers he caught was the first year he had to use a 2nd Gamer.
    Ultimately…Guys like Posey, Mauer and Yadi are all using HOH Black Dry (aka Japanese Black) leather which along with the classic Tan (aka Code 55 Tan) are the stiffest HOH leathers out there.
    Color Dyed HOH leather tends to be more game ready than the 2 previously mentioned colors. Don’t know why…just the way it. Probably has something to do with the tanning process and the dyes used to color the leather.
    Those 3 catchers are getting the same Black Dry leather that you or I would get if we custom ordered a Black Dry HOH leather glove.

    1. Player Issue gloves are NOT the same quality as a regular Rawlings custom, a pro shop custom from a Rawlings rep is closer to a PI but still not the same quality.

      1. I respectfully disagree. As a guy who works at Rawlings I’ve had my hands in both PI’s, Pro Shop Customers and regular Rawlings Custom gloves.

      2. How can I get a pro shop custom

  3. what about pro primo ??
    isnt it the best rawlings product ??

    1. there are little to no pros wearing primo so it doesn’t really factor into the equation at this point.

      1. well yeah few pros use primo.
        I just wonder why rawlings release such a product maybe for glove collection or something…

    2. Not a big Primo fan. Too heavy. The new Gold Glove Opti-Core gloves look good, MUCH lighter than the Primos, just pure glove perfection.

  4. you should do an a2000 vs. a2k

  5. This is a very interesting discussion, especially for a guy who is currently debating his next glove for 3rd base (I’ve narrowed it down to HoH or pro preferred as I am a rawlings guy). I’m leaning towards the HoH as it offers an extra quarter of an inch (which gives me more confidence) and will break in more quickly (which I’ve clearly assessed from this article and asking teammates). Also, my family is fairly wealthy and can afford to buy new gloves whenever I need them. Thank you for this article, as it may be the very thing that pushes me over the top towards a decision towards a glove that would better fit me and the way I play.

  6. Also, it’s not like either glove is bad. They’re both clearly high quality gloves, which is why many pros use both. The HoH I’m considering is used by Adrian Beltre and Manny Machado, and the pro preferred I’m considering is very similar to the (discontinued) model used by Pedro Alvarez. In conclusion, they’re both great glove models and you can’t go wrong using either one. It’s merely a matter of preference.

  7. I just ordered a Rawlings Custom shop Pro Preferred. I almost went with Nokoma model but ultimately I’ve been a Rawlings guy my whole life. It might be fun to document its arrival and break in process.

  8. Does anyone know if different glove colors break-in more or less? Specifically looking at camel vs black (both HOH)

    1. Black Soft Dual Core (aka Featherlite) is the more game ready. Black Dry and Camel are both very stiff. Black Oil is slightly less stiff than Black Dry/Camel but still pretty darn stiff.

  9. Mike Cameron used the same Rawlings glove for 8 years. With a little care they will last a very long time. The wear and tear of a Pro is nowhere near what the average player does.

  10. What does the first player mean by P.O.S?

    1. Piece of S***

      1. Oh whoops. Thanks

  11. […] In addition, even though this mitt is made from all leather, there have been recent developments in the market for first baseman mitts that feature more durable and flexible material. For example, some mitts utilize kip skin leather which is described as impeccable and allowing the formation of the “perfect pocket”. […]

  12. […] In addition, even though this mitt is made from all leather, there have been recent developments in the market for first baseman mitts that feature more durable and flexible material. For example, some mitts utilize kip skin leather which is described as impeccable and allowing the formation of the “perfect pocket”. […]

  13. I am trying to getting a custom pro preferred, I was wondering what leather color would hold its shape best. So far I am thinking about the black, tan, or rich tan. How do these compare and which would offer better longevity?

  14. Time to update – let’s review Nokona 44Pro A2k A2000 as well. Here’s a SS take from Team USA. Nokona best lightweight quality Japanese Kip. A2K synthetic back is a gimmick/palm leather great; 44pro great for travel rec youth custom play / a little heavy but durable, etc….something around leather types positions and manufacturers etc 🍀

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