Easton hit the market last year with gloves and really struggled from what I saw. This year they came out with a lower priced version of the Stealth glove called the Stealth Core and they really took all the feedback and made huge improvements with this years model. I got to try these out this week in my box men’s game that got really rough and really put these gloves through their paces competing against my normal gloves.
Fit 7.5 out of 10. These gloves do fit much better than last year’s model but there are some noticeable factors that show up right as you put them on. First these gloves are tight to that hand in a good way they feel very secure to the hand and you don’t have to worry about them sliding off. The finger length seemed similar to warriors cut but the palms seemed pretty short with a wave cut to them that is interesting in a good way potentially something they could develop further. These gloves have a lot of good feel to them for the price. The thumbs feel slightly stiffer then some gloves in the same price range but it does feel like it is breaking in very quickly for me. The two biggest factors for me that don’t rate this glove higher are that the final digit on each finger is rather long causing it to lay across the break at the tip of your finger. Also the wrist on the glove takes some getting used to as it is a long flat couple of pads extending from the back hand all the way down to the wrist. Though the wrists do break it then will limit some mobility for more dexterity heavy moves.
Mobility 8 out of 10. This somewhat draws off of my last points the fingers though a little longer cut are extremely flexible and feel almost totally broken it right away similar to a top of the line glove from other manufacturers. The thumb is pretty impressive though it does start off rather stiff it does seem to be improving and have an awesome cut for giving a full range of motion. The gloves come with a large string across the wrist that really limited the cradling motion but I feel this is a minor detraction since most players will take this string out and replace it anyway. Overall the only detracting factors are going to be the long pads running down towards the wrist making the glove feel less free when going through a dangle or throwing fakes.
Protection 8.5 out of 10. These gloves are pretty standout when it comes to protection. In the comparable models these gloves stand with the highest quality. The back hand and wrist have thoroughly impressive protection even taking some slashes and checks with them they hold up to the damage well and leave you feeling pretty solid. The fingers are a little lower on the protection scale but that’s something that seems to be standard through the middle glove lines, though they are lower this in no way means they are not protective they still take a check with minimal discomfort. The thumb is the key protective factor these days and box in my mind is a great place to test it with all the tight spaces and close ground balls. The thumb was protective but still could really be amped up a little in the pad layout so that it covers over the critical areas in a little stronger way. Overall protection wise these quickly jumped into one of my goto gloves for people.
Palm 8 out of 10. This may be the defining factor for me in these gloves. The palm feels sort of like a cross between the Regulators soft palm and the gnash palm of the King line. The palms do feel slightly thicker then the Regulators or the Kings but still gave a pretty close feel to the stick. The palm is pretty well one of the best benefits of this glove.
Appearance 7 out of 10. They are a clean looking glove and I like the look of the stock black but I feel like they may be limited in the varieties just by the sectioning of the glove. Appearance is a minimal factor with gear for me, but hey when your spending money on gear it might as well look pretty awesome and these gloves look pretty good.
Overall these gloves are rating a 7.8 for me which I think is fair. I spent a good amount of time with these gloves since they’ve come in and they are a HUGE step in the right direction for Easton and really make me excited to see what they come out with next year. If you’re looking for a solid glove for a solid price these gloves are definitely a great option and one that I wouldn’t turn down. For more info click Easton Stealth Core Glove
Photos by Kendra J. Harriston