How about a glove thread...what are you using for shooting sports, tactical shooting and such and why.  Also pictures would be great.

List brand and type (style) and such so that we can all learn.

Thanks

Used one form of another of these since about 2007.

These but haven't really run them hard yet to see how they hold up.  

Mechanix Wear gloves.  I've had several pairs and been pretty pleased. I've about torn up my current pair in 2 months of use. Prior to Mechanix I wore Hatch Gloves. Got tired of paying 60 bucks for gloves that didn't last that long though.

Mechanix Fast Fit - $15 at LAPG

Pig gloves

Outdoor Research I snagged on clearance

apparently they dont handle cactus needles very well, so be weary.

Mechanix M-Pact. Excellent fit, texture and feel...but like a poster above, I haven't really been hard on them yet.

SKD Alpha

Though I would not buy the "touch" ones again as the fingers without the embedded unicorn hairs work my iPhone just as well as those with.  I have used them for recreational shooting and light construction work where high dexterity was required.  They have, so far, been excellent in both roles and held up well.

Pig Alpha

I just bought the Alpha Touch gloves during SKD's recent Steak and BJ Day sale. I haven't had the chance to try them out yet, but will likely break them in tomorrow while doing yard work. I did test their ability to work on a touch screen and they do work for that.

Why would someone wear gloves to go shooting?

I suppose I should try it before writing it off as silly. Who makes a 4x sized, military-like glove so I can try a pair?

If you're in the Tactical Gear forum, I would assume it's a foregone conclusion you're not just interested in shooting pieces of paper, slowly, on a highly regulated and supervised range. You're probably interested in shooting as it relates to being able to protect yourself and your loved ones in the worst case scenario, whether that be Ferguson-style looting, post-apocalyptic collapse of society, the aftermath of a natural disaster, a Zombie outbreak, or overseas military service.

In situations such as those, you may find yourself having to enter and search buildings, moving debris or rubble, providing medical aid to injured friends or family members, or maybe having to grab a rope to climb it or traverse a gap. Things such as protruding nails, broken glass, bodily fluids, or rope burn, can result in injuries which lessen your chances of protecting yourself or your loved ones. So, wearing gloves is a prudent precaution. And, as the maxim goes, "train as you fight, fight as you train." Wearing gloves while shooting is simply a way of training similar to how you'd want to fight. And, as an added effect, it keeps things like sweat off of your gun's finish and things like lead, mud, etc., off your hands.

I was a laborer in a landfill dealing with all manner of hazards and never wore gloves except to keep warm. I can see why our guys in Iraq always wore em', climbing on metal vehicles baking in the hot sun. That could hurt!

Point me toward a pair of 4x gloves and I will try them, though.  (I have HUGE hands. At another site I once posted a pic of my hand with a .500 S&W cartridge in it and people thought it was a .44 mag round. Yeah, I need big gloves.) I'll wear them at work at my warehouse job just to get a feel for it.

Military used to require gloves when outside the wire overseas. Based on pics I've seen, they still do.

Required for flashbangs too.

I wear them hunting more then shooting unless it's really cold.

I use Tan BlackHawk nomex. Though in thinking about getting some new ones as I just busted holes in the index fingers.

SKD PIG Alpha Touch

Outdoor Research suppressor are the best I have found, although pricy if not on sale.  I believe they are pictured above by Brad.

Setwear Stealth gloves...mostly for range and classes.
I do use some PIG for serious training classes

Why no love for straight basic nomex these days?

Mine lasted for quite a long while. I am curious in a more rugged glove with similar dexterity though.

How are those Alpha's?

PIG alphas here as well. I use Mechanix for around the yard type duty but I really like the pigs for shooting, light work, etc. They really are dexterous,  enough so that I can undo buttons on my uniform, pull cards out of my wallet, etc.

Firm Grip from Home Depot.  Both in ninja black and tactical-ish two-tone.  Although I did recently pick up some Mechanix gloves from LAPG on clearance.

SKD Pigs. Everyone else already posted pics.

As for nomex flight gloves, Outdoor Research Overlords are the updated version. They are flight gloves with added leather in all the right places.

