Need some protection for your hands from weekend shooting to busting down doors?
We bought a bunch of the most popular tactical shooting gloves out there and tested them with competitions, range trips, and even a house move or two.
While emphasis will be on what’s important to civilian shooters (price, fit, touch-screen capability, durability etc.), we also cover some tactical aspects as well. Plus…my wife’s favorite gloves for women.
Summary of Our Top Picks
Editor's Pick Shooting GloveDual-joint trigger finger that protects your hands and gets the job done.
Best Bang-For-The-Buck GlovesGood fit for shooting and touch-screen enabled.
Highest Dexterity GloveThin and great for trigger control when you're shooting.
Why Wear Shooting Gloves?
Why gloves? Let me list a couple of reasons:
- Things get HOT: Guns themselves in hot weather, barrels when you shoot a lot, and suppressors
- Things get COLD: Sometimes you’re shooting cold weather and you would prefer to feel your fingers
- Prevent hand damage: Cuts and scrapes might be meh for most shooters, but they still suck and if you’re out in the field…infections can become killer.
Fit Comparison
The most important thing to me…if you have the best glove out there and it fits like a grocery bag or a kid’s mitten…it’s not going to work out.
Here’s measurements of my hand so you can compare when I go over the sizing. Overall I have skinny wrists, not that much of a palm swell, and long fingers.
Now let’s get to it…
5 Best Shooting Gloves
1. SKD Tactical PIG FDT Alpha Gloves
My current favorite shooting glove…the Alpha version of the PIG FDTs.
The thicker OG version…I think this glove checks all the boxes. Still super dexterous while having some additional protection…all the while fitting like…a glove.
I went with large on this like the Delta version.
I’ve used these gloves the most and they shoot pistols, ARs, reload magazines, and move couches perfectly. A little slower to dry since it’s thicker and has some synthetic suede.
Some stats:
- Touch-screen enabled index/thumb
- Isolated trigger finger material
- Dual-joint trigger finger
You can see a lot of it is giving dexterity for the trigger finger and it shows in those knuckle breaks. It’s almost the same as the Delta but with more warmth and protection. Plus I like having the ability to tighten the wrist strap.
Lastly, it has a nice soft material behind the thumb…again great for your nose or cleaning lenses.
See them in action!
The most expensive on the list but if you shoot a lot or value protection/dexterity…I highly recommend the Alpha gloves.
And keep in mind that shooting gloves are consumables.
They more you use them the quicker they will get chewed up. Here’s an example of a two-old Alpha that saw a good amount of weekends of hard use.
Side-note: I had a defect with my Alphas where the ring finger on one hand was twisted so a seam was on my finger pad. Not a deal breaker but annoying. I emailed SKD and they took care of the problem in less than an hour and two emails.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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What do you think?
2. Mechanix Fastfit Gloves
I’ve had a couple Mechanix original gloves for shop work but the few times I took them to the range I felt their fingers were a little too bulky for some firearm tasks.
Enter…their newish Fastfit Gloves.
I wore mediums and using their sizing chart I re-confirmed I was indeed medium.
Here’s some other useful stats:
- $14
- Synthetic leather and spandex
- Touch-screen enabled
- Fast-drying
- Elastic cuff
For me they didn’t fit quite right because of my palm size. You can see there’s a lot of gap in there.
And the cut between the index finger and thumb is a little restricting for handgun shooting. Rifles are fine.
Also very thin so great for dexterity but not very warm or heat resistant if that’s your thing.
But for around $10 and pretty good durability from what I’ve seen from friends…you can’t go wrong for a first pair of shooting gloves. Especially if you have slightly meatier hands.
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3. Magpul Technical Gloves
One of my go-to recommendations for affordable shooting gloves are Magpul Technical Gloves.
I went with medium and they fit a lot more snugly one me…especially at the cuff. The Mechanix ones were just too loose and flared for my tastes. However…with the smaller cuff you’re going to have a lot harder time taking these off.
Some stats:
- $29
- Synthetic suede palm
- Elastic wrist closure
- Touch-screen enabled
You can see it fits a lot better and the cut of the thumb and index finger is much more conducive for shooting. There’s also extra material on three fingers that enables touch-screen access.
At first I thought it would disrupt precision shooting but it’s at the tip of the finger enough that I had no problems.
Thicker material than the Mechanix and what I think is a good Goldilocks zone of dexterity and protection. Also some terrycloth material on the back of the thumb for sniffles or cleaning optics.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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If you want a little more knuckle protection check out Magpul’s Patrol Glove 2.0s.
4. SKD Tactical PIG FDT Delta Gloves
The FDT stands for full dexterity tactical and they live up to their name. The Delta Glove version is the thinnest version.
If you want full dexterity at the expense of some protection…these are the best on the market.
