12/20/06 - Outdoor Research is well known as a leading manufacturer of outdoor gear, clothing and equipment in the mountaineering/outdoor enthusiast arena. Expanding their market is the Outdoor Research Government Programs division, which has military/LE-specific items not offered on the civilian side, and also some crossover items from the civvie line. They offer a bewildering array of gloves and the models shown below are just the tip of the iceberg. Some of OR Gear's gloves are available at govt pricing through GSA Advantage for Federal buyers.

When it comes to gloves, there's always a balance to be struck between dexterity, tactility (sensitivity to manipulation by feeling), and insulation or protection. Just to give the reader a common frame of reference for how much tactility the following gloves have, I performed a simple test - loading 9mm rounds into a pistol magazine. This requires picking up the round, identifying the right end, inserting it into the mag etc, both by looking and then by feel only with eyes closed. The more durable and insulative a glove is, it's a good bet that it'll be less tactile. It's not good nor bad; it's just a matter of fact. It's up to the user to decide what tasks he'll be using the gloves for and which features are most important, the majority of the time. Sometimes, you'll just have to take a glove off to perform a certain task, like manipulating the controls on a camera or weapon in very cold weather, when a bulky glove won't allow it.

Gripper Gloves - The Gripper multi-purpose outdoor work gloves are one of OR's best-selling gloves. They're available at REI and other outdoor retailers. It's a fleece glove with a synthetic "toughtek" non-slip material on the palm and three fingers for durability and a secure grip. The fleece used is Gore Windstopper.These are made overseas, and are of slightly different design and materials than the U.S.-made 'Gripster' shown next. Each glove has a little plastic triangle loop sewn into the side for attaching to the other glove via a plastic snap keeper. The tapered wrist keeps wind and snow out of the glove. The glove is pre-shaped into an anatomical curve, to eliminate excess and bunching of material on the fingers and palms.

Gripper

The Gripper is just a good, practical all-round chilly weather fleece glove with a lot of 'gription'. I'm still able to manipulate a handgun or rifle with it, but some of the finer controls like locking back the slide release etc might require you to look, instead of feel what you're doing. I did a quick dexterity/tactility test by loading 9mm rounds into a magazine. I was able to do it without problem when looking, and it was still possible by feel, but barely.

Gripster Gloves - The Gripster Glove is very similar to the Gripper, but made in the U.S. and utilizing Polartec Windbloc fleece instead of Gore Windstopper. The synthetic material used on the palm and three of the fingers is a stiffer, more rubbery (stickier), but more durable material than that used on the Gripper. Because of that, you do give up some dexterity and tactility to the Gripper. Instead of the plastic triangle loop seen on the Gripper, the Gripsters are kept together with a small center-release buckle. Other than that, the Gripster has the same overall features and performance as the Gripper.

Gripper

he tougher and tackier material of the Gripster makes it more suited for tasks that don't require fine dexterity. I can manipulate and handle a weapon with them on, but I'd have trouble in darkness with the reduced tactility. I had a hard time loading 9mm rounds into a magazine, even when looking. By feel - no way. The Gripper gloves about would be better suited for that. But for rough and tumble, general tasks which require a very secure grip and added durability, the Gripster shines. Now, if you want a cold weather glove that still has the dexterity needed for weapons handling, look at the Vigil, Sentry or Argonaut gloves.

9/14/07 - Argonaut Gloves - The Argonaut Glove is a reinforced glove meant for cool conditions. The back of the Argonaut is made of breathable, water-resistant Polartec® Power Shield® fabric, which is quick-drying, abrasion and wind resistant. The palm, knuckle reinforcements and wraps over the tips and sides of the thumb, index and middle fingers are made of DWR-treated water resistant leather. The Argonaut incorporates MotionWrap™ construction on the fingers superior dexterity. The middle and ring finger have lapped, double-needle stitching to provide durability in high-flex areas.

