What do you need tactical gloves for? Protecting your hands while shooting at the range or hunting. Epic games of paintball. Working with power tools. Tackling the DIY project list. Just keeping your damn hands warm. Your EDC kit is already outfitted with tactical pens and flashlights, so why not add some tactical gloves to the mix? Here are our favorites.
Seibertron Tactical Fingerless Gloves
On the surface, “tactical fingerless gloves” seems like an oxymoron. Any gloves we’ve ever used without finger sleeves make us feel very much not tactical. But it turns out they have a place in the lineup outside of the fact they mostly function like regular gloves while still allowing you to use your phone. Namely, some guys just like being able to feel their finger on the trigger. These Seibertron Tactical Fingerless Gloves will allow you to perform all those tasks that require dexterity and still protect the rest of your hands with a combination of polyurethane and synthetic leather.
$13
TitanOPS Hard Knuckle Tactical Gloves
The TitanOPS Hard Knuckle Tactical Gloves look like what pops in our head when we think of tactical gloves because of the relatively spartan design and the hard-molded plastic knuckles (plus we all remember the gloves from Battlefield 3, right?). Designed for everything from military and motorcycle use to combat training and shooting, these TitanOps gloves use a combination of microfiber, leather, Lycra, nylon and Velcro to create one of the best universal tactical gloves on the market in terms of protection, performance and durability.
$17
Mechanix Wear M-Pact Coyote Tactical Gloves
Mechanix makes specialized gloves for just about every task that you could think of. They’re great for home DIY projects, working on the car or for tradesman use. They’d make you the most over-prepared guy at the paintball course. Mechanix really like posing them next to guns. They’ll see your hands safely through anything. Thermoplastic Rubber knuckle and finger guards. Dual-layer internal fingertip reinforcement. D30 palm padding. “TrekDry” material that contours to the back of your hand without overheating. Mechanix name, reliability and affordability built into what might be the best value tactical gloves out there.
$27
StrongSuit SWAT TAC Tactical Gloves
The StrongSuit SWAT TAC Tactical Gloves are what happens when you purpose build a glove for law enforcement officers and actually listen to what law enforcement wants. They look like a pair of gloves a superhero would slip into to fight crime, and they’re constructed out of a combination of leather, polyester, polyurethane and neoprene. The TAC-Sense palm gives you a better grip and feel. The EVA padded knuckle protectors are split for increased comfort. The fingers are form-fitted and pre-curved for better fit and performance, along with having their own protectors. If they’re good enough for the law, they’re good enough for you.
$39
PIG Full Dexterity Tactical Alpha Gloves
PIG Full Dexterity Tactical Alpha Gloves excel for a few key reasons. First, the suede on the thumb and index fingertip are conductive for touchscreen use. That’s a big selling point for some of you, but not as big a deal as the perforated palm and fingers, fingertip construction and split points on the knuckles. They’ll keep you protected without getting sweaty and the split points on the knuckles make it easy to make a fist or grip without extra material getting in the way. They don’t have interior finger seams that will destroy your tips with special care for the trigger finger, made of the thinnest Clarino material for maximum sensitivity. Bonus points because they also come in four colors.
$43
5.11 Tactical Screen Ops Tactical Gloves
5.11 Tactical does it again with not just one but two pairs of excellent gloves we’re including on this list. The 5.11 Tactical Screen Ops Tactical Gloves combine flame and slash resistant Kevlar knit fabric with a goatskin palm, TacticalTouch finger design for better tactility and the largest selling point, special capacitive fingertips that allow you to operate a phone or tablet while in the field. It’s one of the few pairs of gloves that will keep your hands protected and warm while still allowing you to check GPS, monitor Facebook or report in.
$47
5.11 Tactical AK2 Tactical Gloves
The other pair of 5.11 Tactical gloves we picked were designed by decorated and respected Navy Seal Jeff Gonzales to give operators everything they need in the field. The Tac-AK2 tactical gloves is made with Kevlar knit fabric, TacticalTouch fingertips and the goatskin palm you’ll find in the Screen Ops, but these gloves also include reinforced knuckles and finger joints with the same goatskin and a light padding in the palm to improve comfort while you’re operating a weapon or tool for extended periods of time.
$50
Blackhawk S.O.L.A.G. Tactical Gloves
If maximum tactical performance is your only concern, you won’t find better than the Blackhawk S.O.L.A.G. (Spec Ops Light Assault Glove) Tactical Gloves. Dual-layer premium goatskin leather palm and fingertip reinforcements for abrasion resistance and water repellency. Built with DuPont NOMEX for flame and flash protection. Back of hand and wrist adjustments for secure fit and comfort. From tours in Iraq with servicemen to trips to the local range, these gloves combine classical styling with absurd performance and durability features.
$82
