6 of the Best Shooting Gloves

Shooting gloves are not a must have item for all types of shooting, unlike hearing protection, or shooting glasses are.  However, there are some situations in which they can improve your grip and shooting or just make the situation more enjoyable (by not getting your hands cut nor burned). Because there are different types of gloves for different purposes, when listing the best shooting gloves, it’s important to break them down into categories – otherwise you’re comparing apples and oranges.  Therefore, for this particular article, we’ve decided to break them down into the following categories:

• Best Tactical Gloves
• Best Gloves for Dexterity
• Best Abrasion-Resistant Gloves
• Best Basic All-Around Gloves

You could probably argue that there are even more types of gloves out there, but we felt that these four would suffice to represent the shooting gloves market, without getting all convoluted and such.

How I Chose the Best Shooting Gloves

As a former Navy officer with over a decade of shooting experience, I have been testing gloves for various purposes my entire life. Having written several shooting gear reviews, I understand that most people probably have experience with testing gloves as well. While tactical gloves share things in common with your typical work gloves, often they have slightly different demands. When it comes to shooting specific gloves, I have been trying out many different options that I could get my hands on, pun intended, ever since I got into shooting and testing firearms.

So over the years while shooting rifles, handguns, and shotguns through warm and sunny days, or cold and wet days, I have compiled my favorites. This is list should help you learn from my experience and help you find the best pair of shooting gloves for participating in your favorite shooting sports.

Gun University’s Picks for the Best Shooting Gloves

Best Shooting Gloves

1. Oakley Factory Pilot Gloves		Editor’s Choice for Best Tactical Most comfortable Kevlar knuckles Least likely to get worn out	Check Amazon
2. Magpul Technical Gloves		Editor’s Choice for tactile-feel Form-fitting Thin but strong material on hand Nicely priced	Check Amazon
3. PIG Full Dexterity Tactical Gloves		Special Operations Proven Barehand Shooting Feel Operate your touch screen	Check Amazon
4. Mechanix Wear FastFit Tactical		Form-fitting TrekDry material. Elastic cuff provides a secure fit. Two-piece palm eliminates material bunching.	Check Amazon
5. 5.11 High Abrasion TAC Gloves		Extremely durable Well priced Great Heavy Duty Shooting Gloves	Check Amazon
6. Blackhawk A.V.I.A.T.O.R. Gloves		Fire Resistant Won’t melt US Military Specs No frills yet proven design	Check Amazon

Spec Comparison of the Best Shooting Gloves

Here is a table breaking down some of the specs of each shooting glove:

Best Shooting Gloves by Type

• Oakley Factory Pilot Gloves – Best Tactical Gloves
• Magpul Technical Gloves – Best Pistol Shooting Gloves
• PIG Full Dexterity Tactical Gloves – Best Overall Shooting Gloves
• Mechanix Wear FastFit Tactical Gloves – Most Durable For the Price
• 5.11 High Abrasion TAC Gloves – Best Abrasion-Resistant
• Blackhawk A.V.I.A.T.O.R. Gloves – Best Aviator Gloves

Reviews of the Best Individual Shooting Gloves

Below is an indepth look at the individual shooting gloves and their respective grades for making our best shooting gloves list. 

Oakley Factory Pilot Glove Review: Best Combat Gloves

For heavy-duty shooting gloves, the Oakley Pilot Gloves are my personal favorites and the ones I use. The goatskin material is tough and durable without sacrificing too much dexterity. Other shooters and I have found that they last long enough to justify the price tag.

These gloves use legitimate carbon fiber with great padding underneath. Many cheaper knuckle protection combat gloves use fake “carbon fiber” to reduce costs, but not these.

Another thing I love about these gloves is their perfect breathability balance. They are thick enough for winter or cold activities but offer enough breathability to keep me comfortable during a Tennessee summer.

What I Don’t Like About Them: There are a couple of things I don’t like about them. First is the double seam in the fingertips, which I don’t think was necessary and causes me to lose sensitivity. A single seam would have sufficed, though I understand it might reduce durability slightly.

These gloves lack touchscreen capability, but I’m fine with that since I don’t like using my phone with thick gloves anyway. Click to read the complete review on the Oakley Factory Pilot glove.

