Work gloves come in different protection capabilities to protect you from dangers during industrious work, either used by a construction worker, mechanic or painter.
The choice of work gloves is paramount to keep your hands and fingers intact after the day’s job.
To choose a pair for yourself, it’s important to know which type of gloves work for which kind of job. A mix-up in capabilities may result in less protection and performance.
– Gardening/Farm Work Gloves –
This type of gloves aids you in planting, pruning, and harvesting in your garden or farm. They reduce the damage the tool you use inflicts on your palm and hands.
What Are the Basic Features?
To explain this, you need to know that there are different kinds of garden gloves that come with different features.
1. Garden Glove Types
• Gloves for planting, weeding, and harvesting
These gloves offer you the capability to feel soil texture and grip seeds or plants delicately. They are thin, flexible and snug for such kind of work.
They feature a synthetic knit fabric as their main material. They are lightweight nitrile dipped gloves that can be washed and line dried when dirty.
• Gloves for digging
The gloves provide extra protection for your fingertips. They are not easily worn out by gravel.
They feature extra protection for the palms, fingertips, and knuckles. This type of gloves is either made with leather or synthetic leather.
• Gloves for working on thorny plants
These gloves are designed for pruning. Whether you are working with roses or other thorny plants, this type of gloves will fit your protection description.
They should feature a long cuff to protect your forearm and reinforced palms and fingertips.
Please ensure that the glove material is strong enough to withstand cuts and punctures.
• Gloves for pesticide
These gloves are nonabsorbent, that’s what makes them ideal for this kind of application.
They are either made from latex or are dipped or coated with nitrile or neoprene respectively.
2. Basic Features
Since I have explained all that, it’s time to discuss the features. Garden work gloves should have the following features.
• Reinforced fingertips
The fingertips of every garden glove are known to be the first part of the gloves to fail. This is because of their extensive use on either rocky or sandy soil.
To get a quality garden glove, you need to check for the one that has an extra layer over the fingertips.
• Wrist closure
This ensures that the dirt does not get into the gloves since you will be working with soil most of the time. The best types of wrist closure are the hook and loop, elastic, and velcro strap.
• Double Stitched Seams
Stitching and seams stand as one of the crucial points of failure when the gloves are tediously used. Double stitching enables the gloves to stay intact even when one of the seams is broken.
• Padding and protection
Because the type of work you embark on often endangers the hands through thorny plants and harsh chemicals.
A pair of padded work gloves would not be a bad idea. This although reduces the feel of soil and seed to your hands.
I recommend that you get yourself another pair of lighter gloves if you want to work on delicate seeds.
Glove Construction
Leather garden gloves are constructed with the finest touch.
They feature double stitching on the more prone-to-fail areas, added padding on the fingertips and palm.
And reinforce knuckles for added protection. Most leather garden work gloves feature Velcro straps which provide them with extra protection and a secure fit.
What Material Is the Best?
Leather is. The material offers a range of capabilities such as,
PROs
- Provide enhanced durability
- Flexible
- They provide warmth
- Not easily broken
CONs
- Expensive
- Has a bad smell at the beginning which will fade away after several usages.
Using Tips
- Keep your fingernails and hands clean and dry.
- Make sure you wash them after use.
- If leather is the source material for your glove, you need to take care of the senadals using conditioners and oil.
– Painting Gloves –
These gloves as the name implies are used by painters or anyone who has the zeal to paint. They have better protection from liquids due to their water resistance.
What Are the Basic Features?
1. Knit wrist or elastic cuff
Working with paints, you will require a pair of gloves that offer protection on all sides. This type of cuff does not allow dirt or debris to pass through.
2. Lightweight
Gloves specially made for painting are designed to be lightweight to enable flexible movement and dexterity.
3. Added grip
This feature Gloves with added grip feature rigid extra paddings on the fingers and palm. The feature enables painters to climb up and down ladders without slipping and spilling all the paint. They also help the painter hold the paintbrush firmly to avoid a disrupted art.
4. Protection
The gloves should have the ability to protect you from paint residue while you paint.
5. Flexibility and breathable
People doing this kind of work need a special kind of glove that does not allow the passage of oils or paint, they must be breathable. This helps your hands remain dry and not feel the heaviness of spilled paint on the gloves.
