Gloves.

The word conjures up images of cold weather, snow, and chill, biting winds.

But hand protection doesn’t begin and end with protection against cold conditions. There are plenty of reasons to wear protective gloves year-round.

Take a moment to think about the phrase “tactical gloves“. Yes, they’re gloves, but they’re also a tactic in your battle against danger. No matter the form that danger takes, a good pair of protective gloves augments your abilities and reduces your weaknesses.

Hard knuckles

Most people just assume hard knuckle gloves are used to punch people (or objects). But nothing could be further from the truth. Rather than being used to do damage, the hard knuckles on a pair of tactical gloves are instrumental in preventing damage. They prevent damage to the most vulnerable part of your hand: the knuckles.

Knuckles are the first thing that gets skinned, abraded, bruised, or even broken, when you fall uncontrollably. So, it’s important to protect them.

Palms

Everyone skins up his palms once in a while, right?

Wrong!

If you wear good gloves, your palms are protected against abrasion or impact damage.

When there’s a danger of falling (such as when you’re riding a motorcycle), get abrasion-resistant palms on your tactical gloves.

And when you risk impact damage to your palms (such as recoil from pistol shooting), get some padded gloves. Good shooting gloves even feature gel inserts to further reduce the effects of recoil.

Wrists

Long or short wrists, that’s the question.

Cold weather gloves often have longer wrists than summer gloves. That’s to be expected. Protection from the chilling effects of wind is one thing you demand from your gloves, whether they’re tactical gloves or not.

So there you have it: a few of the features found on good protective gloves. Now you see, gloves are not just for winter wear any more!

One of the most popular styles of tactical gloves are fingerless tactical gloves.  And for very good reasons.

The thing is: people want protection, but they don’t want to lose their manual dexterity.

A good balance of protection and dexterity

Fingerless tactical gloves minimize the reduction of manual dexterity that occurs with any pair of gloves.  But they also give you a fair amount of protection – especially when you close your hands or clench your fists.

Rappelling

Many fingerless tactical gloves are used for rappelling or climbing.  In those applications, it’s imperative that the palms are protected by heat-resistant materials.

Friction-resistant palms reduce or eliminate rope burn.  This means your (and your partners) will be safer during rappelling or belays.  Without gloves, belayers may involuntarily let go of the rope if friction gets too high.  Rope burn can cause falls; fingerless rappelling gloves protect against this eventuality.

Shooting

Others like to use fingerless tactical gloves as shooting gloves.  Again, it’s a good balance between protection and dexterity.

With fingerless gloves, your trigger finger is not impaired.  And, it is easier to manipulate ammunition or other small objects.  But you still get some protection against the impact of recoil and against other sorts of impact damage or abrasions.

Models

Many popular brands of tactical gloves offer a fingerless version.  One example is the Hatch Reactor hard knuckle gloves.

But some folks just cut the fingers off lower-cost gloves to make their own fingerless gloves.  Although it’s debatable whether these homemade fingerless gloves are ‘tactical’, they’re often the simplest and best choice for hot weather wear when resistance to friction or impact isn’t the primary concern.

In the market for some shotgun shooting gloves?  If so, here are some things you should keep in mind when you make your decision about which gloves to buy.

Hunting or sport shooting?

The gloves you wear out hunting are probably going to be different than the gloves you use when shooting trap, skeet, clays, etc.

For sport shooting, your gloves need to be warm and flexible, but not very tough.  Hunting gloves, on the other hand, have to keep you as warm as possible, while also standing up to rough use.  They should be heavier and more substantial than sporting gloves.

If your gloves don’t keep the wind off your hands, you’ll have a difficult time feeling what you’re doing.  Shooting gloves should keep you warm enough, but still let you handle ammo and other small items.  Your shotgunning gloves are a tradeoff between absolute warmth and protection, and the level of manual dexterity needed to manipulate small objects.

Special features of shotgun shooting gloves

Although you can probably get by without them in a pinch, gloves that are designed for shotgunners often share certain design features:

• The index finger has less (or no) padding and protection that might otherwise reduce trigger sensitivity
• The palm should offer a no-slip grip so you can shuck and/or load a heavy shotgun

Options other than custom-made shotgun shooting gloves

You can often find other styles of gloves that work very well when you’re shooting a shotgun.

Many people swear by inexpensive Mechanix brand gloves for shooting sports.  Since these gloves are made for workmen and mechanics, they provide very good finger dexterity at a price that won’t bankrupt you.

Other folks use horse riding or tack gloves.