This.

I was a flight glove adherent, sometimes modified, but usually just folded over, for a long time.  

Been using a pair of Overlord Shorts lately, and am very pleased with them.

Tried a lot of different gloves in the past, but always found myself going back to fliers' gloves for a long time until then.

The biggest downside of the Overlord Shorts is their cost at retail, but with some looking, they can be found for significantly less.

~Augee

A word of caution: The leather on the brown and black Firm Grips disintegrated on mine after a slightly damp range session (39*, snow on the ground). I have another pair of the FG's like the top one pictured that have held up fine for cheap gloves.

SKD Alphas.

No complaints so far, but keep an eye out for the thin Mechanix gloves which are basically the same.

Mechanix

Been using the camelbak impacts recently. The regular mechanix gloves are pretty good too.  I also have a set of thin hatch gloves that have really thin leather on the Palm and a mesh like material on the back.  Army combat gloves are ok, but I have 482827453 pairs of them so I use them too.

My favorites are the SWMS (Camelbak) gloves with the 550 cord sewn-in.  Hard-to-find, and when I do... I need to order them.  That raises the price and I have to wait.

I can go directly to any PX, WalMart or Ace Hardware and pick up a pair of Mechanix.  Most of the time in colors that are going to fit my requirements.

They wear hard and there's usually enough on-hand in different sizes where I can directly buy some in my size, color, and in a price that's not going to leave my wallet crying.

Here's some typical wear after about 9 months of shooting 4-5 times a week in sessions that aren't very hard on equipment:

Left hand



Detail of a very common "web" failure on gloves.  It usually happens around month 5 or 6 on Mpacts.



The right hand is pretty much the same:




I had a pair of O-Research Overlords and they were great.  But they were overkill.

My solution was to trade them for a Big-PX trip for Red Man and a pair of OG nomex gloves.


They're just gloves, don't over-think it.

I just ordered up some SKD Alpha Touches.

I have always used Flight Gloves but was interested in something new. My flight gloves have just blown up the index fingers. They've lasted for many a hunt and yard work.

Time to give something else a chance.

This. I loved my tan and black FG gloves until I went to a two week combat course and both thumbs blew out. I'll be getting a pair of PIG gloves in a week or two, probably.

I got my PIG Full Dexterity Tactical Gloves - Alpha Touch from TD on Dec 31, 2014 when they had a sale, and lucky enough, they have it Carbon Gray.

I haven't taken it to the range, due mainly to the below zero temps here in Chicago. As FM161 mentioned, while getting out of the car from parking lot to your building, it holds up a bit, but, just standing around shoveling show, it will not keep your fingers toasty.

So my experience with the FDT is this: I daily carry my TT Modular pack with my Crye JPC, Velocity Ceramic plates IV and III, extra gloves, extra socks, extra longs sleeves, 64oz water, blowout kit with shears....etc....so its past 20 lbs safe to say.  This is the only equipment/gear the FDT has encountered (besides the smartphone, which I'll get to in a minute).

So, while in our locker room I decided to take some pictures (with my Galaxy S2) to show what the Carbon Gray looks next to a Arc'teryx LEAF Alpha LT Jacket in Wolf.
Mind you, this is the sort of lighting the locker room has:

so the lighting is a bit harsh and changes in "tone" depending on the angle

On the stool seat


while wearing, kinda "selfie" angle


now looking down using the proper camera of the Galaxy S2


Now, when I first received it, I notice the QC from factory is a bit...lacking.

the glue is a bit rough...I can live with that.  There's two luckily of those pig if one is to question what kind of glove it is.

Now from Dec 31 up to today, I notice some fray has already occurred from carrying my pack daily. (Give or take 4-5 days off from the Holidays)


Now, I take there is about $6 difference between the Alpha and the Alpha Touch...given that knowing the said product will face rough treatment, I expected the threads to hold up more than 2 weeks.

