I had a pair of lightly used Craftsman work gloves in my car. Maybe they were mechanic’s gloves? Regardless, they were general purpose work gloves that I rarely used.
When something would come up and I didn’t want to have to search for some work gloves, this is the pair I’d reach for, since I always knew where they were.
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I had some garden stuff to take care of last month – trimming some overgrown thick-branched bushes and removing 3 infant trees that had taken root in some very unfavorable places.
Prior to that one 2-hour session with some branches and a smooth wood-handled shovel, these gloves were a little pilled up, but otherwise completely intact. But the work I did that morning had DESTROYED these gloves.
Well, it looks like the new gloves Milwaukee sent over for testing will see some use as my new go-to general purpose gloves. I have a pair or two of Mechanix gloves hanging around, but I’m still angry that they changed the design of my favorite tool gloves.
It’s been 3 years since we asked about your work glove recommendations. As we’ve seen, manufacturers can change things up. So…
If you were to buy some new work gloves today, which would you go for?
The last work gloves I bought were Custom Leathercraft Handyman Flex Grip gloves, currently $13 at Amazon. I don’t use them often, but they’ve been holding up reasonably well. I’ve misplaced them, which is why I went for the Craftsman gloves in the car.
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Oh, and I don’t really blame the Craftsman gloves for wearing out like that in one session. I bought them several years ago, and they have seen some use. They’re also not at all meant for the type of work I put them through in that outdoors cleanup session.
It was the tugging on the infant tree stems that did the most damage. The roots on those suckers run long, deep, and anchor themselves under large rocks. So the process went: dig, tug, dig more, tug, dig more, find rock, pry rock, lift rock, dig more, tug, REPEAT until I could get as many large roots as possible.
Looking at Sears’ site, these were mechanics gloves, not general utility gloves. So.. *shrug*?
William Butler
I use these.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-10-Pack-Large-Unisex-Polyester-Nitrile-Coated-Multipurpose-Gloves/50119585
They hold up as well as some other pairs of cheap leather gloves. Plus at $1/pair, I don’t care if they get ruined.
goddardpool
I do the same with the similar Home Depot brand, keep a pack of them at any given time for various tasks such as uploading material, yard work, dirty work, concrete work. Just about anything where I don’t want to damage my framer’s gloves, or for lending out to other guys in a pinch.
Will
I go through gloves quickly…like a pair in a few days of tough demo work. I found the the HexArmor Riglizards this summer and so far, they are holding up to abuse. They take far more break in than anything else I have ever used, but once they are broken in they, pardon the pun, fit like a glove. So far I have yet to put a snag or hole in them despite use during several roof tear offs, a basement demo, and general yard work.
Ben
Aside from concrete and demo work, I generally despise work gloves. The inconvenience of solder and flux burns is minor compared to bumbling around with two left hands all day.
Grease Monkey Gorilla Grip gloves (Home Depot) seem to strike a nice balance between dexterity and protection. Normally I can get a couple weeks out of a single pair doing rough-in plumbing work.
Mike H
I hadn’t heard of these before, and I just looked them up. Their (HexArmor) website lists about fourteen different versions of the Riglizard, as well as some other different styles. I might just have to browse around here for a bit. Just out of curiosity, which version have you been having such good luck with?
Will
I have the 2021 style. I also have a pair of the Arctic Riglizards (the insulated style) but it just hasn’t been cold enough yet for me to wear them.
Electricguy
Maxiflex for light/medium duty stuff where dexterity is important. For heavy duty work just cheap all leather gloves. Those complex faux leather/fabric hybrid stuff with knuckle guard and straps are not worth the money.
Bill Clay
I totally agree with Electricguy. Maxiflex for light/medium, generic for heavy.
Clayton
Another bump for Maxiflex. I discovered Nitrile gloves (Atlas) a long time ago, and the thicker ones wear wonderfully, and the thinner ones are pretty good too, but I did go through a couple of those. Then I discovered maxiflex. They’re close to as durable, but breathable! My hands would sweat so bad in the others. I now wear gloves more often than not since it increases grip, and decreases down time from splinters etc… I’m doing house reno with them generally.
