Nike continue to plough their 2018 juggernaut down innovation avenue by reinventing the goalkeeper glove. Yeah, they can just do stuff like that. The Mercurial Touch Elite gloves arrive as the most advanced goalkeeper gloves ever made. Of course they do. Just look them.
Nike designers basically sat around a table and started the design of the goalkeeper glove from scratch. Nike questioned why a glove needs straps, why it needs bulky padding on the top of the hand, why it needs multiple components, and the result is pretty damn futuristic. Like something you'd do the gardening with on Mars
Nike looked at a wide spectrum of sports, including surfing, baseball, American football and golf to design the Mercurial Touch Elite glove. The result is a glove that delivers everything goalkeepers need and removes anything they don’t in an innovative design tuned to the modern game.
The Nike Mercurial Touch Elite gloves look, fit and feel different than previous styles. By reducing the bulk and stiffness of traditional mitts, the gloves are designed to unleash the ultimate potential of a goalkeeper's hands. The strap has been replaced by a flexible wrist cuff that extends from the joint to the lower forearm for mobility and comfort.
The glove’s minimalist approach weighs in at 33% lighter and 47% thinner than previous gloves. Punch prints on the third and fourth knuckle provide a barrier and won't bunch up, and they lay close to the hand, even with full extension.
Each glove is constructed with a one-piece gusset. The high-grip palm features Nike’s proprietary ACC (All Condition Control) for mastering the elements, and Jack Butland likes them, and he's proper good in goal.
"The initial reaction is always, ‘Whoa!’ because they just look so different and cool. But it’s when you play in them that the performance benefits come through. I feel like I have a lot more control in these gloves."
The Nike Mercurial Touch Elite gloves will be available in May.
