Keepers Kit Bag: GLOVE REVIEW: Elite Sport Coraza GK Gloves

Time for a GK glove review. As I previously mentioned in my Camaleon preview, I discovered Elite Sport gloves on soccer.com and picked a pair of Corazas to try. I have since gone through three pairs of Corazas, and I can tell you now that they are great gloves!


(picture credit: Elite Sport USA via Facebook)

The Corazas I am reviewing here we used over a ten-week period from August to October of 2016. They were mostly used indoors, with a couple of outdoor games here and there. I played at least three games per week, sometimes as many as five, so we're looking at something like 40 games total, give or take a few.

PROS:
Durable - the Corazas hold up very well to punishment, especially from artificial surfaces.
Good Grip - with proper care (clean your gloves!) and wetting, the grip lasts game after game.
Double Wrapped Thumb - that extra bit of foam is your friend.
Secure - the wide wrist cuff and strap keep your gloves in place, no constant adjusting.
Removeable Spines - nice to be able to take them out or replace damaged spines.
Affordable - at around $60 USD, these gloves are a true bargain.

CONS:
Not Very Flashy - the gray/yellow design is rather tame, but still tasteful.
One Catastrophic Failure - my second pair suffered a 2-3" tear at the base of the palm where the foam meets the cuff. That was a major bummer, but I also think it was due to a bad landing/poor form where I landed with my weight on my palm on a field turf playing surface. I would gladly buy another pair of Corazas with no hesitation.

SUMMARY:
Overall, the Coraza is an outstanding glove. They have held up extremely well to the punishment of playing indoors on artificial surfaces. The grip is good right out of the bag and holds up well week in and week out. They feel good on my hands, and I like the wide wrist strap. The seams and stitching were solid (with the one exception noted above). You could use the Coraza for training and matches and expect them to perform well and last a long time.

The following pictures were taken after I retired my Corazas. I hope they show you exactly what my gloves look like after extensive use. They were washed with glove wash: