I Tested 7 Gloves for Woodworking: Here are the Best (2024)

Woodworking gloves are an essential on my list of woodworking safety gear.

After all, nobody wants an emergency hospital trip in the middle of a fun project!

But since there are so many kinds of woodworking gloves on the market today, I felt inspired to make a list of best gloves for woodworking so you can find the perfect pair for your next project. Let’s begin!

In a hurry? The Youngstown Performance Work Gloves are the best of the best when it comes to woodworking gloves, as they’re durable, comfortable gloves that’ll help you grip rough materials and heavy tools with confidence!

Best Woodworking Gloves

• #1 Best Overall – Youngstown Performance Work Gloves
• Best Heavy-Duty Gloves for Woodworking – Mechanix M-Pact Framer Gloves
• Best Value – Custom Leathercraft Handyman Flex Grip Work Gloves
• Best Rubber Gloves – SHOWA Atlas 300 General Purpose Work Gloves
• Best Fingerless Gloves – Youngstown Glove Carpenter Plus Fingerless Work Gloves
• Best Light-Duty Work Gloves – KAYGO Work Gloves
• Best for General Use – Ironclad General Utility Work Gloves

1. Youngstown Performance Work Gloves – #1 Best Overall

Youngstown Gloves is known for their high-quality products, and the Youngstown Performance Work Gloves are no exception, as they deliver fantastic protection, grip, comfort, and so much more for a price that can’t be beat.

Made of goat grain leather, these gloves are designed to be long-lasting and form-fitting, and I love how the inner part of the glove essentially acts as a second skin when you put it on.

There’s also more padding around the palm, fingers, thumb, and saddle to keep the gloves in good shape for longer, and this extra padding also helps with gripping.

And when I say these gloves are durable, I mean it—you don’t have to worry about them dripping, melting, or igniting around flames or sparks. Talk about reliability!

In fact, they have an ARC rating of 23 cal/cm². However, they’re not shock-proof, so don’t go grabbing a live wire with these.

Finally, these gloves for woodworking come with a size satisfaction guarantee. So if you get a pair and they don’t fit, simply send them back to get the right pair or a refund.

Here are the sizes these gloves come in:

• XX-SMALL / 5
• X-SMALL / 6
• SMALL / 7
• MEDIUM / 8
• LARGE / 9
• X-LARGE / 10
• 2X-LARGE / 11
• 3X-LARGE / 12

What I Liked:

• Additional padding at the main contact points ensures these gloves don’t wear down quickly.
• Eight different sizes available, so there’s a glove for virtually every hand size.
• The inner layer molds to your skin, helping you grip workpieces and tools better.
• Since they’re long-lasting and affordably priced, they’re a cost-effective purchase.

What I Didn’t Like:

• Not the best as far as breathability goes.
• You’ll need something to tie them at the wrists to get a full seal.

2. Mechanix M-Pact Framer Gloves – Best Heavy Duty Gloves for Woodworking

If you’re going to be doing a lot of heavy-duty woodworking, it only makes sense that you get the best heavy-duty woodworking gloves, and that’s exactly what the Mechanix M-Pact Framer Gloves are.

Made of Durahide leather and thermoplastic rubber (TPR), these gloves are designed to protect the back of your hand from impact damage—like if you happen to miss with your hammer.

But since the thumb, index finger, and middle finger are all free, these gloves aren’t just durable but flexible too, which I love!

They also have just the right amount of padding around the palm, so they absorb vibrations better than other carpentry gloves.

Additionally, there’s a hook and loop for sealing these gloves at the wrist, and it’s easy to use once you get the hang of it.

And unlike with other gloves, your hands will stay cool and dry while they’re on, even if you’re doing some heavy-duty carpentry work.

Worried about getting them dirty? No problem! They’re machine washable, and they air-dry in no time.

Finally, they come with a 90-day warranty that covers any defects related to materials or workmanship, and the following sizes are available:

• Small
• Medium
• Large
• X Large
• XX Large

What I Liked:

• They’re made with high-quality materials, so they’ll last a long time if you keep them in good condition.
• The inner liner will keep your hand cool while you’re working, so you won’t have to stop to cool down.
• You have much more control, but still plenty of protection, because three fingers are free.
• You don’t have to worry about dust or dirt getting in because they tie tightly at the wrist.

What I Didn’t Like:

• The gloves will smell like an old cast if you don’t wash them frequently.
• They run smaller, so your normal size may be too tight.

3. Custom Leathercraft Handyman Flex Grip Work Gloves – Best Value

The good news is you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg on a pair of gloves for woodworking, especially if you go with the well-designed and extremely affordable Custom Leathercraft Handyman Flex Grip Work Gloves.