Argonaut

he Polartec Power Shield fabric is lightly insulated and stretchy. The Argonaut is sized for a snug fit, and can take a little bit of effort to put on since there are no pull tabs or velcro on the wrist. However, once on, they're very secure and don't need any re-adjustment due to slippage. The feel is similar to golf or driving gloves I've tried on. The palm and fingers are smooth (no seams) and very comfortable when holding a pistol grip. For some reason, the leather used on the Argonaut seems to have better grip than most. It's not really 'tacky'; it just isn't slippery when I rub my fingers together. The grain texture isn't as smooth as the Crossbow or Longbow, nor does it have the digital texture of the Vigil or Sentry, but it has better 'gription' than all of those - go figure. I'm able to load rounds into a 9mm pistol magazine with the Argonauts on without looking - just by feel alone. Performance in cold and wet weather will have to wait as it's not exactly warm glove weather yet at the time of this writing. So far so good on dexterity, comfort and fit though.

Vigil Gloves - The Vigil is a pretty unique tactile, close fitting cold-weather FR (fire-resistant) combat glove in that it offers weather resistance and warmth, unlike most other Nomex gloves. As mentioned in my OR Gear headwear writeup, OR is collaborating with Massif Mountain Gear Company, who specialize in Nomex, fire-resistant (FR) garments to produce OR-designed garments utilizing Massif's proprietary Nomex fabrics. The fabric used in the Vigil glove is Massif's proprietary Elements Softshell fabric. It's a tri-layer laminate which combines Massif stretch Nomex on the outside for fire protection, a waterproof/windproof membrane, then a soft fleece layer for warmth and insulation. The outer Nomex layer is more abrasion resistant than standard Nomex and pills less. The glove has a 'digital texture' FR leather palm (in black or tan) with an additional FR fabric layer inside for insulation. Nomex thread is used throughout the construction of the Vigil. Another unique feature is the Polartec FR fleece cuff, for both comfort and added warmth in the wrist area. The fleece cuff also less likely to slip out when overlapped by clothing. A leather pull strip used when pulling the gloves on prevents the fleece from getting stretched out.

Vigil

Vigil glove worn on a hike

I put some water on the Vigil to test its water-resistance. As expected, the water absorbed readily into the outer Nomex layer. However, that's where it stayed, never making it through the membrane and inside the glove. It's not water-proof, as the seams aren't sealed, and water will eventually migrate through the seams, but I was surprised at the ability of the fleece inner layer to keep the hand feeling dry, even when water had penetrated. The fleece wicks away moisture from the skin, and this was apparent when wet. It also seemed to dry very quickly.
Dexterity and tactility is excellent, and I'm able to load 9mm rounds into a magazine without looking; just by feel. Manipulation of all the controls on a weapon is possible by feel.
My one and only gripe with the Vigil is that the leather palm isn't a 'gunner's cut'. The seam that runs down the middle of the palm connecting the thumb panel to the palm is uncomfortable when gripping a weapon and shooting. Everything else on the glove is so comfortable; if OR could re-design the palm panels to eliminate that seam, it'd be friggin' perfect.

I wore it on a hike in chilly weather (mid 40°s) and they performed very well. Kept my hands warm and provided good dexterity.

6/15/07 Sentry Gloves - The Sentry Gloves shown below are essentially the short-cuff version of the Vigil gloves shown above and share exactly the same specifications and features. Actually, it IS the Vigil glove, but without the fleece cuff sewn to it. It's shown here with the tan 'digital pattern' textured leather and is also available with the black palm. Like the Vigil, it's made of Massif's Stretch Elements softshell Nomex fabric, which provides weather-proof protection against the elements. It's designed for cooler to moderately cold weather.

Sentry

In the writeup on the Vigils, I mentioned the small gripe I had with the seam running between the thumb and the palm. Even though they're the same design and cut, the seam on the tan leather Sentry gloves doesn't feel as pronounced, and doesn't bother me at all when handling a weapon. The only difference in performance between the Vigil and Sentry glove is that the Vigil might keep the hands slightly warmer by providing more insulation around the thin wrist area. The Sentry gloves are also less bulky to stow in a pocket.

