The One Glove – Aqua Tec (AQ2) Review
After our recent review of The One Glove’s brand new Invictus model we had a decision to make about which of their brand new models to review next!
As fate would have it, winter had finally arrived in the UK and we were hit with a record breaking amount of rain which was causing floods and havoc across the country. So we decided this would be the perfect opportunity to try out their latest wet weather glove the Aqua Tec (AQ2).
Unfortunately the rain was a lot worse than anyone expected so we haven’t had as many games / sessions in these gloves as usual but we’ve still ensured that they have been thoroughly tested, just with a lot more time using them on artificial turf.
Basic Info:
- 4mm Aqua Wet Weather Latex Palm
- Negative Roll Finger Combination Cut
- Rubber Tabbed Wrist Strap
- Meshed Lined Knuckles to Aid Punching
- Retail Price: £24.99 – £27.99
- Brand: The One Glove Company
Initial Impressions:
Out of all of the new releases from The One Glove, I have to admit I don’t think that the Aqua Tec are as visually appealing as their other new releases and this was the general feeling I got from our readers when I first asked them which gloves we should review first.
Their usual design style is based on striking colours and sharp strong looking designs that almost symbolise power. But this glove looks softer and calmer – almost a throw back to their original branding of The One Glove.
That being said, it certainly isn’t a bad looking glove and we have had a few of the female keepers we work with comment on it being their favourite looking glove – so maybe it is just a glove for a different audience visually!
As with all of the latest releases from The One Glove, the gloves come in a zip up glove wallet in individual plastic bags to ensure that the gloves are kept apart in transition and between uses to keep the latex in top shape.
Having not been a regular user or negative cut gloves, the first thing I noticed when I put them on was just how tight these gloves were. I was genuinely worried I was going to split the seams in these on the first wear.
But actually after having worn them for a few weeks now I think that this is actually part of the unique AQ2 design and if you are looking for that ball to hand feeling then this is the glove for you!
In terms of sizing though – please don’t even think about going down any lower than your normal size!
Due to the Aqua latex these gloves don’t have a layer of plastic over the palms to try and pick off like in contact latex but it’s therefore very important to ensure that you give the gloves a good pre-wash before using them.
Once pre-washed the gloves felt like they had a good amount of grip and I was already starting to like the feel of them on my hands. Due to them being so snug but comfortable it almost didn’t feel like I had goalkeeper gloves on – which can sometimes feel bulky.
Appearance and how they feel aside, these gloves were built to do a specific job and that job is to stick like glue when the weather is trying it’s best to ruin your day.
Performance and Durability
As I said at the start of this review, I’ve been testing these gloves for around about 8 weeks now – but unfortunately due to the weather this has been limited to training and coaching mainly due to the majority of games being called off.
Not to be defeated though I’ve been able to test them on a variety of surfaces and also in lots of different types of weather – although not much in the Sun – but they are a wet weather glove after all!
The first time I wore these gloves was on 3G, it had been raining all day and I thought it would be a great opportunity to try them. By the time our training started though the rain had stopped and due to the great drainage it ended up being a dry session instead of the splash session I had expected!
The grip was great throughout the session and I was starting to get used to the unique fit and feel of the glove compared to other gloves I’ve been using lately.
After the session though I noticed there was already some light wear on the latex of my right index finger which concerned me as I was sure this was just from ball to glove use rather than anything to do with the surface and you wouldn’t expect to see wear after just one use.
The next time I used the gloves was again on a 3G surface but this time it was extremely wet and the gloves really showed off exactly what they were made for, the grip in the pouring rain was very good! In terms of durability the gloves had no further signs of wear after this session and over the last 8 weeks there have been very little additional signs of wear either. So the only thing I can think of is that the first use was when the latex was too dry which caused the wear on the finger.
I thought long and hard about how to quantify the grip on this glove, ultimately if its pouring down with rain then this glove out performs any of the other models released by The One Glove that we have tried. But when it is dry it is certainly out performed by the contact latex of the Nova and original Pulse and as an all rounder I think the Invictus range offers the best latex.
I guess overall it does what it sets out to in that it offers a specialist aqua latex that performs fantastically in the wet. With this in mind I would expect to have them in my kit bag as just that – a glove for those very wet days, particularly as my brief experience suggests they can be easily damaged by not keeping the latex wet.
My concern with having them as my go to wet weather glove is that they are a unique cut and feel from most gloves, so chances are the dry weather glove will be very different to them in terms of cut and feel.
If you already wear a similar glove without the aqua latex or you don’t particularly mind different cuts to your gloves and you are looking for a wet weather glove though I would fully recommend these and they will definitely help your performances in the wet.
Value for Money
These gloves retail between £24.99 and £27.99 a pair depending on your size, which is actually one of the cheapest gloves that The One Glove currently offer and puts them on par with a lot of other independent glove brands and significantly cheaper than some of the big names.
I do feel that this model is more of a specialist glove with materials aimed at creating a glove that performs fantastic in certain conditions rather than being a glove you would use all the time which is reflected in the price.
If you are looking to seriously improve your handling in the wet then they are good value as an additional pair of gloves to add to your kit bag and would compliment a contact latex for dry use perfectly.
Where can you get them?
The gloves are available now directly from The One Glove Company’s own website:
Check out their YouTube launch video here:
One Glove - Aqua Tec AQ2
Appearance - 75%
Comfort - 85%
Grip - 90%
Durability - 75%
Value for Money - 80%
81%
Wet Weather Specialist
Excellent grip in very wet weather and provides fantastic ball to hand feel. More a specialist wet weather glove so needs a dry weather partner to last the season!