Sailing gloves offer protection and cushioning for the fingers, palms and wrists while out on the water. As well as helping to prevent rope burn, they also aid gripping ability which is why you will find most sailors sporting a pair all year round.
With many brands offering a whole variety of styles it can be hard to decipher which pair is going to be best for you. So to help you on your way here is TheMainSail's buyers' guide to sailing gloves.
Sizing
Wearing the right size of glove can be the difference between protecting your hands or actively damaging them. An ill fitting pair will leave you with limited gripping ability and may chafe between the fingers, leaving some with uncomfortable blisters. For those sailing at professional level; this just isn't an option.
The material should fit snugly to the contours of your hand but not too tightly as this can restrict blood flow. The gloves should come right to the base of your fingers and not leave you with too much extra material that could restrict your movements. Measure the width of the palm of your hand, from just above the thumb, to get an idea of what size you might be. Sizes usually correspond to the measurements below:
- XS = 2-7/8"
- Small = 3-1/8"
- Medium = 3-1/2"
- Large = 3-3/4"
- X-Large = 4-1/8"
- XX-Large = 4-1/2"
The best way to find a pair of gloves that suits you is to try them on. Even if you are going to make you purchase over the internet, try and get down to your local nautical clothing store and get the feel for the pair you have seen on the web. Many manufacturers' sizes differ from each other, finger lengths being a prime example, so it's worth trying on a selection of styles to find the most accommodating pair for you.
If you are buying your child a pair of gloves, it is important to consider whether their hands are still growing. Adjustable wrist straps are a common feature on many gloves and allow for a little growth so you won't have to splurge out on a new pair in six months. A few brands offer a 'ladies' range which generally means the fingers are cut slightly shorter and slimmer. Don't worry though if you can't find any female-specific ones as a small pair of men's / unisex will be just as good.
Finger arrangements
Full fingered, short fingered and three fingered gloves
Many styles of glove come in several finger variations; full fingered, short fingered and three fingered being the most common. Your position on the boat will determine which arrangement you need.
The main advantage of having your fingers exposed is that it gives you extra dexterity. Anyone who is going to do a lot of rope work, changing sales and hoisting a spinnaker for example, will find these the best sort of glove for them. Usually referred to as 'Deck Hand' gloves, they leave your fingers free to untie knots and thread halyards through blocks. They are widely used by all the crew in warm weather.
Three fingered glove offer nimbleness, leaving your thumb and forefinger exposed, but also offer enhanced protection and thermal qualities for your other digits. Because of this, three fingered gloves are adopted by those doing rope work in cooler conditions.
Full fingered gloves tend to be a lot warmer and contain more padding. For roles including helming, where you needn't perform any fiddly tasks, these gloves are perfect. This may leave you wanting to tether them so that when you do need to take them off, they are not far away next time you need them. However you will need to make sure there are fixing points on the glove before you do this.
Palm material and reinforcements
A mixture of aramid fabrics along with synthetic suedes and leathers are commonly used in the palms of gloves due to their hard wearing qualities.
- Synthetic suede, such as Amara, is made up of fine fibre bundles stuck together with polyurethane resin. It resembles natural leather, both in feel and appearance, as well as holding the air permeability and durable properties. As it is very light weight, malleable and cheap to make it is often used on basic sailing gloves. However synthetic suede doesn't offer any padding, unless inserts have been sewn in, and is best suited to inshore trips. It is also the most comfortable against the skin.
- Aramid fabric, such as Kevlar, is a synthetic material with a combination of properties allowing for high strength with low weight. It also boasts high chemical resistance, flame retardancy, high cut resistance and is unaffected by immersion in water which makes it ideal for pulling ropes and the like. Aramid fabrics tend to be seen on offshore gloves and usually possess a good life span.
- Leather is the thickest of the three fabrics which means that it generally only appears in panels, not all over the palm and fingers, as it needs to be articulated. It gives the most padding without any inserts being sewn in to the gloves, which can make them more bulky. When used in large quantities it can slightly restrict your finger movement due to rigid formulation and added weight compared to its counter parts. Leather is seen on offshore and ocean gloves in various quantities.
From my experience of gloves, I have found it is best to go for a pair that has a mixture of gripping fabrics on the palm as it means you can harness all their different properties. On many styles you will find that synthetic suede is used as a base fabric with patches of leather and aramid fabric sewn on in the most vulnerable places.
Back material
The back of a sailing glove isn't required to be as hard wearing as the front and so is constructed with different material. Instead it is made of materials to suit the conditions that you are in.
Summer gloves are lighter in weight than winter gloves. Although backless designs are available, only covering your knuckles and a wrist strap, most adopt nylon across the back of the hand. The feather weight synthetic fabric doesn't absorb any water, allowing it to dry very quickly. Although nylon doesn't have very good wicking abilities, you shouldn't be left with perspiration problems as there are fewer sweat glands on the backs of your hand. To get the best fit, try and find a pair that uses stretch material on the back. Spandex is often used for this reason.
Neoprene is used in many 3 season gloves for its added thermal properties. Made from rubber that contains bubbles of nitrogen gas, it works by trapping a layer of air or water to be warmed by body heat. With a very low level of thermal conductivity, nitrogen gas does not allow heat from the body, or a layer trapped next to it, to be lost to the outside. Similarly to wetsuits, some find that neoprene gloves chafe their hands or leave them with a rash. They are not suitable for people suffering with a rubber or latex allergy. Some 4 season gloves use wind jamming backed neoprene which also protects the wearer from wind chill.
There a few Helmsman style gloves available constructed of ripstop nylon or other similar windproof, waterproof material. The gloves tend to be larger and overtrousered, keeping your jacket cuff tucked into the glove, to offer more substantial protection. With fleece lining, the completely waterproof gloves keep your hands warm and dry, but if you do get hit by that freak wave, water can run down your arms inside them and then they take ages to dry. It is worth purchasing a pair with removable liners if possible, as removing these helps reduce the drying time.
More help and advice
Although this article gives a few basic pointers to help you find the perfect pair of gloves, there's loads more advice to be found on TheMainSail.
Don't forget to check out the Gloves and Accessories category page in our Gear Centre. There you will be able to find all our latest glove related articles, including notifications of new ranges and glove reviews. You will also find a selection of reviews written by other members describing their experiences of specific products.
If you have a specific question you need answering, why not try posting it in our Forum. There is a whole wealth of opinions and knowledge in there from members, manufacturers and staff, so you should find what you are looking for.