Cr8ondt
In my experience you definitely don’t get what you pay for with gloves, $30 Mechanix wear out as fast as $2 no names.
Marty
I couldn’t agree more. I go through gloves like crazy and lately I’ve just been buying whatever is the cheapest when I need a pair.
Bruce
I run Mechanix at work because they wash so easily. But if I have to do anything real, I use Lamont pig or goat. They both break in quickly, they put up with real abuse, they don’t get stiff when they get wet, and they are cheap.
Brandon
I wear gloves for 1 of 2 reasons, because it’s a job requirement or because it’s cold.
If it’s a requirement (usually the case when I’m on a scaffold job), my employer is more often than not required to supply them, in which case I wear whatever they give me because in the past I’ve found no matter how much I pay, no glove lasts more than a week doing what I do. Generally they’re standard leather gloves.
When I’m on a non scaffold job, usually framing, and it’s cold, I wear jersey gloves. They’re super inexpensive, might last a day or two, but most importantly, I have yet to find a pair of gloves that keep my hands warmer than simple jersey gloves.
It may be because I have large hands and even most XL gloves are either tight or have too short of fingers thus restricting blood flow and the amount of trapped warm air in the glove. Whatever the case I always end up back to wearing cheap-o jersey gloves.
I was recently on a job where I needed to be in a lift all day with the wind blowing and thought I’d wear some 100gram thinsulate leather gloves to keep warm. My fingers got super cold and after throwing on a thin pair of jersey gloves, it was an immediate difference, hands were warm the rest of the day.
The only issue with jersey gloves is they suck when they get wet, but that’s the case with pretty much all gloves.
Man_With_Plan
Milwaukee’s gloves are pretty cool, I use there finger less gloves and there demolition gloves both are real durable, the only one bad thing I find difficult are their finger less gloves they aren’t very easy to take off due to no fingers lol.
Blythe M
Nitrile palm gloves for general abuse, wells Lamont leather gloves (3 pair for $10) for shovel/dirt/yard work.
John Dugan
+1 for the MaxiFlex they are great for light to medium duty and general around the shop/garage work.
I know electricians and drywall guys that are fans as well.
PIP ATG MaxiFlex 34-874 Black/Gray Large Nylon Full Fingered Work & General Purpose Gloves – 12 pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H0DYLQ
Dan
I mostly use gloves for handling firewood and general yard work; the firewood handling is far more rough on gloves than any yard work. I used to just buy whatever was cheap and seemed like it might hold up for just a few bucks a pair, but they would last only days or weeks.
I previously liked the Firm Grip Trademaster gloves, but they changed the design 1+ years ago and the new design simply doesn’t fit my hands any more, which is disappointing. They lasted pretty well, I could usually get 6-8 months out of them.
I bought the Mechanix M-pact 0.5 automotive gloves because they were $15 on their site (they also offer occasional coupons and free shipping, too); I’ve come to really like them, and the first pair held up to about eight months of use. The second pair, however, is falling apart after two months. Not sure if I’ll buy more of them or not.
The yeti
I like Mechanix gloves for light duty stuff . Out on the rig the boys wear impact gloves by brands such as Bob Dale
Wayne Ruffner
Usually, the only time I remember to put on work gloves, it’s too late and my hands are a mess. And like others, my hands are big enough that too often, gloves don’t fit well and take too much effort to close or restrict enough blood that my fingers are cold and stiff. When I find some that fit I treat them like gold, forget to use them and eventually can’t even find them.
One of the best work gloves I’ve bought, though, were for cold weather (they’re not tough): The mitten type where the finger pocket folds over leaving bare fingertips. I was and remain amazed at how much warmer my hands can be by just covering pretty much just the backs & palms. The flip back is quick, and the thumb has a slit in it.
Jamming hands with those gloves on them into pockets sucks, though. Gotta plan ahead a little – truck keys in a big jacket pocket.