However, if you want a cheaper option of tactical or heavy duty gloves, then you might want to check out Freetoo Tactical Gloves. I cover them more later.

Oakley Factory Pilot Pros and Cons

Magpul Technical Gloves Review: Best Pistol Gloves

The best way to describe these gloves is that they truly feel like a second skin: form-fitting and very comfortable. I haven’t lost any sensitivity while using them, and there’s no extra padding or buffer – they’re lightweight and technical. After 4 months of heavy use, including with my AK-47, they’re still holding up well. While they may not last as long as Oakleys, I’m okay with that trade-off for their thinness and sensitivity. They also have touchscreen capability, which is important for a lightweight glove like this.

What I Don’t Like About These: While I think these MagPul gloves are very durable for their class, I’m not a fan of the lack of extra material in the thumb to finger part of the glove like some of their class have. That area gets the most wear and tear for shooting, and I’d have preferred MagPul to have some extra material in that area. This would probably increase durability, and not cause a loss of grip or sensitivity.

But as you can see, after trying out many, these are the ones I kept for myself and thoroughly enjoy. Jump over to a full review of the Magpul Technical gloves.

Magpul Technical Gloves Pros and Cons

PIG Full Dexterity Review: Best Overall Shooting Gloves

The PIG Full Dexterity Delta Utility Gloves are some of the best overall gloves I have ever used. They are very thin and allow for full dexterity making them okay to use with a pistol, yet they keep my hands warm during the winter, and have enough protection and padding to go well enough with my AR15 or my AK47.

The only downside is that the seems at the bottom of the gloves where the elastic wrist cuff is have separated over time, but overall durability is good. If you wear gloves daily like I do, you will probably wear through a pair every 6-8 months.

Normally that would be a problem accept that these are pretty cheap compared to the others so it’s not that big of a deal to have to replace them.

Overall, I would highly recommend these gloves to anyone looking for overall pair of shooting gloves and what to use them in multiple situations. Learn more about these gloves in our review of the PIG FDT gloves here.

PIG FDT Glove Pros and Cons

Mechanix Wear Tactical Review

If you’re looking for a great pair of tactical gloves, look no further than Mechanix Wear’s MultiCam FastFit gloves. These gloves are designed to provide the dexterity you need to get the job done, while also providing protection from cuts and scrapes.

The MultiCam FastFits are perfect for any activity where you need extra hand protection. The palm is coated with Mechanix Wear’s exclusive TrekDry material, which wicks away moisture and keeps your hands cool and dry. Best of all, the MultiCam FastFits are available in a variety of sizes, so you can find the perfect fit for your hands. If you’re looking for a great pair of tactical gloves, the Mechanix Wear MultiCam FastFit gloves are the perfect choice.

If you are interested in our full review of the Mechanix Wear Tactical gloves, click here.

5.11 High Abrasion TAC Gloves Review

These make the list because they’re solid, heavy-duty workman’s gloves and offer great value for the price. While they’re not as technical or high-quality as Oakleys, they still deliver in key areas and have padding in the knuckles and thumb-to-finger area. The material on the top allows for venting, which helps control sweat, a plus for shooting in hot climates. Overall, they’re decent gloves, but not particularly special beyond being durable and functional. Personally, I’d prefer to pay extra for higher quality.

What I Don’t Like About Them: However, while these are durable, the type of material causes the reduction sensitivity and feel of the gun and make it a bit harder to shoot with. The moment I have to shift my hands around to grab a mag, or to switch something on my rifle, these start to lose a grade with me. They are very dextrous, however, I’m just not fully a fan of the synthetic material they used over the fingertips.

But, overall, these gloves are thick, strong and well made, and well priced to boot. Read the 5.11 High Abrasion TAC gloves comprehensive review.

5.11 High Abrasion TAC Gloves Pros and Cons

Blackhawk A.V.I.A.T.O.R. Gloves Review: Best Pilot Gloves

I’ll admit, the old school aviator gloves are not my kind of shooting gloves. However, talking with Ryan Cleckner, another editor of Gun University, pilot gloves are his glove of choice….leave it to Rangers.

He prefers them for their military training association, though he acknowledges they might not be the best for everyday shooters. These gloves, made of flame-resistant nomex material, are thick and suitable for most seasons, but lack breathability. While they can handle hot muzzles, they’re not ideal for those with sweaty hands.