They are to be flexible also to provide free wrist movement.
6. Water resistance
This is important for painters. If your gloves are water-friendly, they are paint-friendly also. And the washing of paint is not an easy task to achieve. Get yourself a waterproof pair today.
7. Powdered
Having your gloves powdered inside enables them to be easily removed just in case of an emergency.
Gloves Construction
The painting gloves should feature natural rubber.
Using ceramic hand-shaped molds that are extensively washed by water and chlorine. The mold is dipped into the latex compound after being dipped into a mixture of calcium nitrate solution and calcium carbonate.
The time the mold spends in the latex compound depends on the thickness of the gloves that the brand wants. The fresh gloves are leached with a mixture of hot water and chlorine. This ensures the removal of residual latex proteins.
They are then dried and cured through vulcanization. The gloves are then rinsed again to remove excess latex protein that may be allergic to certain individuals.
Then the cuffs are rolled or beaded for easy wear. They are then dipped into cornstarch and dried for the last time.
What Material Is the Best?
Latex stands as the best choice of glove material for painting.
PROs
- Easy to use
- Disposable
- Provides that bare hand feel
CONs
- Not advisable to wash
- Do not offer padded fingertips or support
Using Tips
- Ensure that there are no existing damages to the gloves. If so, change them immediately.
- Ensure you do not have long fingernails they bring discomfort to the user when working.
– Construction Gloves –
This type of gloves aims to protect your hands from hurting and enhance friction to prevent tools from sliding.
What Are the Basic Features?
1. Knuckles and palm
Due to the nature of the job, a reinforced palm and fingers with an extra layer of leather will serve perfectly to protect your hands from blisters and injuries.
The knuckles can be reinforced with a number of materials like carbon fiber, rubber, leather, and many more.
2. Double Stitched Seams
Using construction tools strains the hands. Just like how if you use your bare hands, you get blisters. Using a glove to replace the stress and pain also means that they would wear out.
To prevent them from wearing out and disappointing you without notice, get yourself a pair that features double-stitched seams to make them more durable.
3. Added grip
This feature provides the user with an elevated amount of grip on the objects better than their bare hands. Gloves with added grip feature rigid extra paddings on the fingers and palm.
4. Water Resistance
The construction gloves should have the ability to reduce or drastically prevent moisture from getting into the gloves.
Glove construction
The gloves are made using high-grade genuine leather to provide durability. They should feature double stitching, added padding on the fingertips and palm. And reinforce knuckles for added protection.
Most of them feature velcro straps which provide them with extra protection and a secure fit.
What Material Is the Best?
The best material for construction work gloves is leather and cotton blend.
- Leather gloves are highly durable, puncture-resistant, and in some special cases, water-resistant.
- Cotton blend gloves are cheaper. Coated with polyurethane or rubber, they and as durable as leather ones. Except that, they will be more breathable and aids in keeping your hands cool on hot days.
– Mechanics/Electrical Gloves –
These gloves provide the handyman with protection from impact and electricity shocks. They vary in different designs and properties.
What Are the Basic Features?
1. Reinforced for safety
As a mechanic, your hands are your assets. They are prone to accidents like hot oil spills, radiator burns and many more.
The gloves as a whole need to be reinforced to prevent extreme damage to your hands.
2. Padding
This is what is basically needed for a mechanic who basically works with heavy parts like the engines.
This feature enables you lift up tools and parts of different weight without feeling the direct strain on your hands.
3. Water Resistance
A dry glove insides mean that your hands would be comfortable all through the task ahead. This protects your hands from oil that may spill on the glove.
In the end, oil is not allowed into the gloves and does not discomfort you.
4. Electric shock resistant
The gloves should enable the user to work with electricity and not stand the chance of being electrocuted. The main source of this ability is leather material.
What Material Is the Best?
The best glove material for mechanics is rubber, latex, and synthetic leather.
All of them have perfect elasticity. Except that, they also do well on the following occasions:
- Rubber and latex enable you to keep away from shock.
- Synthetic leather helps absorb sweat.
– Welding Gloves –
Workers in this field pass through a lot of heat issues. This is because of the equipment they use to perform their welding tasks.