ShawnB
I prefer Stihl gloves for my yard work, the “high performance PRO” model has lasted a few seasons of weekend work. I try to find a glove designed for the type of work I am doing. I’m looking forward to trying the Milwaukee gloves. I generally steer away from the no-name gloves at the big box stores unless I need a throwaway pair; they seem to be copies of certain styles or materials but don’t seem to be designed to excel at anything.
fred
My old records show that we had bought a batch of these in a mixed lot of 100 for about $12 each:
https://www.amazon.com/Ansell-ActivArmr-Dyneema-Carpenter-Adjustable/dp/B00SJEFTAK
Other time we just bought mid-priced leather palm cotton gloves.
Like a lot of other things – especially PPE – that we supplied to the crews there were mixed feelings. We tried to make everyone aware of when gloves and other PPE were a requirement on a job, did follow-up inspections from time to time to remind folks and tried to instill the thought that everyone on the crew “was their brother’s keeper” when it came to safety and injury avoidance.
Pete
Other than the basic cow hide gloves- ALL the gloves at home depot are garbage. The lowes brands all suck as well BUT are lifetime warrantied(have a coworker thats cashed in on that multiple times).
My favorite fitted glove is the mechanix brand 4x OR the mechanix impact 4x. The trick is to buy them so they fit comftorably- THEN get them wet and let them dry out, they’ll shrink THEN you wear them and they stretch out where you NEED them too. Mechanix had a older model of the 4x and it would last forever! But then i think they realized that and they changed the design.
I HATE gloves with extra bits sewn on the plams or fingers because thats what gets caught on something and causes a rip. The impact gloves i mentioned about have that but the glove is pretty durable and usually doesnt happen.
I use gloves everyday at work and i havent found anythat i like more than the mechanix 4x- orlieys usually has a sale on them and they will also warranty them per the manufacturs 90 day warranty so keep the recepit. Mechanix also sells a insulated glove that wear when its below 30 and windy.
Toolfreak
Depends on the type of work. Those mechanic’s gloves won’t always last when doing yard work since they are more for flexibility than wear resistance, but the Craftsman gloves do seem to be on a poor quality end of things.
I like the Mechanix Fastfit gloves for something that is thin and light but still enough to offer some kind of protection when working on vehicles. Unfortunately, my favorite pair that had lasted well over a year disappeared one day when left out to dry. I have some of the newer ones, but they just aren’t the same either.
For cheap gloves, those cowhide ones are tough to beat. I got a load of them for just a few cents each at Lowe’s and they are really good for throwing on to do yard work or other stuff where you want basic hand protection. I would say to avoid the ones that are actually cheap though, since the dye comes off on your hands or they stink from the chemicals that are used in them. It’s worth paying for a good pair from a brand name (Wells Lamont, Mid West, Forney, etc) rather than getting something cheap that only lasts for one job.
For higher-end gloves, the pigskin type seems to be where it’s at. I got a pair of the Wells Lamont Palomino Pigskin gloves from Sears with points, and they are really comfortable and very flexible. I’ll keep those for when I need more protection than the Fastfit but more flexibility than the cheap cowhide gloves.
Koko the Talking Ape
I don’t have a glove recommendation per se, but I have two tips.
– A lot of gloves are made with a stretchy, fibrous synthetic material, a bit like suede. Your gloves look like they were made from that material, Stuart. Well, they do not hold up to abrasion. Even canvas gloves last longer. But the material is stretchy and so lets the glove fit better. When I shop for gloves, at least part of the palm has to be reinforced with something sturdier.
– It is possible to reinforce gloves that are beginning to show wear with Plasti-Dip, the same stuff you can use to coat pliers handles (or paint cars, it turns out.) Make sure the glove is clean, then stuff it with something like gravel so it holds its shape. (If you don’t fill the glove, it can dry into an irritatingly odd shape.) Stir the Plasti-Dip well, then paint it on with a small brush. Concentrate on wear areas. For me, they are the tips of the first three fingers, the inside of the thumb, and the palm across the base of the fingers. Try not to build a thick coat on places where your hand makes the glove crease, or the glove will be stiff. Hang the glove up somewhere to let it dry, then shake out the gravel.
The coated areas are more resistant to abrasion than even leather. If it begins to wear out, just clean it (or even scuff with sandpaper) and recoat.
