How to Buy Gardening Gloves: 14 Steps (with Pictures) (2024)

Explore this Article

Co-authored byLauren Kurtz

Last Updated: February 12, 2022

1. 1

   Find cloth gloves for lightweight work and flexibility. Cloth gloves are best for certain light gardening tasks like mixing soil, digging, planting seeds, or raking. You should also use them for tasks that require the most flexible use of your hands, like mowing the lawn or using a chainsaw.^[1]

   • These gloves are easy to maintain because you can simply toss them in your washing machine when they’re dirty.
   • Out of all the glove choices, cloth gloves last the least amount of time, so you will need to replace them every 1 or 2 years. Luckily, they are inexpensive and easy to find at home improvement stores.
2. 2

   Choose leather gloves for heavy work or working with sharp tools. Any type of leather works well for handling rocks and wood, and planting trees or shrubs. They protect your hands from cuts, pokes, and scrapes from tools better than other materials do. Some people also like to use them instead of cloth for operating power equipment, if they are durable and flexible on your hands.^[2]

   • If you’re vegan or interested in a more ecofriendly option than leather, find synthetic leather gloves instead of genuine leather.
   • Some leather gloves are lined with fleece or cotton, which are nice if you’ll be working outside when it’s cold.
3. See Also

   What are the Different Levels of Cut Resistant Gloves?Acceptable Quality Level Determines If a Glove Is Industrial or Exam Grade - AMMEXWhat Do Nitrile Gloves Protect Against (and What Don’t They Protect Against)?Glove Inspection, Use, Care and Removal

   3

   Buy rubber or latex gloves for wet or muddy conditions. Gloves containing rubber or latex are great for keeping your hands dry. Cloth and leather gloves, unless the leather is waterproof, will let water seep in and your hands will get wet.^[3]

   • If you’re allergic to rubber or latex, look for PVC gardening gloves instead. These gloves aren’t recommended for pruning, as sharp thorns and gardening tools can cut through them.
   • Wear rubber or latex gloves under your other gardening gloves for added moisture protection.
4. 4

   Find neoprene or nitrile gloves for working with chemicals. Some gloves containing neoprene or nitrile are specifically designed to protect your hands from greases, oils, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals. If you know you’ll be handling these materials or fertilizers, look into finding specific gloves for them.^[4]

   • Check the label on the gloves to make sure they are designed to protect your hands from whatever specific substance you’ll be using.
5. 5

   Look for multipurpose gloves for convenience. Multipurpose, or traditional gardening gloves, are cloth with a bit of rubber or latex lining the palms and fingers. These gloves work great for many basic yard tasks that require you to have lots of dexterity and a good grip, like planting, weeding, pruning, and mowing the lawn. They are most similar to regular cloth gloves, just with an extra grip.^[5]

   • While these gloves are versatile in some ways and generally inexpensive, they won’t protect your hands from wet work, work with sharp plants or tools, or chemicals. Look for more specialized gloves for these tasks.
6. 6

   Invest in pruning or specialized gloves for serious hand and arm protection. If you do serious tree or rose pruning work, you should look for sturdy gloves that are specialized for this. These gloves, often made of goatskin, go all the way up to your elbows, and due to the extra material used in making them, can be costlier at around $25 or more.

   • Another benefit to these gloves, besides more protection, is that they are soft and durable, allowing you grasp at small plant pieces while still being resistant to punctures.

   Advertisem*nt

1. 1

   Measure your knuckles with a tape measure. Knowing your glove size is especially useful if you’re ordering gloves online, or if you’d like to save some time while trying gloves on. Wrap a tape measure around the 4 main knuckles of your hand, not your thumb, to determine the circumference of your knuckles and your glove size.^[6]

   • For knuckles 6.5–7.25 inches (16.5–18.4cm), choose a size small.
   • 7.5–7.75 inches (19.1–19.7cm) = medium
   • 8–8.75 inches (20.3–22.2cm) = large
   • 9–9.75 inches (22.9–24.8cm) = XL
   • 10–10.75 inches (25.4–27.3cm) = XXL
   • 11–12 inches (28–30cm) = XXXL
   • If your knuckle circumference falls between sizes, choose the size that is most comfortable for you.
2. 2

   Make sure your glove fingertips fit up against your fingers. If there is more than 0.5in (1.3cm) of space between your fingertips and the fabric at the fingertips of your gloves, the gloves may be too big for you. Try a size smaller gloves; if the smaller gloves are too tight around your knuckles, consider special ordering gloves for shorter fingers.^[7]

   • Look at online garden supply stores or nurseries to find retailers who take special orders for gloves.
3. 3

   Test the tightness of your gloves by making fists. When you make fists with your gloves on, the fabric should be up against your skin, but not so tight that your movement is restricted. If it’s hard to close your fists and tighten them all the way, those gloves are too small and you should go with the next size up.^[8]

   • If the largest size gloves of that type are too small for you, either look for a different brand that offers larger gloves, or ask the company if they make special-order gloves for larger hands.

   Advertisem*nt

1. 1

   Find gloves with UV protection if you have sun-sensitive skin. For skin that needs extra protection against UV rays, or if you spend long mid-day hours in your garden when the sun is at its strongest, you may benefit from gloves made of fabric that offers UV protection. This fabric can help protect your hands from harmful sun rays.^[9]

   • Use sunscreen in addition to UV protectant gloves, as well as a hat and sunglasses, for the best results in protecting sensitive skin when working outdoors.
2. 2

   Look for gel-filled finger gloves to prevent blisters. If you spend long days in your garden, you may want to try preventing blisters from forming on your fingers. Gloves with gel-filled fingers can help prevent blisters.^[10]

   • Look for garden gloves with gel-filled fingers online or at specialty garden shops.
3. 3

   Get gloves with grommets or carabiners for extra convenience. If you frequently take your gardening gloves off to dry sweat from your hands, or to use your bare hands for certain tasks, you may benefit from getting gloves that you can attach to your clothing. Some gloves come with a carabiner attached, and some have grommets in them that allow you to clip your own carabiner onto them. ^[11]

   • Gloves with this feature will also help if you have a big garden and you frequently set your gloves down but later can’t remember where you left them.
4. 4

   Look for Velcro closures at the wrists to lock out dirt and debris. If your skin dries out easily when it gets dirty, or is otherwise irritated by dirt and debris, look for gloves that close at the wrists so that dirt doesn’t get inside them. This type of glove will help reduce the number of times you have to take your gloves off and shake the dirt out of them.^[12]

   • Note that if your hands get irritated by sweat, this type of glove may actually increase how much you sweat inside the glove.

5. 5

   Shop for gardening gloves online or in store. If you know exactly what type of gloves you want in terms of material, size, and special features, you can confidently shop online to find great deals. If you think you'd rather see the gloves in person and try them on, look at garden supply stores, home improvement stores, department stores, and even dollar stores.^[13]

   • If you're looking for specialty gloves on a budget, explore thrift stores, yard sales, or websites that sell used items online to find good deals.

   Advertisem*nt

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question

2 votes - 50%