And there are the perennial favorites: weight lifting gloves, golfing gloves, or batting gloves.  All are lightweight leather gloves that protect the palms without reducing your manual dexterity to a level that starts to cause problems.

So while it’s nice to have a dedicated pair of shotgun gloves, you might be able to find other styles of glove (at reasonable prices) that work well.  This is especially true if you use them for shooting sports, because the gloves just don’t have to be as tough and warm as hunting gloves.

It’s common for folks new to tactical gear to ask why hard knuckle tactical gloves include hardened knuckle protection.

After all, the knuckles are only a small part of the hand, and it seems counter-intuitive that knuckle protection should be given priority over other forms of protection.

Non tactically-oriented folks who think of protective gloves automatically assume that the palms need most of the protection. Probably, they remember back to childhood when skinned palms from falling off a bike were a major concern.

But tactical gear addresses different issues. A good pair of hard knuckle tactical gloves is intentionally designed to help you out during a fight.

In hand to hand combat, you face the very real risk of being thrown around. And when that happens, your arms flail about uncontrollably. Almost always, it’s the knuckles that take the brunt of the damage during this sort of uncontrolled fall.

With hard knuckle tactical gloves, your knuckles resist the impact damage and your withstand the potentially crippling injury.

Without knuckle protection, your hand is useless for some period of time.

So, while most ‘regular’ folks think hard knuckle tactical gloves are for increasing the damage when you punch someone, that’s not really true. Yes, they can be used to protect your hands (or increase the power of a blow) during a punch, but mainly the knuckle protection exists to help you out during a fall which causes your hand to ‘whack’ into the ground with a serious, bone-jarring impact.

If you stick your hands into peoples’ pockets, you know how important it is to have gloves that are cut and puncture-resistant, while remaining thin and dexterous enough so they don’t hamper you.

The TurtleSkin company is world-renown for providing tough, durable fabrics used in all manner of police and tactical gear. Now, they make their own line of police gloves. After reading some very good reviews where people in law enforcement had great things to say about their Turtleskin duty gloves, I decided to get a pair.

I’m glad I did.

Good police duty gloves are built for protection

There is one thing I demand from my gloves: reliable puncture resistance.

Yes, it’s nice to have the peace of mind that comes from a good pair of cut resistant gloves, and I’m not going to compromise on that feature. But puncture resistance is the most important — and most difficult to achieve — feature that I need in my duty gloves.

I don’t care what fancy features the gloves have if they don’t offer a reasonable level of puncture resistance. I’m not primarily interested in hard knuckles, padded palms, fancy cuffs, or whatever else manufacturers put on the gloves. They’re all fine, but unless they provide me with adequate protection, the gloves are useless.

And the good news is: my TurtleSkin duty gloves are tough as nails. When I have these gloves on, I feel safe reaching into a pocket or patting someone down.

But there’s more to it than that…

Dexterity and comfort

All the protection and puncture-resistance in the world doesn’t matter to me if the gloves are not comfortable.

Yeah, a suit of armor offers good puncture resistance too, but I wouldn’t wear it on the job.

So, the gloves have to be comfortable while allowing me the manual dexterity I need to be able to do my job.

With Turtleskin gloves, I can feel things that I couldn’t with my old pair of gloves. I can pick up a dime from a tabletop; that’s something I couldn’t do with my old pair.

Features of my TurtleSkin patrol gloves

The gloves are made from soft, supple neoprene. And the puncture-resistance is provided by the Aramid liner. This stuff works.

It’s easy to keep them snugged up tight, thanks to the velcro wrist strap.

And finally, the ‘feel’ in my trigger finger is great, because the index fingers of the gloves are lined with a soft leather-like material.

Cost

These things are a bit pricey.

I can get a few pairs of cut resistant gloves at home depot for the cost of a single pair of Turtleskin duty gloves.

But at this stage of the game, I think the peace of mind the Turtleskin brand buys me is well worth the additional cost.

I’m not worried about the money. The things I do worry about can’t be purchased with money anyway, so you can see where I’m coming from.

Check them out at Amazon: Turtleskin Duty Gloves

Typical Sap gloves that you’ll find for sale include several important features.

A sap is an impact weapon consisting of a flat leather sack filled with powdered lead or lead shot. It distributes the kinetic energy of the impact across a wider area than a blackjack, which is similar in intent, if not in construction.

The value of a sap is twofold:

• First, it delivers a knockout blow — and potentially a killing blow — without breaking the skin.
• And second, it is easy to carry in a pocket because it’s flat and unobtrusive.