Obviously this method only works for materials that aren’t full of holes, like nylon mesh.
If the glove is ripped, it sometimes possible to stitch the rip closed tightly enough so that you can still paint Plasti-Dip on top. The danger is that if it leaks through the rip, it will stick to the gravel or whatever you are using to fill the glove (and if you leave out the filling it is possible to glue the front and back of the glove together.) Use a few thin coats.
I haven’t figured out a way to reliably repair gloves with actual holes in them. (Duct tape does not work very well, but it is an option.) Does anybody have any ideas?
Jay
Tried all kinds. Like these the best. Buy them 12 pair at a time.
Magid ROC BP169 Polyester Glove, Polyurethane Coating, Knit Wrist Cuff, 9.5″ Length.
Amazon item number B004OEJCPM
Matt
I’ve been using the Craftsman grip gloves for outdoor chores and love them. I’ve also been using their cold weather gloves this winter and they’ve been great. Stacked a ton of steel with them and figured being winter gloves they’d be torn or cut somewhere but they held up like new. Warm enough for average cold days and flexible enough for work. I too have their mechanic’s gloves and like you would use them for more than wrenching on cars. The grip gloves IMO are far nicer for everyday outdoor chores. My thick insulated winter gloves are Carhartt’s but I mostly use them for short periods when it’s extremely cold.
Brian
I have always loved my Duluth gloves. They are work horse gloves. Have one in the garage and one in the truck.
Brian
These are them. Sorry.
http://www.duluthtrading.com/search/searchresults/11091.aspx?kw=work%20gloves&processor=content
Brian
Harbor Freight actually has some nice gloves. RN, I wear Mechanix or a knockoff of the Grease Monkey Gorilla Grip gloves. Basically all last year Mechanix had a sale for two different models(MRT 0.5 M-Pact and MRT M-Pact 2) for about $12. This black friday Mechanix had the Material4X FastFit for $9 shipped. I also bought a three-pack of gloves from the HD Black friday sale, they seem nice but the XL gloves have short fingers.
fred
Cheap gloves (more nitrile than cloth) and chip brushes are about the only things I buy at HF. Of course I use the ubiquitous coupons for 20% off and a free flashlight.
The flashlights get to be stocking stuffers each Christmas
Lee
My favorite brand is IronClad. They’re expensive, run a little small, and take a while to break in, but I haven’t been able to wear out a pair for over five years of home yard care/landscaping. I use them for exactly the type of yard work you described. About 1/4 of the stitching is very frayed but nothing is even a bit loose and no signs at all of any holes or tearing.
JeffC_VT
For framing and rough wood work, I really like the Mechanix mPact leather framers. I’m on my second pair and the first pair lasted at least 30 work days. They are one of the only pairs of gloves I’ve ever put on that feels like the XXL was actually designed for XXL hands, rather than just taking the cut patterns for a smaller glove and stretching it on the computer screen. I have spent a couple days with the Milwaukee gloves and they seem promising, time will tell if they hold up.
For rougher work, I go with whatever basic leather glove is on sale. For finer work, I where a nitrile surgeon-type disposable glove. Tons of dexterity but still saves skin from splinters and chemicals/dust, plus only a few cents each.
The fabric/nitrile coated gloves seem like could be useful but the fingers are always so short it feels like I’m wearing mittens.
Working outdoors in negative temperatures in VT I’ve never needed anything heavier than those above. If your hands or toes are cold, put on a hat and an extra base layer. If you’re still cold, move south!
jtkendall
My go-to gloves have been the Mechanix Wear Winter Armor gloves that they’ve discontinued. I use them for anything where extra padding is helpful, they impede my movement a bit so they don’t work for things requiring fine motor skills. I had several pairs of the Mechanix Wear Original automotive gloves that I used for anything that required the additional movement or under the truck. Those gloves have just disappeared, they were fine but it seems like they’ve walked off.
I’m going to invest in a couple new pairs of the Original Mechanix Wear gloves in both the black and white and covert (black/black) versions so I have general purpose work gloves since I’ve never had a problem with them and know they fit well. I’ll probably pull the trigger on a couple pairs of additional gloves from them in their tactical, hardware, and cold weather categories too.
