Most Protective Glove for Thumb/Fingers for Broken Thumb

[thehomez 0]

Hi guys, unfortunately a week ago I broke my thumb from a hyperextension injury and am out for 6 weeks of play. Even worse is I'm not able to work for 4 weeks as my job is heavily dependent on my hands.

The fracture happened from hyperextension of my left thumb despite the "thumb lock" on my Easton gloves. Part of me thinks the gloves were sized too small and therefore didn't protect my thumb completely.

So I am looking for the most protective gloves available since my job depends on it. I noticed the Sherwood T90's and Rekker's have very good thumb locks as well as the Warrior Bone system gloves.

I prefer a taper fit and good wrist mobility. Wrist protection is not as important as I wear slash guards. I will obviously be trying the gloves on prior to purchase but wanted to narrow down the search based on recommendations.

Any input is really appreciated! Thanks!

[Amiroo39 121]

Franchise or AX1's both offer top of the line protection.

[Monty22 832]

If you can find a pair, Eagle Sentry would be your answer.

[bunnyman666 445]

If you can find a pair, Eagle Sentry would be your answer.

You may still be able to custom order a pair of Sentry gloves. E mail Gus at Eagle to find out.

[Monty22 832]

You may still be able to custom order a pair of Sentry gloves. E mail Gus at Eagle to find out.

You may ba able to find an old X-51+ or similar model, I believe on the older eagles the "+" designation after the model number indicated plastic inserts and the sentry style thumb.

[thehomez 0]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll add the Eagle '+' models to the list. I've heard the Sentry gloves are very protective but I probably won't be able to try them on so I'm a bit hesitant to order them.

And regarding the AX1 comment, thanks for the heads up, I hadn't looked into them but they look great and very protective. Definitely will try them out!

Any thoughts on the Rekker's or the T90's?

[Amiroo39 121]

Thanks for the info guys. I'll add the Eagle '+' models to the list. I've heard the Sentry gloves are very protective but I probably won't be able to try them on so I'm a bit hesitant to order them.

And regarding the AX1 comment, are the new Cover DT1's as protective? Don't think the AX1's are available at my local shop.

Any thoughts on the Rekker's or the T90's?

The covert also offers the bone system, so I would say yes, the protection is equal. I've got the AX1's and really like the feel, look, and fit.

[thehomez 0]

Hey guys, so I went to my LHS today and after trying out a few gloves and trying to flex the thumb back I ended up buying the Bauer Vapor APX Pro gloves. They were on sale for $120 down from $190. Liked the fit and seemed protective.

Just wanted to see what everyones opinion of them is and what people think of the protection level?

The therapist that put my cast on said she can make an extra insert for the thumb of the glove to add more resistance to hyperextension. I'm going to take her up on that and try to put it between the thumb lock pieces on the outside. Hopefully that'll do the trick!

[Amiroo39 121]

Hey guys, so I went to my LHS today and after trying out a few gloves and trying to flex the thumb back I ended up buying the Bauer Vapor APX Pro gloves. They were on sale for $120 down from $190. Liked the fit and seemed protective.

Just wanted to see what everyones opinion of them is and what people think of the protection level?

The therapist that put my cast on said she can make an extra insert for the thumb of the glove to add more resistance to hyperextension. I'm going to take her up on that and try to put it between the thumb lock pieces on the outside. Hopefully that'll do the trick!

Great call. People who have them love them and swear by them. Good price too.

[akravetz 29]

Guys, I had posted in a different forum about a broken thumb. I have a different issue. Here's my post from that other forum:

It was my fault. After coaching little kids in baseball for two months, I was on the ice in a tie game when a guy fired a slapshot towards the end. The D-man in me put up my hand (palm out, remember the baseball thing) and well, the rest is history. I got off light. The top bone in my thumb is broken, but I have full range of motion in the hand and can bend the knuckle in the thumb. just swollen right now. And yes, I did break the first rule in beer league which is "we don't get paid. I don't wanna get hurt." :)

Anyway, figure i'll take a few weeks off but is there a way to protect my thumb when I first come back (other than not being an idiot and trying to catch the puck. Trust me, my 8yo son is laughing at me. Of course, he got a broken arm from a slash last year so no pity from him at all.