Like a traditional, handheld sap, sap gloves feature pouches filled with powdered lead or some other dense, pliable material. These pouches cover the knuckles, and often the back of the hand.

There are two benefits conveyed by this sort of arrangement:

• The lead cushions and protects the knuckles, allowing you to punch hard objects without as much risk of knuckle damage as you’d face bare-handed.
• The heavy, dense material covering the knuckles and backhand add inertia to your punches, so you hit harder than normal. Your hands truly become a weapon when you wear sap gloves.

Typically, sap gloves are used by people who need a self-defense option that does varying degrees of damage depending on the situation. Bouncers, bodyguards, and other security officers are the usual sorts you’ll find in possession of this sort of gear. These gloves are low-key and non-threatening, and they let you judge how much damage to do to an assailant: perfect for bouncers.

Some states make the possession of sap gloves illegal. You’ll have to check your local laws and ordinances to see if this gear is prohibited in your area. But since they’re mostly a self-defense item, the vast majority of states don’t prohibit you from buying or owning them.

It can be difficult to find true tactical sap gloves (those with the quality of authentic tactical gear). Most are lower cost and quality than real tactical gear. But many tactical glove styles include hardened knuckles which are similar in function.

What’s the difference between tactical gloves and sap gloves?

The difference is simple: intended use. You see, sap gloves are intended for one purpose only: to increase the power of your punch. And, perhaps, to cushion your knuckles during a punch so you avoid bruises or other impact injuries.

But tactical gloves are a class of gloves that share features needed by military operators, law enforcement officers, and the like. There is no such thing as a standard tactical glove, because, depending on the intended use, the features and styles vary.

High quality gloves that are specially designed for SWAT operations or military missions are often called tactical assault gloves.

While lots of operational gloves have various features needed during dangerous missions, assault gloves are made with every feature you need:

• Fabric made from a kevlar/nomex blend
• Thermal resistance
• Impact resistance
• Abrasion resistance
• Manual dexterity — both hands and fingers
• Optional gauntlet style for additional protection
• Hard knuckles for impact and abrasion resistance
• Leather reinforcement to abrasion-prone areas of the glove

Don’t settle for a glove that looks like a tactical assault glove. Your gear needs to have been designed by people who know how to make shooting gloves. Gun-cut fingers are a must, and padded palms are important if you wear this gear during training.

A good rule of thumb is to look for manufacturers who put protection first, concealment second, and performance second-to-none. Check out models from Wiley-X and Hellstorm Tactical, for a start.

Features of assault gloves

Long-time users conclude that a nomex/kevlar fabric is the best choice. This provides both thermal and cut resistance while ensuring a high degree of dexterity in the fingers and hands. No matter what surface you lay on, fall on, or find yourself on, the lightweight kevlar will protect against slicing and cuts.

The high-quality kidskin or goatskin layer on the fingers and palm add additional abrasion protection but, more importantly, it increases your grip surety and tactile sensitivity. Nothing contributes to "feel" like a thin, pliable layer of goatskin leather.

Color is important if you need your gear to match your military uniform. But in a larger sense, it’s important that your assault gear help (not hinder) concealment efforts.

The closure method can give you a custom fit, but some closures are better than others in terms of the noise made opening or closing the gloves. Look into how the glove is secured if you plan to put them on and take them off regularly.

Neoprene gloves are liquid and chemical resistant. But they also protect against water and wind, making them perfect for water sports like canoeing, paddling, rafting, or kayaking.

Neoprene gloves come in a wide range of styles. The one you choose should depend on your intended application.

Chemical resistance

Traditionally, natural rubber gloves were used in applications where resistance to oil or other chemicals was the most important thing. But natural rubber gloves have (at least) two drawbacks:

• Lots of folks experience latex allergies, and repeated exposure to natural rubber gloves can bring on contact dermatitis and similar skin problems.
• Natural rubber or latex gloves are less resistant to chemicals and abrasions or rough use than modern neoprene gloves.

There are two main styles of chemical-resistant neoprene gloves:

• Unsupported neoprene
• Neoprene molded over a cloth glove

Unsupported neoprene is usually fairly thick — at least 17 mils thickness — and it provides the most chemical resistance.

However, gloves with cloth lining are more puncture and snag resistant than unsupported neoprene. But because of the need to maintain an acceptable level of manual dexterity, the neoprene coating can’t be as thick.

Usually, either of these styles of gloves are used to protect the wearer against these sorts of chemicals:

• Petrochemicals
• Degreasing agents
• Oils
• Acids
• Caustics
• Petroleum-based solvents
• Alcohol
• Animal fats
• Salts
• Detergents
• Ketones

When in doubt, consult an MSDS or other reliable guide.