Prophet Gloves - The Prophet Gloves shown below are from OR's civilian line. They're a weather-proof glove designed for cool, wet weather mountaineering, skiing, etc at near-freezing temperatures. The outside of the glove utilizes soft shell fabric (black) and leather (grey). The soft shell fabric is stretchy and allows freedom of hand movement. The finely textured leather covers the palm and fingers, and wrap around to the back of the hand for a non-slip grip and unique look. The same leather also reinforces the area inside the wrist which is pulled when donning the glove. The glove has a pre-curved shape. Elastic around the wrist and die-cut velcro strap on the gauntlet secures the glove on the hand.
The Gore-Tex insert is waterproof and breathable, and prevents any water from entering the glove, even when the outer shell is wet through. The Gore-Tex insert does have a slight 'crinkly' sound, best described as similar to playing with a thin plastic sandwich bag. It's not loud at all, but just noticeable.
The Prophet is lightly insulated on the inside, with smooth tricot inside the palm and fingers for dexterity and brushed tricot on the back of the hand for warmth.

Prophet

In my dunk testing, the soft shell fabric sheds water readily enough, but the leather will absorb water. No water gets through, and the hands stay dry. I found this glove to fit a bit looser than all the others, even though it was the same size, so I might use it with a thin liner inside. The suppleness of the leather gives it better tactility, and I was able to load 9mm rounds into a magazine by feel alone.

Carson Gloves - The Carson Gloves are designed as a waterproof stand-alone glove or as a shell over liner gloves. The outer shell is Cordura stretch fabric on the back of the hand and thumb; non-stretch elsewhere, making this a very tough and durable glove. The 'Alpengrip' palm is a non-slip material with a slightly rubberized feel that also wraps around the front of the fingertips. The Carsons have a pre-shaped curve to them. They're waterproofed with a seam sealed Gore-Tex insert which is low-loft fleece-laminated for added warmth. The wrist is elasticized, and the gauntlet is tightened with a one-handed elastic shock cord pull. There are also removable dummy/idiot cords with cord-locs which enable the gloves to be tethered to the wrist or forearm so that if needed, they can be taken off in a hurry but remain attached to you.

Carson

The Carson Glove is advertised as being able to layer over the Gripster Gloves, but I didn't find that possible if they're both the same size - the Grippers have too much bulk. The Carsons fit me just fine in the stand-alone mode, with just a bit of extra room left over for a liner like the PS150. I did a dunk test with the Carsons, immersing my hand in water just below the entrance to the glove for a few minutes. The fabric on the palm wet out before the fabric on the back of the hand, but no water penetrated the Gore-Tex liner. After waiting for about 15 minutes, I checked the glove again and found a damp spot just inside the opening of the glove - the fleece was damp. I was puzzled as I had ensured that no water had crept in over the top. Had the Gore-Tex liner leaked? I performed the test a second time, observing the glove more carefully, and the same thing happened. I noticed that the damp spot was just around the product labels sewn just inside the gauntlet. What was happening was that water, migrating through the outer fabric and seams, but not penetrating the Gore-Tex liner, had wet the ends of the labels sewn between the liner and the outer shell. The water soaked into the labels which wet through, bringing moisture inside the liner and wetting it. I solved the issue by cutting the inside labels off, eliminating that path for water to follow. Water is sneaky - it migrates against gravity and finds its way into places you think it wouldn't. Immersion is likely a worst case scenario, as I wore them out in heavy rain without any hint of moisture penetration.

I found the Carson glove to function excellently as a lightweight, low bulk waterproof glove that still provides the dexterity for manipulating the controls of a handgun and rifle. I was able to load 9mm rounds into a magazine without problem, with a bit more difficulty by feel, as the Alpengrip material is stiffer than the leather on the Prophet and VIgil gloves, but I was still able to do it, only slower.

