Japanese Kip vs American Steerhide: What’s the Difference?

When building your EXOH glove, one of the biggest choices is the leather.

We offer two options: Japanese Kip and American Steerhide.

Both are premium glove leathers. Neither is "better" than the other, they just give you a different feel, break-in and playing experience.

Japanese Kip

Japanese Kip is known for its tight, fine grain and smooth finish.

In our gloves, the Kip feels noticeably firmer and stiffer from new. It holds its shape extremely well and takes a little more time and work to break in, giving you plenty of control over how the glove forms around your hand.

What to expect:

• Firmer feel from new

• Tight, consistent grain

• Smooth and refined finish

• Longer, more involved break-in

• Excellent structure and shape retention

If you like the process of breaking a glove in yourself and want something that starts firm and moulds around the way you play, Japanese Kip is the one.

American Steerhide

American Steerhide gives you a slightly softer and more pliable feel straight out of the box.

It still has the structure and durability you'd expect from a premium glove, but doesn't feel quite as rigid initially as our Japanese Kip.

That makes it a great option if you want a traditional premium leather glove without quite as much work during the early stages of break-in.

What to expect:

• Softer feel from new

• More pliable initially

• Traditional leather feel

• Shorter break-in

• Excellent durability and structure

If you want a premium glove that feels a little more forgiving from day one, American Steerhide is a great choice.

How Do They Compare to top brands?

A good way to put the two leathers into context is to look at two of the most recognised premium glove ranges in baseball.

Rawlings Heart of the Hide uses American steerhide.

Rawlings Pro Preferred uses Kip leather.

Both sit at the premium end of the Rawlings range and are used at the highest levels of the game.

It’s a good reminder that Steerhide isn’t a “budget” alternative to Kip. They're simply different premium materials designed to give a different feel.

So, Which Should You Choose?

There isn't a wrong answer really, it just comes down to how you want your glove to feel.