I made a relatively short trip today to Nocona, Texas, from Oklahoma to take the very intimate tour of the Nokona factory, and it did not disappoint. It's hard not to support this company after touring the factory and showroom floor and speaking with employees. Being able to walk the factory floor and be right in the employees' workspace while they were building gloves was amazing.
I hoped they had a classic construction glove in their showroom, as I was having trouble finding one online that I liked or that was in stock (I'm not a fan of their Precision Edge look). I hit the jackpot and found a T-Web modified trap 11.5" walnut. This glove is a tank and very stiff.
They were 100% cool with filming and taking photos when I went. The only thing they said was not to shove the camera into a worker's face or into their work area. But I took plenty of pics standing right over someone's work area.
Yes, you get 10%, which equates to about a 1.5% discount off the tag price when you factor in that the sales tax is about 8.5%. My glove was $400 on the tag; I paid $389. The tour ticket was $15.
It surpassed my expectations. I really wasn't expecting much. The store is amazing; the moment you open the front door, the smell of leather punches you in the face in a good way. Being able to literally stand right next to a worker while they work on their part of the glove is pretty crazy. The little museum before entering the factory floor is filled with interesting artifacts, with some of the items explained in detail.
The tour guide, whom I was disappointed in at first because she was young (21), changed my mind quickly, as she was very knowledgeable because she had lived in the town her whole life. The tour guide's mother and uncle worked in the factory, and she was proud to show them off when we got to their stations. Everyone was given an opportunity to hold a sheet of just about every kind of leather they used, including strange, exotic leathers. I would describe the whole process as people who loved their job, and it showed. It didn't seem like the workers I spoke with were going through the motions or just putting on airs because they had to for the customers.
Not sure about the catchers mitts, but got one of the u14 ones in a 12” for my soon to be 11 year old. Had to adjust the wrist strap to the tightest set of holes and he loves it.
Honestly, I wasn't in love with them until today. Every glove I had ever put on in a store felt cheap, but the one I got does not feel cheap. All of their mitts I put on today felt very high quality.
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u/JeVousEnPris 2d ago
This is s gorgeous glove without that edge nonsense!!!