4/4/07 - PS150 X-Static Gloves - The PS150 X-Static gloves are constructed of Polartec Power Stretch 150 with X-Static (hence the name), shown here in coyote (love the colour). The X-Static fabric prevents buildup of static electricity charges, and is also anti-microbial for odor control. The outside is a nylon exterior for abrasion resistance while the inside is bushed fleece for warmth and moisture management. The wrist is elasticized on the inside to keep the gloves secure on the hand.

Inside of glove

The PS150s are very comfortable and form fitting, as the fabric is soft and stretchy. The fleece interior keeps moisture away from the skin very well, I found. Even with the exterior material of the glove damp with water, the interior fleece feels relatively dry, and subsequently the hand doesn't feel as cold. Stangely enough, the easiest path for water to enter the glove is actually through the embroidered 'OR' logo on the back of the hand. Water can soak through and enter the inside of the glove. I'd prefer it if the logo were moved closer to the wrist where it has better chance of being protected, but then, these aren't designed to be wet-weather gloves. The anti-microbial feature also works well, reducing that sweaty, damp smell that gloves always seem get after being worn for a while.

Even though these gloves are designed to be used as liner gloves, the outside of the fabric is more wear-resistant than I initially thought. It doesn't snag on hook velcro either. I fully expected it to get fuzzy very quickly when exposed to any abrasion on rough surfaces but so far it's held up better than I expected. Even so, I'd use these gloves by themselves only if I don't need to be handling or manipulating a lot of items, simply because the fabric is a bit slippery on smooth objects and doesn't provide a good grip. They're more suited for running in cold weather, hiking, and general use for warmth, instead of instances in which you'll need to handle a weapon often. Tactility and dexterity are great, as the fabric is soft enough for you to feel small objects through it.

6/2/07 - Longbow Gloves - The Longbow is a FR (fire resistant) glove with a convertible cuff. The Longbow has a soft, lightweight cuff that can be tucked inside to convert the glove to a 'short' glove, or worn outside, gauntlet style. The cuff is made of Massif HotJohns fabric, and is elastic enough to seal around the wrist. The Nomex fabric for the rest of the glove was specifically developed by Massif for OR Gear gloves, and is called Wolverine™. It's a 4-way stretch Nomex, with bonded double layers. The outside layer is the smoother Elements soft shell face fabric and the inside layer is the soft CoolKnit, described here. Flame-resistant cowhide is used for the palm and the rest of the leather details which include a knuckle protector on the back of the hand and a reinforced trigger finger cut-away. Kevlar thread is used throughout, with exposed seams being double stitched. The leather-protected wrist closure uses FR velcro.

Cuff out

Cuff in

Velcro wrist strap

On the range

For comfort and fit, the Longbows incorporate PrecisionGrip™ design for seamless contact between then trigger finger and thumb, MotionWrap™ construction to reduce finger seams, a set-in thumb for an ergonomic fit, and lapped seam on the palm to reduce bulk.
A note on sizing - the Longbow gloves are designed to be close-fitting, and will seem about a half size smaller than normal. Consult OR's sizing chart before buying, or order the next size up for a looser fit. My small Longbow gloves fit more like XS, and the mediums are more like halfway between a Small and Medium in other gloves.
The gloves are very comfortable overall, but I did find a small hotspot where two corners of leather meet and are sewn together behind the thumb where it meets the wrist, on the side of the hand. This was also because I was wearing the small size, which was as tight as the glove could be - I couldn't feel the same seam on the size mediums, which fit a bit looser. Dexterity and feel are very good - also in part due to the skin- tight fit of the smalls. No problems manipulating weapons or loading mags at all. The nice thing about having the convertible cuff is that it's snug around the wrist, so it prevents sand or little rocks from entering the glove if crawling or going prone in the dirt - something short-cuff gloves are always susceptible to. Folding it inside is a much lower profile option than folding over the gauntlets on flight gloves to shorten the cuff.
I used the Longbows on the range they worked very well for weapons handling, and were comfortable in the summer heat. The leather seems quite durable, and grip was very positive.

