Most glove launches start with a design and work backwards to a story. The Enduran started with a survey. In July 2026 we asked the goalkeepers who already buy ProvenGK gloves what they actually wanted from the next one. 33 answered. This post is what they said and the decisions it drove, because a spec sheet tells you what is in the glove and not why.
What we asked
Amateur and semi-pro keepers, mostly UK, mostly playing on a mix of grass and 3G. We asked what mattered most when choosing a glove, what their current gloves got wrong, and specific yes/no questions on palm colour, finger protection and cut.
What they said
1. Latex quality comes first. Asked what mattered most, latex quality was the clear number one. Not brand, not price, not looks.
2. Grip dying is the dominant pain point. When we asked what their current gloves got wrong, the most common answer was grip fading after a handful of sessions, especially on 3G.
3. White palm: unanimous. Every respondent who expressed a preference wanted a white palm. Not one asked for a coloured palm.
4. No finger spines: near-universal. Almost everyone said they did not want finger spines. The reasons given were consistent: they restrict movement, they don't stop the injuries people buy them for, and they add bulk.
5. The wrist strap is the hidden second problem. We didn't expect this one. Asked what their gloves got wrong, the wrist strap came up again and again: it loosens, it rotates, it doesn't lock. No competitor markets on the wrist strap. Our customers were telling us it's where gloves quietly fail.
What we did with it
| They said | We did |
|---|---|
| Latex quality first | Kept the 4mm contact latex from the Durashield 2.0. Did not change the palm to make the launch look new |
| Grip dies too fast on 3G | Same latex our customers already run on 3G, plus care guidance on every product page. Latex wears faster on artificial surfaces on every glove; the honest fix is a durable compound and washing after every session, not a marketing claim |
| White palm | White 4mm contact latex palm |
| No finger spines | No finger spines. Not optional, not removable, just gone |
| Wrist strap fails | Double wrap strap: first half elastic to pull the glove snug, second half latex so the strap bites when tightened |
Two decisions the survey didn't drive, for transparency:
- Knitted backhand. Nobody asked for it. We replaced neoprene with a knitted backhand because once the strap and palm were fixed, the neoprene was the heaviest and least breathable part left.
- Half sizes. The survey didn't ask about sizing. But a negative cut only works when the fit is right, and a lot of keepers sit between whole sizes, so the Enduran is our first glove in half sizes (7.5, 8.5, 9.5, 10.5).
What we deliberately said no to
- Finger spines as an option. Some brands offer removable spines. Our customers were clear enough that we didn't want to add cost and bulk for a feature most would pull out on day one.
- A new latex to make the launch feel new. The current compound is what people trust. Changing it to have a headline would have been a marketing decision, not a goalkeeping one.
- A cheaper strap. The double wrap strap costs more to make than a single elastic band. It's the main reason the Enduran is £64.95 rather than £49.95.
Limits of this data
33 respondents is a customer survey, not a market study. Everyone who answered already owns ProvenGK gloves, so they are biased towards what ProvenGK already does. It tells you what our keepers wanted; it doesn't tell you what every goalkeeper wants. We're publishing it anyway because it's more useful than "designed with keepers in mind".
The Enduran launches 1 October 2026 at £64.95. Spec and sizing on the product page.
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