I’m a large for SKD gloves and I fit very snugly even though I sized up.
No complaints in the finger or palm swell area.
But note that the words “PIG” are rubberized textures that work well but will eventually fall off. However the tips of the gloves are still touch-screen enabled.
*Update* Current versions now have reverse printing on the palms so they will stay on a lot longer.
Some more stats:
- $30
- Single layer palm
- Elastic cuff
- Touch-screen enabled index/thumb
They look great too and you can see how thin they are even in the back. If you need knuckle protection look elsewhere. The design is cool but I have a feeling it’s going to start peeling when I wear it more.
A little more at $30 but currently my favorite when dexterity is the primary focus.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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5. SKD Tactical PIG FDT Charlie Gloves (Women)
The womens’ version of my favorite gloves…SKD’s PIG FDT Charlie.
SKD sent these to me for testing after my original article. My wife has small hands but relatively fat fingers (her words).
Her measurements pointed her towards the Small size but it felt very snug against her fingers. It wasn’t so tight to be constricting but it should loosen as she wears them more.
Same great feel and ability to move her trigger finger. Plus she made sure it still worked on smart phones.
Our current best pick for women’s gloves.
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Honorable Mentions
There’s a lot of tactical shooting gloves out there…and I couldn’t buy & test them all. But here are some of my honorable mentions that I’ve used or know are popular.
- Outdoor Research Ironsight: I’ve worn through these gloves for hiking and they have a bit more protection than the SKD gloves. Also has grip attachments that eventually wear off. Haven’t had the chance to shoot with them but they were great for hiking.
- Magpul Breach Gloves: If you need some knuckle protection…these are the ones to get.
- Outdoor Research Suppressor Gloves: Lastly…if you need some flame resistant gloves.
Conclusion
After a good amount of testing…here are my final recommendations.
For the best overall glove…
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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If you want the glove with the most dexterity:
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
And if you want the most affordable but still very capable:
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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Copied! Visit Merchant
How’d I do…any I miss that I should test out next? Need some Heated Gloves instead? Or how about the Best Electronic Shooting Protection?
47 Leave a Reply
PIG (FDT) Alpha Gloves vs. the FR version? Thanks!
Great article
Great write-up still smiling at it.
How about Viper Tactical, They wear great and fit well. found them on military1st website for $30.00 when I bought mine two years ago. still wearing them today though they are getting close to needing replaced, no holes or un-stitching going on. The Velcro is getting a bit frayed at the wrist cuff but other than that, these are super gloves.
Anyone concerned with the durability of a hardware-type product (including leather gloves) should always check out Project Farm on YouTube. He doesn't test things like dexterity of the glove or evaluate touch screen readiness, but his wear & tear testing is really honest and thorough, far better than a salesman's word or advertising on the packaging. His video on work gloves is really eye-opening!
Hi Eric,
In regards to the gloves which pair did you feel had the best protection as far as thickness. It took one time grabbing a hot barrell reloading my shotgun using the over the shoulder method to warrant needing something. Thank you, Steve
Solar radiation: that is why I tend to buy FDE arms now. Even my few Black pistols have light-colored grips now. They still get heated but not nearly so as Black firearms. Also get Tan or Grey gloves not black.
I come from a background in the trades, and while I was doing sheet metal exclusively I stumbled upon a set of gloves that work great for shooting and sheet metal alike. The brand is MaxiFlex, most of them are cut/abrasive resistant and come with either padding or extra grippy dots on the palms of the glove, they fit pretty tight and are able to stand up to the abuse of work as well as shooting. Price usually runs from $12-18 depending on whether you buy them individually or a few pair at a time. Definitely worth checking out since you haven't mentioned them at all, these are my goto for all kinds of uses, try them out, you won't be disappointed.
Have you try Ironclad tactical gloves? I like them for better hand protection, fit and price. They are also popular among service members.
Anything both tactical and waterproof? I was at a training course and it was in the mid 30s and raining most of the time. We worked a lot from prone and my mechanix were basically instantly soaked and my hands were never really warm, in fact I was better off with them off.
Wait did I move?? Metric where r we?
I have gnome hands for a dude. While Camelbak is known for hydration, they do make tactical gloves: Camelbak Impact CT Tactical Gloves MPCT05, that are STELLAR for $15 on Ebay. I cant say enough about these. I like my gloves skin tight for shooting and mountain biking and these fit the bill perfectly. They're affordable and every bit as good as the Pig Deltas.
I use tactical gloves with fingers 1/2 cut off (they sell them like that). They have the advantage of good grip and you don't attenuate the feel of the trigger.
Where can you purchase gloves like that. How much of the finger tip is cut off
If you want gloves with cut fingers, I would look at cycling gloves, either road or mountain biking. These are thin for handlebar feel but intentionally have no finger tips for brake lever grip. They even have terry cloth on the palm to wipe sweat. These won't be as durable but still functional.
