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Gloves & Mitts · Head to head

Wilson A500 vs Rawlings R9: the two 11-inch youth gloves a 10-year-old's coach recommends

When a rec-league coach says 'get a real glove', he means one of these two. Both are leather, both are 11 inches, both are built for kids who have moved past a first glove. Here is what each maker (or the retailer quoting it) publishes, and which kid each suits.

By Mike M.Updated Sourced · gear tested by us: 0

#adReader-supported: we may earn a commission if you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. It never decides a pick. How we pick · Disclosure

The contenders

Side by side

  • Illustrative stock photo: a young boy in uniform pitching on a sunny fieldStock photo

    The A500: no-fuss wrist, welted leather

    Wilson A500 11 in

    Ages 8–11, 11 in8.8 /10

    Full-grain leather with rolled dual welting and a front-side double palm; the Quick-Fit elastic wrist means nothing to fasten. H-web.

    Check price · Amazon

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  • Illustrative stock photo: a young boy in uniform pitching on a sunny fieldStock photo

    The R9: small-hand fit, more padding

    Rawlings R9 ContoUR 11 in

    Ages 8–12, 11 in8.6 /10

    All-leather shell, padded fingerback liners, reinforced palm pad and padded thumb loop, adjustable pull-lace wrist; ContoUR fit for smaller hands. Pro I web. Break-in rated 20.

    Check price · Amazon

    #ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Rawlings R9 ContoUR 11 in

A worn leather fielding glove holding two baseballs beside a chain-link fence
Illustrative stock photo. It does not show a specific product on this page.

The verdict

Fit: ContoUR vs Quick-Fit

Rawlings lists the R9 as “ContoUR Fit” with “Optimal Youth Fit” language across its youth line: smaller finger stalls and hand opening on a standard-length pattern, closed with an adjustable pull-lace wrist. Wilson lists the A500 with a “Quick-Fit self-adjusting wrist” that uses an elastic system to connect the wrist strap to the pinky. One is snug by design and adjustable by lace; the other is snug by elastic and adjusts itself. For a kid who cannot yet manage a lace, the A500 is easier; for a thin wrist, the R9 lace tightens further.

Leather, welting and padding

A500 (per the Academy listing): full-grain leather, strong leather laces, rolled dual welting for support and shape retention, rolled finger binding, front-side double palm construction to stabilize the pocket. R9 (per Rawlings): soft, durable all-leather shell, durable leather lace, padded fingerback liners, reinforced palm pad and padded thumb loop. Read those two lists side by side and the difference is clear: Wilson builds structure (welting, double palm); Rawlings builds cushion (palm pad, thumb loop, finger liners). A kid who complains that catching hurts wants the R9.

H-web vs Pro I web

The A500 11 in is an H-web; the R9 11 in is a Pro I web. Both are open infield webs that let a kid see the ball into the glove and transfer quickly. At this age the web is not a reason to choose either; pick on fit and padding.

Break-in

Rawlings rates the R9 at 20 on its 100-point break-in scale: a week of catch and a mallet. Wilson publishes no rating; the A500's welted full-grain leather is described by the retailer as game-ready, and in practice the welting means it holds the shape you give it, so give it a good one. The break-in guide covers both without an oven.

Side by side

EvidenceWilson A500 11 inRawlings R9 ContoUR 11 in
Sizes11 in11 in
FitsAges 8–11, 11 inAges 8–12, 11 in
Maker's age guidanceAge group: Youth (retailer listing; wilson.com blocks automated fetches)Age group: 14U, 12U, 10U, 8U
Web / patternH-web, infieldPro I web, ContoUR fit, conventional back
ClosureQuick-Fit self-adjusting wrist (elastic system connecting the wrist strap to the pinky)Adjustable pull-lace wrist
MaterialFull-grain leather; leather laces; rolled dual welting; front-side double palm constructionSoft, durable all-leather shell; durable leather lace; padded fingerback liners; reinforced palm pad and padded thumb loop
Construction—Player Break-In 20 (maker's scale)
Score8.8/108.6/10
A500 figures from the Academy listing (wilson.com blocks automated fetches); R9 figures from rawlings.com. A dash means the figure is not on the cited page.

Both makers' full youth lines are compared on Rawlings vs Wilson youth gloves; sizing by age and position is on the youth glove size chart.

In detail

The contenders, in full

Illustrative stock photo: a young boy in uniform pitching on a sunny fieldStock photo

The A500: no-fuss wrist, welted leather

Wilson A500 11 in

Youth gloveAges 8–11, 11 in8.8 /10

Full-grain leather with rolled dual welting and a front-side double palm; the Quick-Fit elastic wrist means nothing to fasten. H-web.

