Whether you’re a hobby gardener or working in professional landscaping, the right pair of gloves is essential for keeping your hands protected from prickles, thorns, compost mix and chemical you may be using. They also help to keep your hands clean, dry and warm if working in winter conditions.
There are so many options for gardening gloves these days, its hard to know which one is best, but if you know what conditions you’ll be working in and any specific requirements such as chemical protection or extra grip, you’ll be able to narrow it down a bit!
The Right Fit
One of the more important things when buying gloves is making sure they fit correctly. Gloves that are too big are going to move around on your hands, will make it difficult to grab smaller items, may slip off while you’re working and might allow dirt and bits to fall inside. Gloves that are too small are going to be uncomfortable and maybe painful to wear and can damage your nails. There should be some space between the end of your finger tips and the end of the glove, with a snug wrist to keep the dirt out and keep the glove on your hand. It’s also best to go for a glove designed for men or women, rather than a unisex glove as these will not fit as well.
What are you using the gloves for?
Do you need extra protection against prickles, thorns and splinters? Leather gloves are a great option with high abrasion resistance and good grip! The Ultra Leather Pruner glove is an essential gardening item for pruning roses, or dealing with overgrown weeds and thistles. The longer suede sleeve protects your forearms while the leather palm offers good grip and abrasion resistance.
Are you working with chemicals and sprays? You need good chemical and liquid-resistant gloves! The Showa 600 PVC glove is flexible and soft with a cotton liner, yet strong and durable with a double PVC all over dip providing good resistance to oils and mild chemicals.
Gardening in winter or working in a chiller? Thermal gloves are essential, such as the Showa 454 Thermo Grip glove, with a polyester acrylic knitted liner and a latex palm coating for good grip. The bright orange colour also allows for better visibility in darker conditions or when working at night.
Do you need superior grip for working in wet conditions? The Showa 305 Grip Extra glove provides a high cut resistance with a durable rubber palm coating. A seamless cotton polyester lining ensures comfort and flexibility.
Cuff Style
Cuff or wrist style also matters. Gloves with a wider, looser opening such as the Ultra Leather Pruner gloves, are not as suitable for digging in the dirt. You need a snug fitting closed cuff, such as a stretchy knit wrist or something with a velcro strap to tighten them.
The Showa 370s are one of our most popular gardening gloves, with a snug fitting knit liner that feels like a second skin and a tough nitrile palm coating, these are an excellent general purpose gardening glove.
The Premium Soft Touch Leather glove is another excellent multi-purpose option, with an adjustable velcro strap closure at the wrist and a soft leather palm for good grip and abrasion resistance.
Price and Quality
If you’re simply doing the odd light gardening job at home, you’re probably not going to buy very expensive high quality gloves. A cheaper general purpose option will do the trick. But if you’ve got hours of work, doing larger landscaping jobs or handling rough items such as wood, digging or planting big trees, or working with chemicals or in wet and cold weather, you need the best gloves you can afford.
Blisters and callouses, cuts and scrapes or broken finger nails are not only painful but can get infected especially if you’re working with compost or potting mix that can contain harmful bacteria. Getting a bad cut on your finger or a rose thorn stuck in your palm will also impact your productivity in the garden – not so great if you’re gardening in a professional capacity and still need to get the job done!
Top Tip – TRY THEM ON!
Go to the shop, try on a few pairs, read the labels or ask the staff for assistance. Don’t buy unisex or one size fits all as these can end up costing you more money when you realise you need a better pair or if you injure yourself. Trying on a few pairs will give you an idea of size, fit and comfort and help you find the right glove for you.
Buying a gift?
Gardening gloves make great Christmas presents, for kids and adults! They’re great to combine with a new pot-plant or a veggie garden starter kit to teach the kids to grow their own. Use the checklist above to choose a pair for your friend or family member, but just make sure you ask for an exchange card in case they’re the wrong size!