What Are the Basic Features?
1. Durable
The welding gloves are meant to be durable and long-lasting to enable them to protect your hands at all costs. They should be made from tough materials like leather.
2. Welding and Heat Protection
As a welder, because of the heat generated from your welding gun, your safety glove may tend to dry out. This happens on the trapezium bone area of the gloves.
To protect your gloves and hands from damage, get yourself a pair of work gloves that provide reinforced materials around the metacarpus of the hand, the thumb, and the index finger.
3. Added grip
This feature enables a welder to hold his or her tools without them falling off due to lack of grip on the glove. A lack of grip can lead to burns of several degrees due to the welding gun used which generates an alarming amount of heat to put pieces of metal together.
4. Gauntlet cuff
Because of the amount of heat generated from the welding machine and process, the gloves every welder should acquire are those that have a gauntlet cuff. This allows breathability and ventilation to keep the hands dry and moisture-free.
5. Padding and protection
The padding on welding gloves protects the hands from hot metal or residues. This also helps reduce the discomfort of carrying heavy equipment and finished products to the hands.
– Glove construction –
The gauntlet-style gloves are constructed with double stitches designed for durability. They feature reinforced padding on the palm, fingers, and back of them.
– Cleaning and Fishing Gloves –
These special kinds of work gloves are perfect for going fishing with the boys or cleaning up the house.
What Are the Basic Features?
1. Waterproof
Because of constant use in water, this type of work gloves works best if they do not permit water encroachment.
2. Made of rubber
Due to its material capability of lasting long and preventing moisture from passing through them, rubber is an excellent choice of material.
3. Inner lining
Inside the glove is either a cotton lining or a wool lining. Cotton serves better. This enables you not to get the full feel of rubber on your hands.
4. Gauntlet cuff
This allows breathability and ventilation to keep the hands dry and moisture-free. The cuffs on these cleaning and fishing gloves most times are designed to be longer than usual.
Gloves Construction
Cleaning gloves are molded rubber latex gloves that feature a cotton inner lining. The cuff is designed like a gauntlet to provide ventilation and breathability. On the fingertips are little pods to serve as an added grip.
What Material Is the Best?
Rubber stands out as the best material to use in this category.
PROs
- Water-Resistant
- Slip-resistant
- Easy wear
- The adequate grip on the wet objects
- Offers ventilation and breathability to provide comfort
- Protect the hands from moisture because of the gauntlet cuff
CONs
- Possible to shrink
- Carpentry Gloves -
Protective by all means to keep the hands from impact injuries. Carpentry gloves are designed to be strong.
What Are the Basic Features?
Durable
Durability stands as the number one feature a carpenter should consider. The gloves as a whole should be able to last long without falling apart.
They should definitely feature double-stitched seams and waterproof capabilities just in case you have to work in the rain or a wet environment.
Finger protection
Just one swing of the hammer can end it all. That's why carpenters utilize work gloves that provide them with extra support and protection.
Double Stitched Seams
Just like your hands, some gloves wear out after being used to do some hard jobs that may make their stitches break. Making the stitches double will ensure that the gloves do not open up if one of the stitches break.
Added grip
This is critical to a carpenter. The job requires grip and skill more than anything else. Imaging hitting a nail and the hammer slips out mid air.
Well, we already know the type of damage it will cause to the unfortunate surface or face that it comes in contact with. Get a glove with added grip today.
Wrist closure
Lifting, hitting, measuring and hanging are some of the major things a carpenter does. Imagine your gloves fell off during a crucial moment. That would not be nice.
The wrist enclosure ensures that they do not. The best wrist enclosures for carpenter gloves are the Velcro strap and hook and loop.
Padding and protection
The gloves should be padded at the palm, back of the hand, and fingers. These are the easiest areas to get injuries. The padding should possibly be an extra layer of leather. If possible, the entire glove should be padded.
Glove construction
In the world today, carpentry gloves are leather gloves that are constructed for durability and all-around protection.
Carpenter gloves should feature double stitching on the most stressed areas.
What Material Is the Best?
The material which stands as the best for carpentry gloves is leather. They are strong, flexible, and are indeed one of the materials that would not break easily.
