Work gloves/BOB gloves - what you use?

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Apr 13, 2009
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Hey guys - since keeping your hands safe in a survival, camping and work environment is such a big concern, just wondering what type you choose to use when doing work and/or which you keep in you bob or edc bag for emergencies?

I need to get a new pair and have heard good things about Mechanix and was thinking about pulling the trigger on THESE... Seem to be perfect for my uses and much less expensive than the Oakley Standard Issue glove that I was also considering...

Would appreciate your thoughts and recommendations!
 
I always use tight soft pig leather riders gloves when gathering wood, chopping etc cheap and tough. Saves so many nicks and slivers that fester in the bush. Not to mention getting pitch on yourself which is a pain without solvents. You work so much harder and more efficiently not worrying about your hands.
Carry them when hiking too in case I have to scrabble up rocks etc. Granite and shale can rough you up quick around here.
 
I have two (actually three if you include the cotton liners..) pairs of gloves in my bag.

If I need less protection and more mobility and dexterity, I have a pair of Blackhawk SOLAG gloves (got them on sale for about $20, these standard ones normally go for about $30). I got size small and they fit like a second skin and are really high quality.

If I need lots of protection and warmth, I sacrifice some dexterity with my old (OLD) leather gloves with a cotton inner glove. I think they began life as a standard thinly lined Kmart type driving/mild weather glove. These things have been glued together, and when the glue finally failed, this year I had to apply black duct tape to most of the fingers and seams, but they are the defination of BEATER gloves. They offer moderate heat and flame resistence when working around a fire, same with wood gathering and splitting. Slivers or splinters can't get through the duct tape and leather.

EDIT:
I own a pair of Mechanix gloves also (I replaced them with the better fitting Blackhawk gloves), and they are a good buy when you can get them for about $15-$20.
 
I have an older pair of the Machanix impact protective ones I loved ,I wore them out and went to buy a few more pairs and they changed the style:( . I really like a nice pair of really snug leather gloves for knife work as long as its not too messy (they can be hard to keep clean) .I have a pair of Ironclad gloves that I have had for over two years. Ironclad makes a few nice models but I think you should try on a few pairs of any glove you like as they seem to always have some tiny differences in fit and finish that can be huge during use.
 
I like a nice pair of leather gloves, myself. I've currently got a couple comfortable deerskin pair in my BOB and daypack.
 
I'm a carpenter and I go through a pair of gloves every 1 to 2 months. the gloves from home depot are crap. super crap. I get Iron clad gloves from the local lumber yards. depending on the model they are between 20-30 bucks. Real good gloves. the cold condition ones are great for framing in the winter, like 7 degrees. and the heavy utility models great for the rest of the year. I think you can get em online too. I've been meaning to try the mechanic brand but I'm pretty finnicky when it comes to how they fit, so I always buy from a store.
 
Leather gloves. Dont know what they are. Just bought them from a hardware store. Leather IMO is a strong reliable material that taken care of can last you a long time.

Just my 0.2 cents.
 
mostly been covered but mechanix gloves are great work gloves. know lots of folks who use em for milder weather cycling. they hold up longer and are a lot cheaper than cycling specific gloves. when it comes to dealing with fire/cooking ya need something natural-leather or wool. the synthetics, of course, will melt right onto yr skin if ya pick up something hot. personally i too, like something that fits like skin when working/riding. but nothing that feels like that has insulating properties for colder weather. so unless ya live where the climate is fairly constant, there is no one perfect glove for all seasons.
 
ironclad is good, mechanix are awesome. I have a 60 dollar pair of Hatches as well, for shooting, but the most miles I put on any gloves are the 2 dollar stanley rawhide work gloves. As far as chopping, firework etc etc they see by far the most use.
 
I have 2 pairs in my BOB, a leather pair of Carhartt leather work gloves and a pair of Mechanix combat gloves.
 
Carhartt leather gloves here, too, double leather palms, snug fit. Most of the guys I work with use Mechanix gloves, and the ones with real leather palms are good, but I have found insects can bite or sting through the thinner materials, and the synthetic palms melt. I also use turtle skins gloves for liners when having to work in fire ant infested areas.
 
BOB gloves; I carry a pair of deer skin gloves as well as several pairs of nitrile gloves. Leather gloves are comfortable, they breath and they don't melt if exposed to heat or fire.The nitrile are handy for everything from greasy engine work to first aid.
 
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I usually use mountain bike gloves. Any brand you like, that fits well. They are padded on the palm, and usually have some sort of padding or "armor" on the finger and knuckles, to protect when you go over the bars. I ride and use them for hiking. They fit nice and snug so your dexterity is maintained. I wouldn't recommend them in the bitter cold, but during spring/summer/early fall they are great.
 
Riggers gloves , surgical rubber and cotton gloves are in all my packs large enough to fit them.I dont usually wear them for most chopping as I have fairly hard hands , but if the situation calls for them I do use them.
 
I generally keep leather gloves in all my bags. Nothing special, just whatever fits without hotspots
 
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