I was thinking in a few weeks trying to play again by taping the metal horseshoe looking split up really good and then seeing if it would fit into my glove. My wife, a physical therapist, thinks I am crazy. I really don't want to sit out six to eight weeks like she and the doc thinks I should. Thoughts.

Andy in Peoria

p.s. I know I was stupid. I have heard that for five days. We don't need to rehash. Btw, I am using Reebok 4-roll gloves that I got from a used gear sale when the AHL team here left. They were in pretty new shape as the player who used them liked new gloves every four or five games. So for a beer league, they are fine.

[thehomez 0]

Great call. People who have them love them and swear by them. Good price too.

Thanks Amiroo. Thats great to hear. I look forward to trying them out once the thumb heals. Appreciate the info and help!

Great call. People who have them love them and swear by them. Good price too.

Guys, I had posted in a different forum about a broken thumb. I have a different issue. Here's my post from that other forum:

It was my fault. After coaching little kids in baseball for two months, I was on the ice in a tie game when a guy fired a slapshot towards the end. The D-man in me put up my hand (palm out, remember the baseball thing) and well, the rest is history. I got off light. The top bone in my thumb is broken, but I have full range of motion in the hand and can bend the knuckle in the thumb. just swollen right now. And yes, I did break the first rule in beer league which is "we don't get paid. I don't wanna get hurt." :)

Anyway, figure i'll take a few weeks off but is there a way to protect my thumb when I first come back (other than not being an idiot and trying to catch the puck. Trust me, my 8yo son is laughing at me. Of course, he got a broken arm from a slash last year so no pity from him at all.

I was thinking in a few weeks trying to play again by taping the metal horseshoe looking split up really good and then seeing if it would fit into my glove. My wife, a physical therapist, thinks I am crazy. I really don't want to sit out six to eight weeks like she and the doc thinks I should. Thoughts.

Andy in Peoria

p.s. I know I was stupid. I have heard that for five days. We don't need to rehash. Btw, I am using Reebok 4-roll gloves that I got from a used gear sale when the AHL team here left. They were in pretty new shape as the player who used them liked new gloves every four or five games. So for a beer league, they are fine.

And Akravetz I think your idea of adding anything hard inside the glove is a bad one. Mostly because if there is an impact there now you are up against a hard object rather than the internal padding.

What I plan to do is to add some heat moldable cast material to the thumb region of the glove by inserting it on the outside of the glove between the thumb joints, meaning above the thumb lock peice and below the padding on the thumb. Think that may be the way to go instead...

[Monty22 832]

Yes, If you can do it, having a harder piece on the outside with softer padding beneath it would be your best bet. Jagr had a plastic overlay attached to the upper thumb pad of his left glove for a couple of seasons.

[MikeWhy 39]

If you can find a pair, Eagle Sentry would be your answer.

I just threw up in my mouth

[Monty22 832]

I just threw up in my mouth

He wasn't looking for the prettiest glove on the market...

[bunnyman666 445]

He wasn't looking for the prettiest glove on the market...

I bet dollars to doughnuts that the ugly plastic "backrolls" from the Sentry would NOT be available, but the rest of the glove probably is.

[MikeWhy 39]

He wasn't looking for the prettiest glove on the market...

I do admit however, for the sake of curiosity, how well the holes/vents actually did their job.

[akravetz 29]

Ill try that out, heat-molding something onto the outside of my glove. Again, I admit the error was on my part and nothing a glove could have done would have protected it. That said, i don't want to break the bone again.

[thehomez 0]

Ill try that out, heat-molding something onto the outside of my glove. Again, I admit the error was on my part and nothing a glove could have done would have protected it. That said, i don't want to break the bone again.

I tried to find the heat moldable cast that they used on my thumb and was having difficulty finding it online. Its called a thermoplastic orthosis or sometimes called polymorph. I'll try to get official name of the product I'll be using in my glove for you when I go back to the ortho office

He wasn't looking for the prettiest glove on the market...

And your exactly right Monty. I was looking for the most protective. Looks didn't really play a role.

You have any thoughts/opinions on the Vapor APX Pro's in terms of protection level?