What I Don’t Like About These: When it comes to pricing, these can be a bit much. There are some cheaper nomex aviator gloves out there like these military uniform supply ones. However, you’ll find when comparing those to the Blackhawk, the Blackhawk’s quality is above and beyond.

So, if you’re looking for a legit, high quality nomex pilot gloves, these get our vote. Jump over to our Blackhawk AVIATOR glove review.

Blackhawk A.V.I.A.T.O.R. Gloves Pros and Cons

Gloves That Didn’t Make the Cut

There are a lot of gloves that were tried that didn’t make the cut. Some of them are really popular with other shooters. However, for the reasons listed below, each one had something about them that caused them to be beat out by our list above:

Outdoor Research Iron Sight Gloves

Great rugged durability. However, didn’t like the rubber grip pads on them. Furthermore, based on the price, I do not think they provide a good value considering it lacks many other features that gloves in its price have. I also don’t like their extremely long cuff band – would interfere with my coat cuff, but I’ve heard the new version did correct this issue.

Check Amazon Price

Also, some of the gloves we were considering were the caldwell ultimate shooting glove and Mechanix wear m pact. Also, if you were wondering, no we don’t intend to list any gloves with kevlar lining for obvious reasons, but we felt we needed to state that here.

Best Shooting Gloves – Buyer’s Guide

When it comes to buying shooting gloves, there are some things you should consider. This can be attributes to the gloves, or their purpose. So, if you’d like to learn more about what would make the best shooting glove for your purpose, then check out our buyers guide below.

What are Shooting Gloves for?

Before buying shooting gloves, it’s best to understand what you’ll be using them for and in what climate or setting. For example, you’ll want different glove thicknesses depending on whether it’s hot or cold. Whether you’re using an AK47 or a pistol also matters, as does whether the gloves are for hunting or covert operations. Consider these factors and choose wisely.

Cold Weather Shooting: If you’ll be shooting in the cold, it will be important to use padded or thick gloves. Slim pistol shooting gloves will not suffice in the cold weather.

Hot Weather Shooting: In hot weather, choose thin gloves or those that allow your hands to air out. While some shooters use fingerless gloves, I prefer full coverage for better trigger control.

Preventing Burns: All guns heat up with use, especially when shooting a lot or quickly, and even more so with a silencer or suppressor. In such situations, gloves that prevent burns are essential. In these situations, it’s important to consider gloves that prevent burns.

Preventing Cuts: When shooting long guns in tactical situations, cuts and scrapes are common. Manipulating the firearm, magazine changes, and guns with particularly sharp edges, like AK-47s, can cause scrapes. Abrasion-resistant gloves are great for preventing these injuries.

Minimizing Felt Recoil: Gloves with extra padding can help minimize felt recoil. They won’t eliminate it completely, but after 200+ rounds, that extra padding makes a big difference.

What Type of Glove Features Are Best for You?

Now that you’ve seen the different situations in which shooting gloves can or should be used, lets look at some of the common features that many gloves come with. Armed with the above, you can start to figure out which features meet your need. After all, a set of covert gloves can’t have both knuckle protection but be thin.

Fire Resistant Gloves: These gloves are tough against extreme heat, perfect for military or tactical use with hot gun barrels or suppressors. They’re typically made of Nomex or Kevlar.

Cut Resistant Gloves: Designed to protect against sharp encounters, these gloves, made of Kevlar or Dyneema, are handy for hunters navigating through sharp vegetation. They’ll protect your hands and not cut open if they get snagged.

Cold Weather Shooting Glove: Thick cold weather gloves can make it hard to move your hands and fingers, affecting your ability to handle a firearm. But freezing solid isn’t an option either. Luckily, glove technology has advanced, offering thinner options made from materials like polyester, spandex, and neoprene.

Hard Knuckle Tactical Gloves: If you need serious knuckle protection, hard-knuckle tactical gloves are the way to go. They’re ideal for law enforcement, tactical situations, or shooting in rocky terrain. Made from different materials, the knuckles are typically made of Kevlar or polycarbonate.

