What Are Tactical Gloves?

15 July 2015 | John

Tactical gloves are gloves designed to meet the needs and requirements of police and military operatives, providing great protection against a range of physical threats. Because of this they are incredibly hardwearing and impact resistant while still keeping high levels of dexterity.

Most tactical gloves feature the same materials — thick leather on the palm and Kevlar on the back — to maximise protection and providing resistance against threats like cutting and slashing.

What Types of Tactical Gloves are There?

Because the needs of a police force or military are incredibly varied, different kinds of tactical gloves are made for specific purposes.

All Terrain: These gloves are designed to be suitable for all environments, from a wooded forest to the urban environment of an abandoned town. All terrain gloves are often designed to be resistant to water, dirt, oil and other contaminants that can lessen the quality of other gloves.

View Range

Snipers’ Gauntlets: These are made for people operating sniper rifles, so they need to have even more dexterity than ordinary tactical gloves but do not need to offer the same impact/cut resistance. Because of this, many of them forego the Kevlar on the back of the glove but are still incredibly resistant.

Needlestick Gloves: These are designed to be used by police on drugs raids where the risk of having to encounter hypodermic needles is incredibly high. If you are stuck with a needle, there is a chance that you can develop an infection such as hepatitis or even HIV. Needlestick Gloves are designed to resist puncture by needles, preventing the pricking of your skin.

What Can Tactical Gloves be Used For?

Alongside catching criminals and fighting wars, tactical gloves have a range of potential applications for which their tough and hardwearing nature makes them great.

Paintball: Because they are designed to be used in military circumstances, tactical gloves are great for wearing while playing paintball. The protection they offer is perfect for absorbing paintball hits, and the grip and dexterity they offer means shooting is easier and safer.

Airsoft: Basically a more hardcore version of paintball which uses high speed solid pellets rather than balls of paint, playing airsoft means you need a good level of protection to keep your hands safe. Tactical gloves can provide this level of protection while still keeping your dexterity as high as it needs to be.

Winter: Normal gloves in winter do offer some protection against the cold, but trying to do something strenuous in them outside on a frozen day is next to impossible. Tactical gloves give great protection against the cold and make clearing snow or ice from your garden or drive a more tolerable experience thanks to the added insulation and dexterity, not to mention the protection to your hand in case of a fall they provide.

Motorcycle Riding: Due to the high impact resistance of certain tactical gloves, they can be suitable for riding motorcycles. It is of the utmost importance that motorcyclists have the right protective equipment because even accidents at low speeds can cause tremendous damage to the skin and bones. The cut and impact resistance of Tactical Gloves reduces the injuries suffered by your hands if you fall off of a motorcycle.

If you are interested in getting your hands in some tactical gloves, visit Shoe Insoles and check out our range of Tactical Gloves.