Having a good pair of tactical gloves is vital on the range, hunting, or training. Gloves improve your grip and protect your hands when handling firearms, but finding a good pair is not so easy. Like other equipment, different gloves serve different purposes. Some are great at repelling water; some at provide padding for your knuckles, and others are skin-tight to give you maximum control.
A lot of people don’t give a lot of thought when it comes to purchasing gloves. But they are not all equal and it’s important to find a pair you like. I’ve been a firearms instructor for more than a decade, so I’ve had a lot of time for trial and error. Maybe you can benefit from my errors and find a great pair of tactical gloves the first go-round. Here are some of my favorites.
Magpul Patrol Glove 2.0
One of the best pair of tactical/shooting gloves I’ve worn is Magpul’s Patrol Glove 2.0. They are durable and comfortable, which is the goal, right? This pair has touch-screen capabilities on the thumbs and a goat-skin palm for durability. A little extra padding covers the knuckles without making them bulky. Another thing I like is that the wrist has built-in elastic so there is not wrist-strap to mess with when putting them on. You just pull them on and that’s it. The back of the glove is made of corded nylon for additional protection.
Of all the tactical gloves I’ve worn over the years, Magpul Patrol Glove 2.0 has proven to be the best of the best. But you also get what you pay for. The Patrol Glove 2.0 retails for around $49.95. Sometimes you can find them on sale, but quality gloves don’t come cheap. You can choose between black, brown, and XS through 2XL for size. These are great for anyone who wants a thin, lightweight pair of tactical gloves, Magpul is the way to go.
Viktos Operatus Tactical Gloves
The next pair on my list is the Viktos Operatus tactical gloves. This pair is a little cheaper but still quite durable. If you want something that looks cool, Viktos offers a wide range of colors and designs. I have used the Operatus pair on a regular basis, but I’ve been eying some of their other pairs. One thing I like about the Operatus gloves is how snugly they fit on your hands.
This pair was developed and designed by US Veterans, so they knew what matters in tactical gloves. Touch screen index finger and thumb lets you access your phone without removing the gloves. Viktos also uses goatskin on the thumb valley for durability. Viktos doesn’t just stop at gloves. They make coats, backpacks, shoes, and other apparel. If you haven’t used any Viktos products, I would recommend checking them out.
First Tactical Lightweight Patrol Glove
This is one of my favorite pairs when I plan to have gloves on for an extended time. First Tactical used goatskin leather on the palm making it washable. You can wash them with your other clothes and air dry them to keep the leather from shrinking. Once they dry, they are ready to go again. Besides being a lightweight pair of gloves, they are also among the best “stretch-fitting” gloves I’ve worn. They used a stretch woven material, so the glove fits snug around your hand and fingers.
This pair of gloves has a seamless wrap-around finger construction to make sure there is no extra material at the end of your fingers. Many other types of gloves have material that sticks out at the corner of the fingers. This makes it hard to do detailed tasks while wearing them. I can easily perform mag changes and operate the controls on any firearm when wearing this pair. If you don’t believe me, just check out their customer reviews. They have some of the best reviews for tactical gloves out there.
Need a pair of tactical gloves?
There are other great quality tactical gloves out there, but these are some of my favorites. I have worn and continue to wear them on duty and while training on the range. I keep a pair of tactical gloves in my work car, personal car, range bag, backpack, and just about anywhere else I would need them. If you like to visit the shooting range, hunt, or just have some gear ready for the unknown, add a pair of tactical gloves.