Andrew
I’ve heard good things about Stonebreaker gloves
Grady
Wells Lamont cowhide. They’re cheap ugly and tough. They work if you do. If it’s cold you can wear a pair of brown jersey underneath.
Brien
I get these DEWALT gloves. $10 – $11 https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000FPAS2K/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483466251&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=dewalt+gloves&dpPl=1&dpID=41Lfkz6LqdL&ref=plSrch
Joe
Dewalt makes good work gloves….HD sells 3 pair of gloves for 8… they are good
BonPacific
I don’t typically wear gloves, but I bought a pair of these Ace Leather Palm gloves four years ago. I have to say, they have held up very well. I got them for a metal working (Oxy-Acetylene, MIG, Grinding, Blacksmithing) class in college, but since then they’ve my primary work glove if I’m doing renovations or yard work, including building a loose stone retaining wall. They’ve survived everything I’ve needed them for, though the cloth lining tore out two years back, they’re perfectly comfortable without it.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1399526
Joshua Latham
I am a fan of plain old pig skin or goat skin leather gloves.
nate
I love the Ansell ActivArmr gloves. In particular the plumber glove is my favorite. It contains kevlar for cut resistance and fits “like a glove”…haha, it is extremely form fitting unlike most glove fits. These are great for anything that you need to be able to feel or retain finger dexterity. The only downside is that they are more difficult to take off than other loose fitting gloves. Someone with fat fingers may not be able to wear these. I have very large hands that are slender for the size and they fit me perfect.
https://www.amazon.com/Ansell-ActivArmr-97-005-Plumber-Adjustable/dp/B00SJEFMUW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483506282&sr=8-1&keywords=activarmr+plumber
I also have owned the heavy laborer glove which are much more durable and include a stainless steel weave. These leave slightly less dexterity, but dang have i worked hard in them and they are still in good shape. These take about a day to break in so that you really enjoy them.
https://www.amazon.com/Ansell-ActivArmr-Nitrile-Resistant-Adjustable/dp/B009DR1SSO/ref=pd_sbs_328_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B009DR1SSO&pd_rd_r=WTH46XSM2S7W33BQ0GRQ&pd_rd_w=YhCU6&pd_rd_wg=vazRY&psc=1&refRID=WTH46XSM2S7W33BQ0GRQ
Nathan
I’m usually too cheap for good gloves, so I’m constantly pissed off at them.
Consequently, I have the Craftsman mechanics gloves in question. Having used them only for auto work, they’ve lasted quite well.
Leo
ANSI 3 cut resistance is required on my jobsite
Ninja ICE looks like something I’ll need this winter
fred c
Typically pig or cowskin and i tend to destroy em.
Did grab 2 pr of Stanley Hi Vis pigskin w a fabric back on ebay for $4. Amazingly, they seem to be lasting and the price for 2 pr was GREAT.
Wife insists on gloves if I plan to touch her anytime soon, so…
Mark
Hands down best glove out there. 212 Performance makes a demo glove with a high abrasion palm. I used the gloves for landscaping and am going on one year with the same pair. A bit more expensive but they last FOREVER. Check them out.
https://www.amazon.com/212-Performance-Gloves-IMP-88-008-Impact/dp/B01KCFISYW/
ToolNerd
Lots of great work gloves out there marketed as “work gloves” and commanding a premium for nothing more than a hand shaped piece of leather/cloth/etc. I finally found an optimal solution when I used an old set of motorcycle gloves. I’m not talking about fingerless Harley bullcrap either–but a good sport-riding glove, preferably without the armored gauntlet (although I used gauntlet-style gloves to protect my wrist once while retrieving a part under a hot exhaust and it was beneficial).
They’re pre-curved and much more comfortable than any work glove, most are meant to be more breathable than a typical work glove, you can get them with armored knuckles ranging from extreme to a tiny, thin barely noticeable layer of padding (that still saves your knuckles), and many use a thinner layer on the inner surface to achieve better feel and control.
You don’t need a $500 track glove, a simple $9.99 clearanced motorcross glove in last-year’s popular colors will do.