These form-fitting black-gray gloves have a Syntrex microfiber palm so you can get an excellent grip on anything you grab.

And the back features spandex padding, most notably at the knuckles and thumb, while the side panels are made of Lyrca. Now that’s one fantastic combination of materials.

Shrink-resistant leather is utilized also, and there’s a Stretch-Fit thumb feature to ensure maximum dexterity.

And if using a phone or tablet is part of your woodworking process, these gloves will serve you well, as the three main fingers can activate a touchscreen.

Finally, there’s a 1-1/2” woven elastic cuff, that’s closed with a hook and loop, for ensuring a tight yet comfortable fit.

What I Liked:

• These gloves offer more flexibility since most of the materials used are synthetic.
• The material around the thumb is extra stretchy, allowing for more dexterity.
• You can use tech when these gloves are on, as three fingers are touchscreen-enabled.
• Since the stitching is on the inside of the glove, you don’t have to worry about it getting caught.

What I Didn’t Like:

• Finger seams unravel relatively quickly.
• Not waterproof.

4. SHOWA Atlas 300 General Purpose Work Glove – Best Rubber Gloves

While rubber gloves aren’t the most common woodworking gloves, they do have their advantages, especially when we’re talking about the lightweight and ergonomic SHOWA Atlas 300 General Purpose Work Gloves.

These blue rubber gloves are great for when you’re working with objects wet and dry, and I love how they contort to your skin for maximum comfort.

Plus, there are no seams, and the liner is made of soft, 10-gauge cotton. Brilliant!

Also, you won’t have to deal with seams with these on, and the back lets your hand breathe.

And since the palms and fingers are coated and somewhat rough, they offer superior gripping power.

For sizes, they come in small through XXL.

What I Liked:

• The inner sections are rough so gripping wet and slippery objects is easy.
• They’ll contort to your hand’s shape so you’ll always be comfortable in them.
• The whole back is mesh fabric, so your hands won’t get sweaty.
• The palm and fingers are coated to ensure their gripping ability is always first-rate.

What I Didn’t Like:

• The wrist section is prone to letting in fine particles, i.e. dust and dirt.
• No impact protection on the back.

5. Youngstown Glove Carpenter Plus Fingerless Work Gloves – Best Fingerless Gloves

Hopefully, by now I’ve made it clear that fingerless gloves have a lot to offer in terms of dexterity and flexibility, but no pair demonstrates this better than the Youngstown Glove Carpenter Plus Fingerless Work Gloves.

Another Youngstown Gloves product, these safety gloves are made of nylon, polyurethane, PVC, polyester, neoprene, cotton, and velcro, so they were definitely designed with comfort in mind.

And since they offer first-rate hand protection on top of excellent flexibility, they can be used for heavy-duty and light-duty tasks.

Of course, gripping power tools is much easier since three of your most important fingers are totally free (mobility-wise), but these gloves also breathe better than other YG products, and this latter point is certainly a plus in my book.

The adjustable hoop-and-loop cuff is nice too. I hate getting saw dust in my gloves while working, and that just won’t happen with these on.

They come in sizes small through XXL, and they’re backed by a size-satisfaction guarantee.

What I Liked:

• Fingers aren’t restricted despite being only partially exposed, so they’re protected and 100% useful.
• Skin-tight fit yet breathable, so you can work for longer without experiencing discomfort.
• Adjustable hoop-and-loop cuff is the perfect size, so even fine particles won’t get in.
• Impressively water-resistant, so they’re a big help when wet-sanding.

What I Didn’t Like:

• No leather anywhere, so they only have decent abrasion resistance.
• They’re not designed to withstand extreme heat or cold, so you can’t use them for certain tasks.

6. KAYGO Work Gloves – Best Light Duty Work Gloves

There are times when light-duty gloves are going to be your best choice, and when these times come you should have a pair of KAYGO Work Gloves, since they offer protection, great hand movement, and a snug fit.

Made of 15-gauge premium nylon, these black-gray gloves are breathable and lightweight, so they’re ideal for handling tools of all kinds.

And since they have a polyurethane-coated palm and fingertips, you’ll get a good grip on virtually anything you pick up—even objects that are somewhat wet. Love that!

The wrist sections are knitted and elastic to keep body heat inside and dirt out, and I like that they form a good seal without needing velcro closures.

And like most of the gloves on my list, they’re machine washable.

For sizes, they come in:

• Small
• Medium
• Large
• X Large
• XX Large

What I Liked:

• Because they’re made of synthetic materials, they offer great dexterity and grip.
• The polyurethane coating acts as a non-slip reinforcement, so you can handle wet objects with ease.
• Even after many uses, you’ll still have a secure fit because of the knitted elastic wrist.
• They’ll protect your hands from small cuts and other minor safety hazards.

