A glove that spends the winter in the bottom of a bag comes out stiff, dry, and occasionally cracked. A glove that spends the winter properly stored comes out ready for the first catch.
The difference costs about ten minutes in November.
Bats Plus is an independently owned baseball and softball equipment retailer shipping from Essington, Pennsylvania, and an authorized dealer for every brand we carry. We ship to all 50 states and to overseas US military bases. Our baseball gloves come from Rawlings and Wilson, and both publish their own care guidance.
Store It Cool, Dry, and With a Ball in the Pocket
Rawlings publishes a short list of maintenance instructions, and the winter version is easy.
Store the glove in a cool, dry place. Keep a ball in the pocket when the glove is not in use, so the shape holds through the off season.
Rawlings also advises inspecting the laces every six months and replacing them as needed. Winter is a reasonable time to do that, since a broken lace in April costs a practice.
Where you store it matters as much as how. A car trunk swings through a wide temperature range over a winter, and a damp basement is its own problem. A closet shelf indoors does the job.
Condition Lightly, and Only With What the Maker Recommends
Rawlings suggests applying a light treatment of Glovolium after every season or so, to maintain the quality of the leather and keep it from turning brittle. The published instruction is specific about quantity. Do not saturate the glove.
A light touch is the whole idea here. Rawlings notes that the leather should still offer resistance when you push and pull on it.
Higher grade leather takes longer to soften, because the grain is fuller and tighter. That is normal, and it is not a reason to reach for something stronger.
The Shortcuts That Cause Damage
This is where winter goes wrong for a lot of gloves, because a stiff glove invites experiments.
Rawlings states plainly that it does not recommend steaming, boiling, baking, or heating a glove in any other way. It advises against oily products such as petroleum jelly too. Rawlings notes that in some cases these techniques can damage the glove and affect the warranty.
Rawlings is blunt about the rest of the folklore as well, down to asking people not to run a glove over with a car.
None of that is a promise about what we will do. It is what the manufacturer publishes, and it is worth reading before a glove goes in the oven.
Winter Is Break In Season for a New Glove
A new glove takes patience, which is exactly what December has and April does not.
Rawlings describes a sequence. Work the padding at the hinges near the heel. Soften the leather with a light treatment. Place a ball in the pocket and secure the glove closed. Let it rest somewhere cool and dry for a day or so. Then play catch, repeatedly. Rawlings is direct that playing catch does most of the work.
Wilson publishes a seven step method developed by its master glove craftsman. It uses warm water, hand flexing, a mallet, and folding the web, before finishing with catch.
The two methods differ, so follow the one published by the brand you own.
Winter is also when a glove that no longer fits becomes obvious. Hands grow. A mitt that was right two seasons ago can leave a player fighting the pocket. Put it on now rather than at the first practice. Shop baseball gloves from Rawlings and Wilson.
Our winter baseball guide covers the rest of the off season, and our cold weather bat guide covers what the makers publish about bats.
Frequently Asked Questions About Winter Glove Care
01How do I store a baseball glove over the winter?
Rawlings advises storing the glove in a cool, dry place, with a ball in the pocket when not in use, so the shape holds. It also suggests inspecting the laces every six months and replacing them as needed. A closet shelf indoors beats a car trunk or a damp basement.
02Should I put oil on my glove before winter?
Rawlings suggests a light treatment of Glovolium after every season or so, to maintain leather quality and keep it from turning brittle. It is specific that you should not saturate the glove. It also advises against oily products such as petroleum jelly for softening leather.
03Can I speed up a glove break in by heating it?
Rawlings states that it does not recommend steaming, boiling, baking, or heating a glove by any other method. It notes that in some cases these techniques can damage the glove and affect the warranty. Rawlings and Wilson both finish their own methods by playing catch.
04Is winter a good time to break in a new glove?
Break in takes repetition and time, and winter supplies both. Rawlings describes working the padding, lightly softening the leather, forming the pocket with a ball, and playing catch. Wilson publishes a separate seven step method from its master glove craftsman.
05How do I know when a glove needs new laces?
Rawlings recommends inspecting the laces every six months and replacing them as needed. Look for fraying, stretching, or laces pulling loose at the web and the heel. Replacing laces is normal maintenance on a glove that gets used, rather than a sign of a defect.
Bats Plus: An Authorized Dealer Since 2013
Bats Plus is an independently owned bat retailer shipping from Essington, Pennsylvania. We are an authorized dealer for every brand we carry, and we ship to all 50 states and to overseas US military bases.
Shop by Category:
- Baseball Bats: BBCOR, USSSA, and USA stamped bats from the brands leagues use
- Baseball Gloves: infield, outfield, and catcher’s models from Rawlings and Wilson
Not sure which stamp your league requires? Get in touch and tell us the player’s age, league, and height.
Works Cited
- “How to Break In Your Glove the Rawlings Way.” Rawlings Sporting Goods, www.rawlings.com/how-to-break-in-your-glove.html. Accessed 22 Sept. 2026.
- “How to Break in a Glove In 7 Easy Steps.” Wilson Sporting Goods, 23 May 2025, www.wilson.com/en-us/blog/baseball/how-tos/how-break-glove-7-easy-steps. Accessed 22 Sept. 2026.
- Follow the manufacturer’s published guidance for break-in, temperature limits, and care. Using a bat or glove outside those guidelines can void the warranty.