The Longbows are not on the OR Gear website yet, but are available directly from OR Gear, or through GSA-Advantage (search for 'longbow gloves').

8/29/07 - Crossbow Gloves - The Crossbow is a short cuff, vented version of the Longbow. Like the Longbow the Nomex fabric for the glove body was specifically developed by Massif for OR Gear gloves, and is called Wolverine™. It's a 4-way stretch Nomex, with bonded double layers. The outside layer is the smoother Elements soft shell face fabric and the inside layer is the soft CoolKnit, described here. Flame-resistant cowhide is used for the palm and the rest of the leather details which include a knuckle protector on the back of the hand and a reinforced trigger finger cut-away. Kevlar thread is used throughout, with exposed seams being double stitched. The leather-protected wrist closure uses FR velcro and keeps the glove secure on the hand without any danger of slipping off. The leather knuckle protector, web protector and base of the palm are perforated for ventilation.

Wrist strap

Shotgunning

For comfort and fit, the Crossbows incorporate PrecisionGrip™ design for seamless contact between then trigger finger and thumb, MotionWrap™ construction to reduce finger seams, a set-in thumb for an ergonomic fit, and lapped seam on the palm to reduce bulk.
The Crossbows are sized exactly like the Longbow gloves and are designed to be close-fitting, and will seem about a half size smaller than normal. Consult OR's sizing chart before buying, or order the next size up for a looser fit. My small Crossbow gloves fit more like XS but after the tight initial fit, they loosened up as bit for a perfect, snug fit.
Since the Crossbows are made of the same material as the Longbows, dexterity and feel are excellent - also in part due to the skin-tight fit of the smalls. The only issue I found that did not surface at the previous range session with the Longbows cropped up this time, when I used the shotgun. I found that handling shotgun shells during speed-reloads was a bit tricky, as the glove leather is relatively smooth, with a very fine grain. I'd try to grab two or three shells at a time from my EMDOM fanny pack to reload, and I'd sometimes have trouble orienting the shells properly as the plastic hulls were slick. I took off my glove and performed the same drills and had better purchase on the shells. When manipulating and reloading the carbine and pistol, there were no problems at all. Something that might help is an embossed texture on the finger tips or a slightly tackier leather. Other than that specific issue with shotgun shells, they performed very well otherwise. Another plus with the Crossbows are that the cuff is short enough that it doesn't interfere with wearing a wristwatch.

7/3/07 - Overlord Gloves - When I first saw the Overlord Glove prototype in November last year, the first thing that struck me was the unique look of the distinctively-shaped leather panels/components of the glove. The second thing I thought to myself was "I gotta have a pair of these". So began the process of bugging Mike and Michele at OR Gear every couple of months wondering when the Overlords would finally come out. In tan, too, of course.

The Overlord gloves are designed as a replacement for the summer flyer's glove - a lightweight, technical weapons-handling glove for patrolling and combat with the emphasis on 'weapons-handling'. The Overlord is constructed of Massif Wolverine™ 4-way stretch, double-bonded layer Nomex for fire-resistant protection, and digital textured leather on the palms, fingers and panels. Kevlar thread is used, with all exposed seams double-stitched.

The Wolverine fabric is used for the back of the hand, and also wraps around the middle and ring fingers completely. The digital leather covers and protects the knuckles, and back of the fingers. There are cutouts in the leather over the finger joints and sides of the fingers which allow the Nomex to stretch when bending the fingers.
The palm, front of the thumb, index and little fingers are of single-layer digital leather. The thumb is articulated for increased control. All seams on the palm are flat and the digital leather is very supple for excellent dexterity and tactility.
There is a leather wrist stirrup at the base of the thumb, which wraps around the wrist, just behind the carpals and forward of the radius. This stirrup prevents the glove from slipping forward off the hand, and keeps it snug and secure on the wrist.