Experience with the Galaxy S2:
As I said, I tried the FDT while shoveling snow. It takes me nearly 1.5 hours to shovel my snow both with regular shovel and snow blower. So I once in a while had to fiddle with the selection of music I listen to.  In the cold, the response is quick and nimble. No fudging the controls of the smartphone, the knobs on the snow blower, and the shovel.  It feels responsive, it reminds me of my Giro DND gloves with I do use for shooting.  It's tactile, and almost surgical.
The extra padding at the fatty lateral part of your palm is a nice welcome.  The fleece for snot-control is a nice touch in the cold....etc, everyone knows this part.

So, my only gripe is the Touch thread could really, really, really use some reinforcement. I'm tempted to add a bit of glue to hold it down, but may loose the Touch feature. If you want a nice gift to yourself, I have to recommend getting the regular Alpha FDT at this time.

I'll try to get better pictures with better lighting next time.

UPDATE: glove has been holding up.  I did a sticky-Sprite (reducing Sprite till it becomes pasty) on the loose thread and it's holding.

Outdoor Research Ironsights. Comfy, super grippy, dextrous and tough. Been using the same pair for about 2 years now and they're still in excellent shape. When FR capabilities aren't needed, they're going to be my primary glove in the desert.

http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/mens/gloves/ironsight-gloves-old-498.html

Gloves are for Operators. I am not tactical enough to wear them while I shoot bulls eye with my led sled.

I got these from a local Tractor Supply store. They help when I run my equipment and handle hot mufflers.


I think I have a few month of some good use on these.

Outdoor Research Ironsight gloves.  Pretty comfortable, durable and provides decent grip.  

OR Ironsights.

The Best so far!

I've been through  Mechanix,Oakleys, Burtons, TNF, etc. and over a dozen pairs of Nomex flight gloves
(I'm a range master so I shoot, drill and clear shooter malfunctions all day at work).

These provide the best compromise in durability and dexterity.

Mine lasted over 2 years as well, then developed some holes alongside the gloves-NOT on the finger tips
where all other gloves tend to fail.

OR has a bomb proof lifetime warranty. I sent my old ones in and within 2 weeks I had a brand new pair!

I have several pairs of Pig, Blackhawk, and Mechanix gloves.  They are all nice, but the Mechanix really fit my hands the best.  I also have great dexterity with them - much better than with the others.

Anytime any of the younger troops in my unit ask me for glove recommendations I direct them towards the Ironsights.

I was using mechanix but I melted my left one a few days ago on my suppressor.  The melted glove didn't stick to my hand and I didn't get burnt which was super fortunate but am now in the market for some more

I've been using the Hatch Operator series for years, really like them.

Ive used blacked out Mechanix regular model for work and shooting now for years.  I beat the hell out of them and they keep on rolling.  Cheap, easily replaced, work well.  I bought an pair of the multicam not too long ago and they seem even better built than the regulars.  Maybe its just me though.

Same.

Outdoor Research Ironsights
http://www.skdtac.com/Outdoor-Research-Ironsight-Gloves-p/orx.111.htm

Nice snug fit, really gripy, tough, and GREAT dexterity in the fingers. Really a hidden gem in the world of tactical gloves.

I have a pair of the PIG Alpha Touch gloves that I love for purely shooting, and keep in the bag that I always have at work.  I have a pair of camelbak Impacts that I like if I am doing low dexterity labor (raking leaves, moving sharp things, filling sandbags), but they are currently MIA....

Old faithful for those times when I just need gloves are the basic nomex flyers, folded over.  I still have a bunch of brand new pairs, and I can get a little more than a month of every-day hard use, unless I do something stupid like grab something excessively hot with them and melt the leather, get a bunch of blood on them, or whatever other assorted nastiness.... Not much cause for that in my current enivornment, and I think that in the much lighter use that I'm putting on them these days I've only worn out 1 pair since 2012.  Once I run out, I probably will look for a better option, but in the mean time I can't figure out why I would.

Timely topic, Mechanix is having a site wide 20% off sale with free ground shipping and they just came out with the original in full coyote, plus redesigned the thumb & index finger tips on the M-pact.

http://www.mechanix.com/tactical

those posted before are the original pictures as received.
these pictures (taken in the same lighting condition) are after some Sprite and use of lighter:


maybe a little more sticky Sprite and lighter