[wrangler 157]

Andy, if you do play, the most important thing is not to put your hand up to catch another puck. Instinct can be hard to fight.

[Cosmic 178]

Anyone ever try or consider the Evoshield thumb guards? I am sort of speaking more to the gen pop than the specific guy making the comback from a thumb injury (I tend to avoid the medical response expertise type feedback anyway since I am not a doctor).

I have thought about using this thumbguard- I am admittedly a bit "protection-excessive" (in addition to the standard rig, I also wear skate fenders, wrist guards, full face protection, 20K shins), but I have needed it (checks from behind that were absorbed by shoudler pads, and plenty of inadvertent collissions from the front where guys put their elbows into my cage, that I did not get hurt by, but they would have hurt if I was wearing just the visor). I have also gotten punished by pucks in the smallest gaps where I lacked it (in just about 1 year of playing beer league), where I ought to have been my Skate Fenders and wrist guards, but did not wear them because they are not comfortable. Luckily, no permanent damage. I wear both accessories now, and amazingly enough, do not even notice the extra discomfort, as I know how much it stinks to get hit with pucks where these items now protect me.

So yea, I get all types of bumps and bruises from pucks, even though I make an effort to step aside when guys shoot. Just simple saucer passes have left plenty of marks when I close defensemen down as they are sending outlet passes intended for forwards that hit me instead. Enough rambling, I think the football thumb might be better for us generally uninjured guys trying to stay that way, since it seems more flexible. Medically, I cannot really comment as I am not a doctor, but it would seem you would want to beef up protection as much as possible to avoid re-injury, and there is likely more protective stuff than what I am finding; I am just a regular guy trying to stay fit and healthy:

http://www.evoshield.com/shop/sports/baseball/baseball-protective-gear/evoshield-baseball-catcher-s-thumb-guard

http://www.baseballexpress.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=42166

http://www.eastbay.com/product/model:220511/sku:1301300/evoshield-football-thumb-guard-mens/&SID=6391&inceptor=1&cm_mmc=SEM-_-Feeds-_-Amazon-_-1301300

[bunnyman666 445]

I really am surprised that injury protection for the palm (injury prevention for those who catch pucks) hasn't been devised. After all, in conversations I've had with the people who have made or modified my gloves, they all agree that trying to catch pucks is where the player is at risk. The old horse hyde palms arguably provided nominally more protection than the modern, thinner, synthetic counterparts; however, it still isn't much, as you need more than a couple layers of leather to protect against a small, dense, heavy for it's size piece of rubber.

I, like Cosmic, am the purveyor of seeming over-protection. I use Skate Fenders, extra back hand protection, and the like. We can all say the obligatory "we ain't playing for money here" expression, but we can all get caught up in the moment. My over-protection is usually after the fact. Skate Fenders came after taking a clapper in the skate. I didn't break anything, but I was sore for a few weeks. You had better believe I don't go on the ice without those fenders. I know that if I had broken my thumb, there would be a few calls to see what someone could do to my gloves to protect my thumbs.

I don't know that the football thumb is terribly flexible; after all, the products in that line up mould to whatever you are trying to protect using an air-activated, self-hardening product. My question is whether or not it fits in a glove.

[Cosmic 178]

It is actually looking like there is no difference between football and baseball thumb guards- same product just slapped with different name by different websites trying to market it differently. I think it will fit inside a hockey glove. It is designed to fit in a baseball glove, and baseball gloves tend to fit about the same as hockey gloves. I know there is diversity in how hockey gloves fit too right, my 4 rolls tend to be much more loose than my tapereds, and thus this item would seem to fit easily in my 4 rolls but may be a bit tight in my more snug fitting gloves.

Also, found this on Amazon for my fellow protection excessive comrades:

Palm protection:

http://www.amazon.com/Unique-Sports-Pro-Sting-Pad/dp/B006I37R36/ref=pd_sim_sg_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0GYZKJRBE4KFHSNQNF21

I imagine it feels like garbage, and I personally do not have a huge problem that makes me wanna catch pucks so I won't be wearing it, but it exists.

[hrbekroenick 0]

Check out the new STX mitts when they come out soon! I saw a vid of the fully articulating thumb (and extra protection) on Instagram last night after talking with the local rep here.