I have to admit, this is one of the more interesting reviews I’ve ever done and to be honest the
GlovesPlay Controller glove is not something that I would ever thought I would review. I just never thought that strapping a big piece of suede to my controller would be so comfortable.
Installing the
GlovesPlay is easy, you just slip the controller into
GlovesPlay and then pull the cord through the loop at the top. The entire process takes less that a minute, more if you aren’t that dexterous (like me). The
GlovesPlay covers both grips of the controller with a piece that connects both sides along the back of the controller.
The only problem with the setup is that you probably couldn't use it with a wireless controller (no cord to strap it to). You could probably rig something with a rubber band but the
GlovesPlay is really intended for a corded controller.
The
GlovesPlay does add a bit of thickness to the controller but nothing significant. The first thing you notice is that how soft the grip is (well, compared to hard plastic anything is going to be soft). The glove does add a lot to the comfort of holding the controller and it’s very easy on the hands.
One of the big selling points of the
GlovesPlay is that it absorbs sweat and helps keep your hands dry. I don’t have sweaty hands so I had to come up with something that would challenge the glove. To do this I sat down Sunday afternoon and played ESPN NFL 2k5 and ESPN NHL 2k4 for 3 consecutive hours (yes readers, I took one for the team on this one) with a friend.
After several close games the palms started getting a little clammy but my grip on the controller didn’t slip at all. The controller easily stood up to a few late fourth quarter goal line stands and a few third period rallies. After all that my hands remained dry and I never lost a grip on the controller. No hand cramps either so it’s all good.
After a while of these sessions your
GlovesPlay will probably get a little gamey. Luckily the
GlovesPlay is machine washable. So once it does start to smell just toss it in the wash and you’re back to a nice smelling controller in no time (much like hockey gloves, you know it’s broken in when it starts to smell…well..maybe not so much).
Is the
GlovesPlay something you absolutely have to have? Well, not really but the
GlovesPlay is a lot like a nice pair of driving gloves for your Xbox (or PS2 or Gamecube), you can live without them, but once you’ve got them it’s hard to let them go. At $9.99 it’s a perfect gift for the gamer in your life or a nice little way to treat yourself. You can purchase them from the official
Glovesplay website