Overlord glove

Overlord at the range

Like the Longbow gloves above, the Overlords run about a half size smaller than normal, as they are meant to be very close fitting. For me, the smalls are literally like a second skin - very tight at first, but breaking in within the first couple of hours of constant use. It's apparent after putting them on that they're focused on enabling the user to pull the trigger without interference. I used the Overlords on the range for both handgun and rifle, and they provided very good dexterity for weapons handling. All the seams felt comfortable when handling the weapons. I never had to adjust them and they never got loose nor slipped down - the Overlords make excellent shooting gloves.

Southwest Motorsports Enterprises, Inc. (I'll refer to it as SWMS) is a woman-owned small business, based out of Phoenix, Arizona. SWMS has a GSA contract and have been supplying gloves to the U.S. Military (including Special Operations Forces) and other government departments for the past decade. (For more info, just visit their web site - I'll get on with the gear review!) Their gloves are divided into two general categories - Ground crew gloves and Flame-retardant gloves intended for pilots, crew chiefs, tankers, CQB or anyone needing flame protection. I visited their web site and was curious about how different their nomex gloves were from the issue flight gloves, and whether their claim of providing 'maximum finger dexterity' was valid, as almost every glove manufacturer claims that, and not all of them deliver.
Here's my own take on dexterity, sensitivity and durability. Dexterity and sensitivity depend on a number of factors - a proper/snug fit, suppleness and thickness of the material. A softer, more supple material will provide better dexterity and finger tip sensitivity than a stiffer material of the same thickness. Obviously, thicker material will reduce the sensitivity and dexterity of the glove, but reduce durability. The trick is to find materials that are supple, yet strong; as cheaper materials have to be made thicker in order to last longer. Higher quality leathers (for example: kangaroo leather) can be made thinner than cheaper ones, yet be more resistant to abrasion. The SWMS gloves feel like they've found a good balance between thickness and dexterity.

Max Grip NT Gloves (above) - Shown above is the OD and black SWMS versions of the issue flight glove (note that the black glove shown is from a first-production lot with the velcro wrist closure on the underside. The OD glove is the current version). My initial impression of these gloves are that they are not your everyday issue nomex flight gloves. The palm is of black leather with a slightly rough grain that provides a better grip than the smoother grain of most flight gloves. Three of the fingers have leather 'caps' to provide more protection and durability, while the index finger has a seamless design for better sensitivity. An extra layer of leather protects the inside of the thumb, which is usually subject to the most wear and tear, and another layer covers the knuckles and outside of the hand. All the high-wear areas of the nomex fabric are protected from abrasion by the soft but durable leather. It's unlikely to bust the seam on the fingers (like I've done on the issue gloves). A double layer sleeve/gauntlet extends up the forearm and an adjustable velcro wristband with leather pull tab prevents the glove from slipping off the hands. I've found the elastic on the inside of the issue glove to be scratchy sometimes, and not very effective in keeping the gloves from slipping - I'm quite often pulling the gloves up on my hands. The Max Grip wristband is not just a strap, but a thicker, elastic, slightly padded area surrounding the wrist which helps support and protect the wrist without affecting flexibility. It's also much more secure than the issue glove. The gauntlet can be folded over if desired. Kevlar yarn is used for all stitching.
The first thing that comes to mind people I've shown these gloves to is that they have a high quality 'feel' to them (which is the best way to describe it), and are very well constructed. They're extremely comfortable. The leather is soft but not too thin. There are no uncomfortable inner seams. Dexterity is better than the issue gloves, with improved grip (I find the smooth leather of some flight gloves to be slightly slick). Above on the extreme right is a photo showing the standard leather vs. the digital textured leather.

Max Grip NT Gloves w/Digital leather (above) - Here is a set of desert tan (the actual colour is a bit more brown and less yellow than the pictures came out) Max Grip NT gloves with an interesting texture on the leather that SWMS calls the 'Digital Leather' texture. The leather is 'embossed' with this texture, which results in a 'grippier' feel than the standard leather, and seems to add suppleness to the leather. I found that the leather feels slightly thinner and dexterity is improved somewhat. These are even more comfortable than the sage version with standard leather I tried above. On the right is the sage green version of the Max Grips with digital leather.

