In a tactical scenario, your body is exposed to a range of hazards, but your hands are the most susceptible to minor damage like cuts, burns, bruises, and breaks. Tactical gloves exist to protect you from those particular dangers.
Tactical gloves are like work gloves in that they’re meant to protect your hands in specific environments — like working in the garden, shoveling snow, or fixing an engine — but they’re also designed for multi-purpose use. They’re equipped with materials and features that give you a greater range of motion and dexterity, so you can go hands-on with an unruly suspect or manipulate the controls of an M4 or M27 rifle.
In this article, we list out our picks for the best tactical gloves and try to find the holy trinity of dexterity, protection, and comfort to keep your hands safe without affecting performance.
- Best Overall: PIG Delta FDT
- Best Budget: StrongSuit Second Skin
- Best Kevlar: First Tactical Slash and Flash Hard Knuckle Gloves
- Best Flame-Resistant: Wiley X CAG-1 Flame-Resistant Gloves
- Best Cold-Weather: Viktos Coldshot Glove
- Best Hot-Weather: Viktos LEO Vented Glove
Best Overall
PIG Delta FDT
Pros
- Extremely comfortable
- Excellent dexterity
- Touchscreen use
Cons
- No impact protection
- Long-term durability issues
- Not flame-resistant
Product Specs
Why It Made The Cut
Best Budget
StrongSuit Second Skin
Pros
- Affordable
- Ample dexterity
- Touchscreen use
Cons
- Finger-to-palm ratio is awkward
- Poor stitching
- Low durability
Product Specs
Why It Made The Cut
Best Kevlar
First Tactical Slash and Flash Hard Knuckle Gloves
Pros
- Cut- and blunt-force-resistant
- Comfortable
- Some touchscreen use
Cons
- Hotter than other gloves
- Lower dexterity
- Velcro closure can get easily fouled
Product Specs
Why It Made The Cut
Best Flame-Resistant
Wiley X CAG-1 Flame Resistant Gloves
Pros
- Fire-resistant
- Good knuckle protection
- Higher than average dexterity
Cons
- No touchscreen capability
- Fire-resistant material corrodes
- Warmer than standard gloves
Product Specs
Why It Made The Cut
Best Cold-Weather Glove
Viktos Coldshot Glove
Pros
- Reasonably warm
- Allows for index finger access
- Long enough to slip under sleeves
Cons
- Zipper creates hot spots
- Not for extreme cold weather
- Lower dexterity on other fingers
Product Specs
Why It Made The Cut
Best Hot-Weather Glove
Viktos LEO Vented Glove
Pros
- Breathable
- Exceptional dexterity
- Affordable
Cons
- No impact protection
- Less durable
- Fit large
Product Specs
Why It Made The Cut
Things to consider before buying tactical gloves
Glove material
The material of your tactical glove of choice is important.
- All-leather gloves are comfortable and stand up to abrasion very well, but cut easily and aren’t breathable.
- Nylon gloves breathe more easily, and stand up well to abrasion, but will melt on contact with flame, causing further burns, and they cut easily.
- Special features like Kevlar weave, thermal layers, windbreaker material, and others can add protection but can inhibit breathability and dexterity.
Touchscreen compatibility
A distinctly 21st-century issue, many gloves today are designed so you can wear them while operating the touchscreen on a mobile device. This has legitimate tactical uses, as smart devices become more prevalent on the modern battlefield, but is also useful for taking photos and videos or sending text messages, which is likely what they’ll be used for.
Impact resistance
Many gloves will feature padding or hardened knuckles to protect the wearer from impacts, whether sustained while working on machinery, or when dealing with flying debris or blunt force trauma. These pads will somewhat limit breathability and mobility, but for those who anticipate blunt force trauma, they’re a must-have, and many mechanics prefer them.
FAQs about tactical gloves
Q: What is the point of tactical gloves?
A: Tactical gloves are specifically designed to address the needs of those in combative environments, and prioritize things like abrasion resistance, durability, impact resistance, and fire resistance, all in colors that are considered acceptable by most military branches. They will often feature reinforced fingers for trigger pulling, hardened knuckles to prevent blunt force trauma, and other specific features that are designed for military or shooting applications.
Q: How tight should tactical gloves be?
A: Tactical gloves ought to be tight enough to ensure that there is no excess fabric to bunch up and cause hotspots or discomfort, but loose enough so that they don’t hinder mobility and circulation, or cause the seams to split. Don’t buy a larger size than you need as a way to prove something. For reference, I’m six feet tall, 200 pounds, and I wear size medium in Viktos, size large PIG. Hardly anyone will wear an extra-large or extra-extra-large unless you moonlight as an NBA star.
Q: Are tactical gloves good for fighting?
A: Many people think that the hardened knuckles on certain gloves are there to somehow amplify the impact of closed-fist blows in a hand-to-hand confrontation. This is not the case, as their primary purpose is to protect you from blunt force trauma of any kind. While these gloves may prevent you from splitting or abrading your knuckles when striking your opponent, they are not going to make you any better at punching. So-called sap gloves do exist, which feature metal weights in them, but these are gimmicky and can cause broken fingers if you strike a hard object. For those worried about their performance in a stand-up fight, I’d instead recommend taking up a striking martial art to build your confidence.
Q: What tactical gloves do SEALs use?
A: Whatever the hell they want.
Final thoughts
Tactical gloves are a fast-changing phenomenon, going from hide gloves meant for rappelling and cut down pilot’s gloves in days of yore, through the Mechanix and Oakley dominance of the Global War on Terror, and on into the future. Today’s tactical gloves maximize dexterity and balance that with durability and protection, ensuring that no matter what your application is, there’s a solution for you. Our top pick, the PIG Delta FDTs nailed this in a way that will work excellently for most people, and I won’t be replacing mine anytime soon. This list only scratches the surface, and I will likely revisit it sometime in the future to reflect this constantly-changing landscape and keep my readers informed.
Methodology
The gloves today were selected based on my personal experience using and selling various tactical gloves for the better part of a decade. I’ve owned Mechanix, Oakley, StrongSuit, PIG, and Wiley X gloves, and only some of these gloves made the list due to their ability to stand above the pack. Other gloves, like those from Viktos, were selected based on recommendations by readers like you who use their gear every day in the profession of arms.
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