Spec sheetSourced · not tested by us

CategoryYouth glove
FitsAges 8–11, 11 in
MaterialFull-grain leather; leather laces; rolled dual welting; front-side double palm construction
Sizes11 in
Web / patternH-web, infield
ClosureQuick-Fit self-adjusting wrist (elastic system connecting the wrist strap to the pinky)
Maker's age guidanceAge group: Youth (retailer listing; wilson.com blocks automated fetches)
How the 8.8 score breaks down
Size fit for the age (30%)
10
Ease of close for small hands (25%)
8
Leather and build quality (15%)
9
Break-in effort (15%)
8
Value (15%)
8

What the spec sheet supports

  • Full-grain leather with dual welting at a youth price
  • Quick-Fit wrist snugs to a small wrist without a strap the kid has to work

Where it falls short

  • Stiffer out of the box than the Sure Catch class; plan on a break-in week
  • Model years change the colorways often

Skip this if…

…the kid is 6; the A450 10.75 in fits smaller hands.

Check price on Amazon

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Illustrative stock photo: a young boy in uniform pitching on a sunny fieldStock photo

The R9: small-hand fit, more padding

Rawlings R9 ContoUR 11 in

Youth gloveAges 8–12, 11 in8.6 /10

All-leather shell, padded fingerback liners, reinforced palm pad and padded thumb loop, adjustable pull-lace wrist; ContoUR fit for smaller hands. Pro I web. Break-in rated 20.

Spec sheetSourced · not tested by us

CategoryYouth glove
FitsAges 8–12, 11 in
ConstructionPlayer Break-In 20 (maker's scale)
MaterialSoft, durable all-leather shell; durable leather lace; padded fingerback liners; reinforced palm pad and padded thumb loop
Sizes11 in
Web / patternPro I web, ContoUR fit, conventional back
ClosureAdjustable pull-lace wrist
Maker's age guidanceAge group: 14U, 12U, 10U, 8U
How the 8.6 score breaks down
Size fit for the age (30%)
10
Ease of close for small hands (25%)
8
Leather and build quality (15%)
9
Break-in effort (15%)
8
Value (15%)
7

What the spec sheet supports

  • ContoUR fit is Rawlings' smaller-hand pattern, so the glove is big on the field and small on the hand
  • All-leather with real padding where the ball lands
  • Lasts several seasons

Where it falls short

  • 20 break-in means a week of catch before it is game-ready
  • Costs more than the starter gloves

Skip this if…

…your kid is 6 and has never caught a ball; start with a Sure Catch.

Check price on Amazon

#ad · Price set by Amazon · Disclosure for the link to Rawlings R9 ContoUR 11 in

How we picked these

Gear we claim to have tested: 0

Plenty of sites say they swung every bat on the list in a lab. We don't say that, and we say so on every page. What we do instead: check each bat against the governing bodies' certification rules and the maker's stated stamp; compile sizing from the makers' own age, height and hand charts; read the published specs (drop, barrel, construction, closure, cleat type); and read the complaint patterns in retailer reviews for the “skip it if” line. Every figure links to where it came from.

Scores are editorial judgments from that documented research, not test results. Commissions never set a score or decide a pick. The rubric and its weights are published.

Questions parents ask

Frequently asked

Is the Rawlings R9 a youth glove?
The 11 in ContoUR version is: Rawlings tags it 14U, 12U, 10U and 8U and describes the ContoUR fit as built for smaller hands. The R9 is also sold in adult patterns.
Is the Wilson A500 good for a 10-year-old?
Yes. The 11 in A500 is a youth glove with full-grain leather, dual welting and the Quick-Fit wrist, and 11 in sits in the middle of Rawlings' 10.25–11.5 in infield range for ages 7–12.
Which is easier to close, A500 or R9?
Neither maker publishes a closing test. Rawlings rates the R9's break-in at 20 (a week of catch); the A500 is welted and structured, so it holds a pocket once formed. For the youngest hands, the Rawlings Sure Catch or Mizuno Prospect PowerClose close easier than either.

Keep reading

Related on Bat & Bucket

Receipts

Sources

  1. Academy: Wilson A500 11-inch youth infield glove listing
  2. Rawlings: R9 ContoUR 11-inch youth glove (specs, glove size by age table)
  3. Rawlings: R9 ContoUR 11.5-inch glove
  4. BaseballMonkey: How to break in a baseball glove

We don't claim to have swung, worn or tested this gear, and we don't pretend to. Gear we claim to have tested: 0. Certification rules come from the governing bodies' own pages (Little League, USA Baseball, USSSA, NOCSAE), sizes from the makers' sizing charts, and specs from the maker's product page or the retailer listing named on each product. Amazon prices change often, so we don't print them. Where a figure isn't published, we say so. Read the full method.

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