The best chemical-resistant neoprene gloves have two layers of color. That way, when the surface of the glove(s) becomes worn, it’s easy to notice by the color change. This allows you to replace the gloves before they start to leak.

Since this material is slippery when wet, it’s best if the grip area has a roughened or embossed surface.

And because thick neoprene can cause fatigue, make sure your gloves have pre-bent fingers and knuckles.

For outdoor sporting use

The second use of neoprene in gloves is for its water and wind resistant properties. This makes it perfect for gloves worn during water sports and other wet, windy outdoor activities.

Although neoprene — in and of itself — does not offer any insulation against the cold, it’s the best way to make a pair of gloves waterproof.

Some folks use neoprene gloves while riding a motorcycle (or snowmobile). But motorcycle or snowmobile gloves need more than just resistance to wind and rain. Ideally, they should be hard knuckle gloves and have some gel inserts in the palm.

For paddling and other boating sports, you can get fingerless neoprene gloves that offer some degree of blister protection without reducing dexterity very much.

It’s unusual for tactical gloves to contain neoprene. But for certain naval or wet-weather applications, there could be some models of gloves that contain a layer of neoprene.

It can be confusing trying to figure out the difference between kevlar work gloves and tactical gloves.

Since many popular tactical glove styles are manufactured with kevlar, lots of people assume that any glove which utilized kevlar to protect your hand is automatically a tactical glove. But this isn’t the case. Work gloves — made with kevlar or not — often lack the features which distinguish true tactical gloves from lookalikes or wannabes.

Kevlar is generally incorporated into gloves for two reasons:

• Cut resistance
• Abrasion resistance

Note that resistance to piercing isn’t listed. Pierce resistance is difficult to achieve with kevlar unless multiple layers are used, and unless the material is chemically modified for the purpose. This sort of modification reduces the pliability and makes it unsuitable for use in gloves. (Mostly, it’s used for kevlar automobile tires or similar applications.)

Since work gloves are often used in situations that demand cut resistance, kevlar makes perfect sense. Although the expense means that these gloves are not for casual use, people who need top of the line cut resistance will do well with a pair of kevlar work gloves.

But as I mentioned earlier, kevlar tactical gloves are another thing entirely. These gloves are built for protection, but they also need to supply a good amount of manual dexterity (unlike work gloves). And they sometimes have additional armor built in, such as over the knuckles.

So, when you’re in the market to buy kevlar work gloves, don’t get sidetracked by the larger, more heavily-hyped tactical glove advertisements.

It’s easy to spend more money than you really wanted to, but the features and designs demanded by users in the tactical gloves market are overkill when they’re applied to a pair of simple work gloves.

Hatch Reactor Hard Knuckle Gloves are a popular choice for law enforcement officers or other ‘operators’ who need hand protection coupled with a sure grip.

The main feature of Hatch Reactors is the hard knuckles.

Other skin points (like the finger joints) are reinforced with foam padding, then covered with leather. The vulnerable bone on the outside of your wrist is protected by a tapered layer of padding.

Hard knuckles are important if there’s a chance you’ll find yourself in any hand to hand combat where you run the risk of being thrown around with your arms and hands flopping about in an uncontrolled manner.

Good Shooting Gloves

Hatch Reactors are designed with shooting in mind.

The leather-covered palms are padded so recoils are tolerable. And the trigger finger has an extra ring of reinforcing material so you can cut off the fingertip if you wish.

Important Features

As with most hard knuckle tactical gloves, Reactors offer a good blend of protection and functionality:

• Velcro closure at the wrist
• Comes in full finger, 3/4 finger, or half-finger styles
• Goatskin leather palms and fingers so you lose as little manual dexterity as possible
• Treated with a water-resistant leather conditioner so they last longer
• Kevlar doesn’t make your hands perspire so you will be comfortable even in the heat of the summer
• The combination of Kevlar/Nomex/Leather offers some protection against fire
• The hard knuckles are covered with leather so you stay quiet when you don’t want to make noise

Difference Between Hatch Reactor And Hatch Operator Hard Knuckle Gloves

Hatch Reactors are less expensive than Hatch Operator gloves.

Although the designs are superficially similar, the Hatch Operator Hard Knuckle Gloves feature a lot more Kevlar and offer fire resistance too.

In short, Hatch Operators probably aren’t as suitable for daily use as Hatch Reactor Hard Knuckle Gloves.

Check them out at Amazon.com: Hatch Reactor Hard Knuckle Gloves (Free Shipping)