Brenda...
Amazon sells fingerless gloves by Free Soldier that are amazing. Check them out.
✌️
I can't help but notice that most of the gloves have the same exact cuts as batting gloves, only real difference is a lot more FDE coloring
I got a pair of rain duty golf gloves what work well for shooting. Thin enough to have good feel, made for holding golf clubs in the wet weather. No touch pads for smart phone or tablet use though. But the typical velcro closures give a tight secure fit.
Why not any HATCH gloves? they've been doing shooting gloves longer than anyone listed here! Amazon runs $20-40 depending on style
Amazon does have the SKD PIG FDT Alpha Gloves, with one seller gouging from the advertised $42 to his price of $74
is this list also for tactical use?
Any of these made in the USA?
You pay for them but toughglovesultra make the best right fitting Cabretta leather glove out there... seriously if you haven’t heard of them, check them out now!
I know this won't be popular, but I use those cheap black gloves at Harbor Freight. $3.69 a pair the last time I was in there. Snug fit, but very flexible. I use them for work and normally get 6 months out of them or longer.
Cool, thanks for the tip. I was wondering how well those inexpensive Harbor Freight gloves would work.
I've never been able to find a good pair of gloves. I'm 6'5, but slender. I have long fingers too and I can never find the right fit...There are a couple on this list I haven't tried yet, so maybe there is some hope.
Go to Home Depot for gloves. I am 6'7", big hands, long fingers.
Firm Grip, 6-Pairs String-Knit Latex-Coated Gloves, $5.98. Been using these as "shooting gloves" for years to keep my hands clean. Latex gives you a firm grip and the string-knit backside is breathable. Wash by hand in soapy water to remove gun oil, cleaner, and residue, or just throw away if really dirty. I also use these gloves when snorkeling and scuba diving. The orange side is great to signal people.
Air Force flight gloves. They are inexpensive, form fitting, nomex and an infantry standard. No need for a sexy glove, these have been used forever
I enjoy all of your comparisons. Always well written.
Would like to see a comparison of shooting glasses, especially over prescription glasses.
Why not a golf glove?
Less expensive comfortable and have been in the second skin, feely, gripey business for over 100 years.
MADGRIP from lowes or most hardware stores. These things are like having super human spidey grip. 15 bucks. The material is like something out of the future. They have a thin pair and a thick pair. My wife amd I both use these for around the house and at the range. They actually make u stronger in the fact of the non slip grip. Gotta try them. Promise u womt be disappointed
These are almost exactly like the Maxi Flex brand gloves i recommended, love the fit of these types of gloves, and the grip is unmatched!
Very informative post, as always.
However, I've always found ALL these kinds of gloves too bulky. They get in the way of the grip and the trigger-pull both.
I've had a lot of success using simple, cheap glove liners - the kind you buy in sporting goods or outdoor stores. There are trade-offs. For instance they're not as rugged if you're looking for serious hand protection or warmth. Worth considering, though, for most situations.
Under armor tactical blackout gloves are IMO the best. No bulk, conductive, form fitting, thin but warm enough and secure with an adjustable strap.
I love the fact that there is so much protective equipment for shooters to use at a range, etc., BUT...my concern is, if and when a self defense situation arises all of a sudden, people will not have all that protective gear to use before they shoot the bad guy! So, shouldn't we also practice self defense without the protective gear? Because most likely, that is the situation we will be in, God forbid.....
I love PIG Deltas for pistol work. But they do not do much for heat when you are burning it down with your rifle. When I shoot I am constantly transitioning from rifle to pistol so changing gloves is not an option.
Also they only last me about 2 weeks when I'm shooting hard.
My new favorite... Machanix 0.5mm
Great gloves still have great dexterity with a little more heat protection and more durable.
Better read the negative reviews for the PIG gloves on Amazon BEFORE purchasing.
Thanks for the women's gloves recommendation!
Interesting no oakley's on the list
That's what I have and I love mine
Brownell's has their "Magpul" series of gloves on sale! Just checked today 4/16.
Thanks for that! I'll add it to our deals section today!
A plethora of gloves from Golf shops and Motorcycle shops and Baseball Sports also!
I have the PIG Alphas and they are indeed pretty slick. Very comfy - the creases over the knuckles make the gloves are brilliant. I often wear these just to keep my hands warm. Keep in mind they are designed to trade durability for agility, meaning the price you pay for the tactile feel is that they won't last as long, but so far I've definitely got my money's worth.
Have had them for 2 years, not hard use though. They're a little frayed here and there, but still holding up.
Nice, thanks for sharing!
What about PRO AIM gloves? This glove has an insert that helps provides a shock-absorbing cushion for your wrist! Helps protect from Magnum recoil..
Haven't heard of them before!