Huntsmen Blog

Protecting your hands during a hunt is a must! There are many tasks that need to be completed, from loading your weapon to gutting your kill. A good pair of hunting gloves needs to provide you with the warmth your hands require as well as protection from the elements and environment, and still allow you the dexterity you need to complete certain tasks. I’m sure there are probably some of you out there who, like me, might have received some nerve damage to your hands (chemical burns) and the protection of a good glove is imperative! There are several types of gloves available which are constructed of various materials and cater to different needs: warmth, movement, comfort, style. Which glove is right for you?

The full glove is one that covers your entire hand and fingers. This glove provides protection against the environment and elements while still allowing you to preform routine tasks. Some full gloves have a special feature on the finger tips that allow for using your touch screen phone without having to remove your glove. Some full gloves might also have a coating on the palm that aids in gripping. Depending on construction material, this glove can provide moderate warmth for those cool seasons and if the material contains spandex or polyester they might have a slimmer, tighter fit that also allows easy movement. There are some styles that are made for colder weather that are more bulky, making precision tasks difficult, but they provide the warmth you might need in extreme weather.

There is the fingerless glove. This glove provides protection to the palm and back of your hand, but allows your fingers to be free. This type of glove is good when you need to be able to feel what you are doing and tasks require precision and dexterity. Your hands probably won’t stay quite as warm depending on weather conditions, but they work great when exactness is necessary in completing tasks.

Mittens are always an option whevn you need to have your fingers free, a kind of dual purpose glove. Many mittens are designed to provide warmth for your hands between tasks. Then you just fold back the top of the mitten to expose a fingerless glove which continues to provide some level of warmth, while allowing your fingers to be free to preform necessary tasks. When the job is finished, just cover up them fingers again!

Gloves are constructed of various materials from fleece to cotton to polyester. Before purchasing a pair of gloves, think about the weather conditions you will be facing. Are you scouting in the summer, archery hunting in the fall, mountain lion hunting in the bitter winter? Think about the the type of tasks that you will need to perform. Are you preparing for a hunt, scouting and putting up cameras, or are you hunting? If hunting, what weapon are you using: a bow, rifle, black powder? If you make the kill, will you have to field dress the animal? You might require a couple different styles of gloves to meet varied conditions.

I personally use the Kryptek Krypton glove. While they might not be the warmest glove when hunting in extreme cold, they do give my hands the protection and insulation they need without sacrificing maneuverability and the traction required to accomplish every sort of task in the field. My hands remain comfortable and warm. This glove is constructed out of a French terry and spandex material which is absorbent, light-weight, moisture-wicking and very comfortable. Because the glove is fitted, it can be worn under a bulkier glove for added warmth.