Soft Knuckle Tactical: These soft knuckle protectors offer back-of-hand defense while allowing more hand movement. They’re perfect for those who want protection without sacrificing flexibility, typically made of rubber or foam.

Draw Tabs: You should be able to easily put on and take off your gloves, but it can be tricky with thicker ones. Look for gloves with draw tabs or loops to solve this. Loop tabs are handy for attaching gloves to gear with a small carabiner.

Adjustable Wrists and Top Closing Gloves: Not everyone’s wrist size is the same, but custom-designed gloves can be pricey. Opting for gloves with adjustable wrist straps or drawstrings can maximize comfort. While a snug fit at the wrist is essential, gloves with wrist adjustments may take longer to put on and take off.

Touchscreen Capable: In today’s world, touchscreens are everywhere, from phones to tablets. Usually, operating them with gloves is tricky. But some gloves have special fingertips that work with touchscreens, letting you use them while shooting. This means you can track shooting data with tools like MantisX without taking off your gloves.

Stitching Considerations: Check the stitching pattern for durability, especially for leather or suede gloves. Double stitching is best for heavier materials, and make sure it doesn’t interfere with trigger control, especially for the index finger.

What Glove Material Is Best for You?

When it comes to shooting gloves, there are two different categories of materials: synthetic and natural materials. And each of these styles have their own advantages.

Advantages and Comparison of Natural Materials

• Often made to a higher standard of quality
• Can be more dexterous while offering protection as a thinner glove
• They often last longer .
• Many times they feel nicer to the touch

Examples of Natural Material: Leather, Suede, Goatskin

WWhen it comes to natural materials, there are notable differences. Goatskin is soft and lightweight, perfect for excellent finger dexterity. Cow leather is rugged and durable, ideal for heavy-duty use. Treated suede adds extra insulation for colder weather.

Advantages and Comparison of Synthetic Materials

• Often less expensive
• Normally they’re lighter-weight
• Can get advantages of high performance fabrics like quick drying or flame resistance
• Can provide warmth even when wet (polyfill insulation vs down)

Examples of Synthetic Material: Nomex, Nylon, Poly Blends, Synthetic Leather

Synthetic materials bring some unique advantages to the table in high-performance fabrics. For instance, Kevlar is widely used in shooting gloves for hard-knuckle protection and cut resistance. Meanwhile, Nomex is excellent for gloves that need heat and flame resistance.

How to Determine What Size Glove to Get

The best way to determine what size glove you need is to try them on. However, you may not always be in the position to do so such as when ordering online. But that’s no problem as long as you know how to measure your hand for a proper fit.

When measuring your hands for gloves, you always want to measure your dominant hand. Your dominant hand is almost always marginally larger than the other. And by measuring the larger hand, you’ll ensure that your gloves aren’t too small.

In order to measure your hand, follow the below steps. This will make sure you get the best size shooting gloves for your hand.

Conclusion

We live in a world full of great shooting gloves, giving everyone plenty of options. This guide aims to help you find the perfect pair for your needs.

Remember, the best shooting gloves aren’t always the most expensive or popular—they’re the ones that suit you best. Whether you’re a shooting fan, in the military, or just need reliable gloves for protection and performance, there’s a pair out there for you.

Take your time, think about your choices, and choose wisely. A good pair of shooting gloves is a smart buy and, with proper care, can last for many years.

Best Shooting Gloves – FAQs

How do I choose the right size of shooting gloves?

To choose the right size of shooting gloves, measure your dominant hand and refer to the manufacturer’s sizing chart. It’s essential to ensure a proper fit to maximize comfort and performance.

Are synthetic or natural materials better for shooting gloves?

Both synthetic and natural materials have their advantages. Natural materials like leather offer durability and dexterity, while synthetic materials like Nomex provide heat and flame resistance. The choice depends on your preferences and intended use.

Can shooting gloves be used with touchscreens?

Yes, some shooting gloves come with special fingertips that allow you to operate touchscreens without removing the gloves. This feature can be handy for tracking shooting data or using smartphone apps while shooting.

Is Patrol gloves and Military gloves the same?

No, patrol gloves and military gloves are not necessarily the same. While both may be designed for tactical use, patrol gloves are often lighter and more versatile, suitable for law enforcement officers on patrol duty. Military gloves may be more specialized and designed to meet specific military requirements.