Our fourth shoot-out in the series focuses on the goal keeper.  We will compare both jerseys and gloves.  GK jerseys have more style and more features than ever.  Part one focuses on the Jerseys.  Part Two focuses on the Gloves.

Soccer is the consummate team sport, but the keeper stands alone on the field.  They think differently, they play differently, and they dress differently.  FIFA's laws of the game require that the keeper be distinguishable from the field players of both teams and the referees.  This mandates that the keeper carry multiple jersey's in a variety of colors and styles.

Until recently, keeper jerseys have either been bulky or cheesy.  A few years ago, a quality jersey was little different from rugby kit.  The shirts were thick; padded at the elbow and shoulder; and uncomfortable.  The alternative looked more like Halloween costumes than team kit.  With the 2006 World Cup, each manufacturer launched jerseys that balanced style, quality construction and comfort.  To be fair, we included entries from both the protection camp and lightweight camp by Nike.  We also included entries from Kappa, adidas and Umbro.

We compared each of our participants on Style, comfort and durability.  Style is subjective, but cool seems to be universal.  There is nothing cool about the Nike Premier.  The colors are bright, but the heavy weight and boring style leave it in last.  The Kappa Defender III was selected third.  The green/yellow color combination is unique, but not particularly attractive.  There was a tie between the Nike Mercurial and Umbro England jerseys.  Both were used by at least one National Team.

Comfort is much more easily defined.  The Kappa, which runs a bit small and is made of less advanced materials falls short.  The remaining three are more tightly placed.  The Premier is constructed of a smooth, comfortable fabric that is excellent in colder weather.  The padding also adds protection for dives.  The Mercurial is a very light weight jersey and works well for all seasons.  It is constructed of Nike's SphereDry, a very breathable, but rough fabric.  The Umbro England finished top in this category. The combination of light weight, comfortable fabrics and venting.

Durability is our final comparison.  Keepers put their kit through more field players.  The fact that they cost more and most keepers carry multiple jerseys makes this even more important.  The Umbro is constructed of outstanding materials, unfortunately, there are many seams and each of those seams is a potential failure point.  The Kappa falls next with more sturdy fabrics.  The Mercurial is second.  The nice, light weight fabrics are more prone to snagging and tearing.  Leading this group by a long way is the Premier.

In the final draw, we are left with a tie.    The Kappa finished last, but still a respectable showing.  Given its current retail price, it is definitely worth adding to the bag.  The Premier stands alone as the sole protective design.  That isn't enough to top the National Team jerseys.  The Mercurial and the England recorded equal scores.  The England has more cache' as an official jersey, but the Mercurial is available in more colors.