What I Didn’t Like:

• Since there’s no thick padding, they don’t protect well against impact damage.
• If you stretch nylon, it won’t go back to its original shape, meaning the gloves wouldn’t fit as well.

7. Ironclad General Utility Work Gloves – Best for General Use

Need woodworking gloves that can double as general-purpose gloves too? Then give the Ironclad General Utility Work Gloves a try, as they’re well-designed, reinforced carpenter gloves that are thin and lightweight enough to be useful for plenty of non-woodworking tasks.

Made mostly of cloth, these black-gray gloves have a thermoplastic rubber knuckle for impact protection, and the palm is reinforced to ensure abrasion resistance and a reliable grip when handling power tools.

But the most notable feature, to me, is the sweat-wipe thumb. Basically, the back of the thumb has a sweat-absorbing material, so you can wipe your brow without having to take the gloves off.

And like other carpenter gloves on this list, they have a hook-and-loop closure to ensure a snug fit. But these gloves are somewhat different, in that they have a quick-release strap. Big fan!

Of course, the fingertips on any pair of gloves are important, and the fingertips on these are made of synthetic leather to ensure fingertip dexterity and protection.

Lastly, these gloves are machine washable, and they come in sizes XXS-XXL.

What I Liked:

• Since durable and flexible materials are employed, you’ll have free hand movement and protection.
• You don’t have to take them off to wipe sweat, since the thumb is designed to do just that.
• Since there’s a quick-release strap on the wrist, you can take these off in mere seconds.
• More sizes are available, so they’re ideal for men and women of all ages.

What I Didn’t Like:

• Touchscreen-enabled fingertips would’ve been nice.
• The reinforcements on the palm are only as strong as their stitching.

What to Consider When Buying Woodworking Gloves

Dexterity

If you don’t have complete dexterity when you have work gloves on, they’re more of a burden than a benefit. That’s why I swear by carpenter gloves that employ both synthetic and hardened materials.

To keep your hands protected while woodworking, there should be padding around the knuckles, but that’s it—too much padding anywhere else will cause difficulty when you’re handling tools.

And speaking of grip, gloves that have a rubber coating on the fingertips and palms offer superior gripping ability.

Lastly, there are times when more protection is needed, and in these instances you should go with leather gloves that are designed for heavy-duty tasks.

Protection

When your woodworking tasks frequently involve sharp objects and extreme heat or cold, you’ll need gloves that offer sturdy protection.

Leather work gloves are best, in this sense, because they’re built-to-last and more resistant to the elements that can break gloves down over time, namely moisture and atmospheric temperature.

You can even get kevlar gloves—yeah, the bulletproof material—if you’re concerned about safety when performing heavy-duty tasks.

Personally, I’ve found heavy-duty gloves with exposed fingers to be best, as these ensure protection in the right spots without limiting finger mobility.

Comfort

Comfort is important too, of course. After all, if you don’t have a comfortable pair of gloves on, you won’t be able to work for long before you have to take them off and give your hands a break.

So if you’re shopping for a pair of gloves with comfort in mind, look for gloves made of nylon and other synthetic materials. Sure, these gloves are more light-duty, but they still offer decent cut and puncture resistance.

And when considering comfort, think about breathability. Here too, synthetic materials win, as they’re more breathable, so you won’t have to be dealing with sweaty, hot hands.

Wrist Closure

If you can’t seal your woodworking gloves adequately at the wrist, you’ll probably be dealing with sandy, sweaty hands eventually, even though you’ve got gloves on.

In my experience, the best gloves, in this respect, are those that have a hook-and-loop closure. With one of these, you can tighten the gloves as much as you want to ensure nothing gets through—just don’t have them so tight that you’re cutting off circulation to your hands.

Here’s a valuable video on when to use gloves with woodworking power tools.

Materials

You can find woodworking gloves made of all kinds of materials, but most are either leather or synthetic.

Basically, denser materials like leather and faux leather ensure durability at the cost of breathability and flexibility. Synthetic gloves, on the other hand, are more flexible and breathable but less tough.

Final Thoughts

To recap, the Youngstown Performance Work Gloves are the best woodworking gloves overall because they’re supremely comfortable, designed to last for many years, and ideal when you need to grip heavy, slippery, or sharp tools.

The Mechanix M-Pact Framer Gloves are the best for heavy-duty woodworking because they have extra protection on the back, yet they’re also flexible gloves because three fingers are exposed to allow for maximum mobility.

And last but certainly not least are the Custom Leathercraft Handyman Flex Grip Work Gloves, the best budget buy on this list because they offer suitable hand protection and decent grip at a very low price.