Friction FIghter NT Gloves (above) - As the name implies, the Friction Fighter gloves offer a higher level of abrasion resistance than the Max Grip NT gloves. It is designed for applications which require flame protection, and operations like emergency rappelling, hoisting, rope and cable work. The basic glove is the same as the Max Grip, but with the addition of extra leather layers on the inside of the thumb, on the palm, and on the outer area of the hand. The leather palm patch overlaps the wristband to shield the inside of the wrist. 3 of the fingers (except for the index finger) are lined on the inside of the leather with nomex. This provides more heat insulation and may come in handy for tasks like quick-changing hot machine gun barrels. For fast roping, I would hesitate to use them for anything but an emergency fast-rope as they might not be heavy enough (this is just based on my own rappelling experience. Even though it's a thicker pair of gloves, it didn't seem to affect the comfort, fit, or dexterity much. These are fast becoming my favourite gloves - I love these. The Friction FIghter gloves can be had with either nomex or kevlar fabric (known as the Hi-Tec FF gloves). Note that all new FF NT gloves now have a full leather pinky finger (as seen in the tan/brown ones on the right).

Heat Grip CT Gloves (above) - These gloves are one of the "Ground-Crew" product line which include the 'Impact CT gloves', "Impact II CT gloves' and 'Cold Weather gloves'. The Heat Grip gloves are basic work and field gloves made partially from Clarino (synthetic leather) with no padding in the palms, intended to light to medium tasks. The back of the glove is slightly padded, with Clarino reinforcements on the thumb and three fingers. The sides of the fingers have tiny vent holes that aid in cooling. I feel they'd make an excellent shooting glove, for people who do not like the added bulk of padding on the palms.

Impact CT Gloves (above) - Next in line are the Impact CT model, which is basically similar to the Heat Grip gloves, but with light padding on the palm and reinforcements added to all fingers. A neoprene band on the back of the knuckles stretches when you make a fist, adding flexibility to the back of the glove. Like the Heat Grips, there are small vent holes along the sides of the fingers. This glove is meant for tasks that require a bit more protection overall, and the padding in the palm can reduce vibrations transmitted to the hand.

Hi-Tech Impact II CT Gloves (above) - The Impact II gloves are a step above in protection from the previous two models. Entirely synthetic, made from a combination of Clarino leather, spandex (back), rubberized 'Clarino Zeus' pads on the fingertips, EVA padding in high-impact areas, and a Kevlar fiber shield on the heel of the palm for abrasion resistance. These gloves are designed for mechanical and tactical work requiring more protection on the palms and knuckles like combat training, maintenance, cargo loading, working with tools etc. I found the finger tip sensitivity to be slightly less than that of the Max Grip or FF gloves, but that shouldn't be a problem for all but the most delicate tasks.

Cold Weather Gloves (above) - These are not your bulky ski-type gloves, but a snug fitting glove for cold weather protection that still requires dexterity. I don't know what temps they're rated for, though. The palm is made of leather (not synthetic), and is lined with a layer of thinsulate. The nylon back is also lined with thinsulate, as are the fingers. The knuckle panel and back of the thumbs are made of neoprene for flexibility and warmth. I could feel an immediate increase in warmth when slipping these gloves on, compared to the other ones. I wish the weather were colder outside so I could try these out! Unlike other cold weather gloves I've owned, these are the most form fitting and least bulky. How well they stack up in cold weather against the others is something I'll have to test in time.

One thing I noticed (after a couple of other users mentioned it) is that the little/pinky finger on some of the gloves (the nomex models, and the Impact IIs) the gloves is a bit long, by 1/8" to 1/4". I've passed along this feedback to Martina, the owner. I also wondered about the durability of the digi-leather finish vs. the standard leather, as i thought that the addition of embossed texture could weaken the structural integrity of the leather. Martina answered, "So far the feedback about durability has been the same for the smooth and the digi leather. The tanning technology that makes the leather abrasion resistant, water and perspiration resistant is not a coating as many leather manufacturers do: it actually gets into the fiber structure of the leather and enhances the leather all the way through. So even if you scrape the top layer off the smooth leather or if you apply the digi texture the basic features of the leather will remain the same."