Using Tips
- Keep your fingernails and hands clean and dry
- If leather is the source material for your glove, you need to take care of them using conditioners and oil.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Work Gloves with Different Cuffs?
Work glove companies feature a variety of cuffs for their gloves. The cuffs are crafted with different designs and provide different work capabilities.
Short cuff
This type of cuff is less heavy and smaller than other types of cuffs. They can be worn under jacket sleeves and are super comfortable. They also offer dexterity.
PROs
- Allows dexterity
- Comfortable
- Offers wrist mobility
- Easy to use and wash
CONs
- Do not offer wrist protection
- Provides less support than other cuffs
- Offer a low level of warmth on cold days
Gauntlet
This type of cuff is designed for work gloves that offer diverse protection to the hands. That kind of gloves is specially made for tasks that require heavy lifting and protection from impact, moisture, and temperature.
PROs
- Easy to wear
- Offer added protection against weather, impact, and moisture
- Provide added warmth
- Protects the wrist and forearm
CONs
- Not suitable for hot days
Safety Cuff
This cuff is most times about 2.5” long and maybe longer depending on the designer. They are perfect for construction and production work.
PROs
- Provide added wrist protection
- Allows ventilation
- East wear
CONs
- Do not provide dirt management
Knit Wrist Cuff
They are made from string knits and cotton or leather.
PROs
- Secures the wrist with a firm grip
- Keeps dirt and debris out
- Do not allow spillage
- Provides added warmth and insulation
CONs
- Hard to remove quickly
Slip-on Cuff
They provide no seam between the cuff and the glove.
PROs
- Easy wear
- Offers ventilation
CONs
- Do not protect from particles of dirt
Ranch Cuff
This cuff is excellent for weapon handling, woodworking, mechanics, forestry, maintenance, and many other areas.
PROs
- Breathable
- Thermal regulation
- Provide ventilation
- Debris management
- Comfortable
CONs
- May not suitable for big hands
Spandex Wrist Cuff
They fit around your wrist nicely. They feature an elastic spandex enclosure.
PROs
- Keep it the hand fry and dirt-free
- Wind and water-resistant
CONs
- Do not allow easy removal
How to Size Hands to Choose the Right Work Gloves?
Selecting your perfect size of leather work gloves is an important task. This would help you prevent loose or too tight gloves. To get your exact size for those who have not gotten one before. The best option is to measure your hand with a cloth tape.
To get the best measurement:
- Lay your hand on a desk as wide and flat as possible, and let your thumb stick out.
- Put the tape underneath your palm and take it around your hand till it meets again.
- After getting the measurement, use the chart below to get your alpha size.
| Hand measurement | Alpha Glove size |
| 6”-6.5” | XS |
| 6.5”-7.5” | S |
| 7.5”-8.5” | M |
| 8.5”-9.5” | L |
| 9.5”-10.5” | XL |
| 10.5”-11” | XXL |
| 11”-12” | XXXL |
What Kind of Work Gloves Is Best for Winter Use?
Winter is coming and so will the cold hands if you do not provide yourself with the proper warm pair of work gloves. The proper work gloves for winter are the warmer pairs.
If you are planning on getting a pair of winter work gloves, there is just one thing to consider.
Your choice between warmth and dexterity.
Work gloves specially designed are heavier than regular work gloves. They do tend to most times exchange their dexterity and flexibility for warmth.
The lighter versions offer dexterity but do not have proper cold protection.
It's all about the material.
Work gloves feature different source materials but there are ones that prove to be warmer than the rest. In this case, leather is the best material for both durability and warmth.
But coming to leather, various kinds of leather offer a variety of warmth.
Pigskin leather offers a great amount of warmth than most leather options available.
But in the end, the warmth of leather follows a simple rule. That is, for it to become warmer, it must become thicker.
How Work Gloves Protect You?
Work gloves protect your hands from various work hazards such as impact injuries, punctures, cuts, abrasion, harmful chemicals and persistent vibrations.
They do their work by giving the hands an extra layer of protection to enable them not to feel the direct contact with the object or chemical that would harm them.
Some of these work gloves are heat and cut resistant while others are expanding their horizon to perfect the anti-impact and anti-vibration work gloves.