Overall, I'm impressed with the quality, fit, feel and dexterity. A lot of thought has been put into their design, and the construction is top-notch. I've found that I like the extra grip that the Pittards digi-leather version of the Max Grip NT provides.

2/18/06 - SWMS announced at the 2006 SHOT show in Vegas that they have now partnered with Camelbak to produce SWMS gloves. Congratulations, Martina! Along with that announcement are some updates to the CT models and a couple of new gloves. I received these pre-production samples a couple of months ago but waited until after SHOT to preview them - they'll be available mid-year.

Here's a summary of the updated features for the new versions of the current models:

• Heat grip CT - Very slight styling change on the leather on the fingers, and the addition of a 550 cord loop on the wrist for attaching it to gear. This remains one of my favourite lightweight shooting gloves.
• Impact CT - Styling changes to the padding on the back and leather detail on the fingers. Palm remains the same. A non-slip material has been added to the thumb and index finger really makes a difference in grip - I like this feature. 550 cord loop on the wrist.
• Hi-Tech Impact II CT - Styling changes to the padding on the back, and all the leather details on the fingers. The wrist cuff is now padded and contoured for better comfort and protection of the wrist bone. Larger non-slip area on the thumb and the addition of the 550 cord loop.

New Heat grip

New Heat grip

New Impact

New Impact

New Hi-Tech

New Hi-Tech

Hi-Tech on grimloc

I' d been asking Martina about non-black gloves, and she'd say 'that's in the works' and explain that the obstacle was getting anti-static material in colours other than black. Pre-production samples of two new models are shown below and I think they're very promising (note that changes might be made in the final versions):

• Fast Fit CT - This is similar to the Heat Grip CT. It has an elastic wrist instead of velcro, and a different cuff with padding on the outside of the wrist. The grey leather very soft and supple, and is a perfect match for the new Army ACU or SOF-PCU gear (shown here with the Level 5 Soft shell). I'm not too sure about the location of the 550 cord loop, as I think it might be more prone to snagging than the others, but we'll have to wait for more user feedback.
• Vent CT - This is an extremely comfortable and lightweight summer shooting glove - almost like a golf glove. Essentially the same features as the Heat Grip CT but in grey, with a mesh back with no padding. Goes with ACU and actually very well with Multicam. There's a small terry cloth patch on the inside of the hand behind the thumb for wiping sweat away. Testing is still being done on the durability of the mesh fabric.

FastFit CT

FastFit CT

Vent CT

Vent CT

Vent CT with Mk46 Mod 0

4/13/05 - Safety Systems Corporation (SSC) is a wholesale distributor of tactical and assault equipment providing a wide variety of products to military and LE personnel. They been around for a long time - over 20 years. I actually bought my tinted outserts for my S10 gas mask from them over a decade ago. Besides gloves from other well-known manufacturers, SSC now offers their own labeled gloves. Shown below is the 'SIG' - Special Infantry Glove, in coyote brown. This is the shorty version with elastic wrist. The main fabric material is cut-resistant Dupont kevlar, protecting the wearer against lacerations and flame. The leather portion is flame-resistant treated goat skin, which has good abrasion resistance and strength, so thinner material can be used.

The knuckles are protected from knocks by foam under a goatskin patch. The heel of the hand is also lightly padded (helps a lot when putting out that hand for support when going prone). The palm has double layers of leather in selected areas. I felt that the pattern of the 2nd layer could have been made a bit simpler - smoother with less separate pieces/seams as the edges of the leather *can* catch (I felt it a bit when manipulating a pistol). Overall tactile feel is much like a good driving glove. I'll update this when I used it more.