Tested: The Best Tactical Gloves For Operators & Adventurers

From the Karuta armor worn by Japanese Samurai warriors to the Roman Legion’s galea helmets to the chainmail armor of the middle ages to modern Kevlar vests and composite helmets: the concept of combat armor has existed for millennia. And while today’s weapons systems and battle gear have hugely evolved, the basic premise of armor remains the same: aiming to provide its wearer with protection from bodily harm without overly compromising range of motion and dexterity. Today’s tactical gloves carry on this tradition while bestowing the space with a host of modern materials, construction techniques, and technologies.

And, considering your hands are used to manipulate and operate the controls of just about any weapon, military vehicle, or missions system, it’s absolutely vital to protect your fingers, palms, and knuckles. Modern tactical gloves do a stellar job of shielding your hands from potential harm while also affording additional grip, without coming at the cost of tactile feel. Unfortunately, it can be extremely difficult to distinguish the genuine battle-tested military mitts from the sea of cheap imitation iterations, so with this in mind, we’ve patrolled the landscape for the finest in combat-ready palm and finger fortification to bring you this buyer’s guide and tested hands-on review of the best tactical gloves.

Selection & Testing

In an effort to uncover the best tactical gloves currently being made, we began our search by first making a list of characteristics that would be used to judge each possible selection. This included areas such as design, materials and construction technique, padding or protection, touchscreen compatibility, and tactical-specific features. This allowed us to then hone in on around a dozen pairs that we suspected may represent the best of the best. Next, we managed to track down each pair from our shortlist in order to carry out a hands-on testing phase that afforded us a more comprehensive sense of how each glove felt and performed — and more importantly, how each glove stacked up to the competition. 

Without the option of actually testing these gloves on the battlefield, we opted to devise a series of tests that would provide insight across a host of areas relating to these tactical gloves’ performance. To test the grip pattern, each pair took its turn handling a textured fixed blade knife handle, along with a smooth lacquered leather handle. To get a better sense of how well each tactical glove lent itself to finer more delicate tasks, I wore each pair while using an EDC bit driver — removing each 4mm bit and inserting it into the driver. Additionally, I also tried some basic Balisong flipping while wearing each pair, as this requires immense tactical feel and finesse. Each pair of gloves was also used to open and close the Spyderco Para Military 2 and Benchmade Bugout — allowing us to try out the dexterity of each by using the thumb-hole opening and thumb-studs, and the Compression and AXIS locks. 

The most important phase of our testing process, however, was conducted out our local shooting range, where each pair of tactical gloves took its turn being worn while shooting several sidearms, as well as numerous rifles and shotguns. On top of using each pair to send rounds downrange, every tactical glove was also utilized to field strip and reload each firearm we used while testing. This crucially provided insight into how conducive each pair actually is to shooting — a pivotal trial as the majority of these gloves are designed specifically for shooting. Once armed with this intel, we were then able to narrow our original shortlist of around a dozen pairs down to a final selection of what we found to be the very best tactical gloves that money can currently buy. 

PIG (FDT) Delta Gloves

Best Overall Glove: If you were to survey some of today’s most elite operators, asking who makes the very best tactical gloves on the market, one name will come up time and time again, and that’s Patrol Incident Gear — better known simply as “PIG.” Everything the company makes comes from a design team with an enormous amount of real-world experience to draw from, resulting in practical yet highly-functional garments and pieces of gear all built to withstand the extreme rigors that come from being used on the battlefield. For proof of this, look no further than the Patrol Incident Gear (FDT) Delta Gloves —short for “Full Dexterity Tactical.”

The PIG (FDT) Delta Gloves feature a poly-nylon shell construction with silicone overlays over the inside of the thumb, the inside of the trigger finger, and at the inside of the pinky, ring, and middle fingers, as well as the top of the inner palm where those three fingers meet. This essentially results in a grippy layer on the glove where it makes its points of contact when its wearers hand is wrapped around the handle of a knife or a weapon’s grip. In addition to touchscreen-compatible finger tips and thumbs, I also really appreciated these gloves’ low-profile knuckle padding which I found to afford ample impact protection while still being low profile enough that I had no problem slipping my hand in and out of a pocket. Also of note are the gloves’ ultra-sturdy bar-tacked paracord pulls, and a fold-over finger construction designed to eliminate fingertip discomfort — a common issue on high-dexterity tactical gloves and one that I noticed while testing other gloves on this list like the Outdoor Research Ironsight Sensor Gloves. The dexterity the (FDT) Delta affords was also pretty next-level in my experience. Whether flipping a Balisong or field stripping a weapon, the incredible tactile feel of these gloves simply puts others to shame. 

I was generally impressed with these gloves, though it wasn’t until getting them out onto the range when they really began to shine. The gloves’ PIG-print pattern silicone overlay adorns a single-layer multi-piece palm that’s been configured so there’s just one layer of material making contact with a weapon’s handle or grip. This essentially results in the closest thing I’ve experienced to shooting barehanded. This grippy silicone does a pretty amazing job of bolstering traction and grip, though isn’t so extreme that they have an almost sticky feel — like the Outdoor Research gloves. A small overlay between the thumb and trigger finger also appears to protect from/mitigate the likelihood of experiencing slide bite while shooting. Immensely comfortable, the (FDT) Delta Gloves also boast a level of construction and build quality that I found to be just superb — to the point where AI was legitimately surprised to learn that they’re manufactured in Vietnam rather than being made in America. They also don’t in any way impede or restrict range of motion in any way, shape, or form. 

At the end of the day, the only real gripe I had with these gloves is their opening and closure setup. This fixed entry sports elasticized cuffs that allow for a snug fit once they’re on — though getting them on is a little tricky. Admittedly, the inclusion of the reinforced pull loops no doubt help here, though I still had a much harder time putting on and removing these gloves compared to every other pair I tested. With that said, I should also probably point out that Patrol Incident Gear also makes the slightly pricier PIG (FTD) Alpha Gloves, which feature an adjustable Velcro wrist closure that remedies this lone issue. 

Verdict: With ample protection and unparalleled dexterity and tactile feel, the PIG (FDT) Delta Gloves have long been the go-to choice for elite operators. With stellar build quality and a highly calculated design, the (FDT) Delta Gloves are unequivocally the best pair of tactical gloves that I’ve ever used. 

Outdoor Research Ironsight Sensor Gloves

Best Value Glove: Though no doubt best known for its backcountry-focused garments and gear, Outdoor Research also happens to make some pretty terrific tactical gear — with the Washington-based outfit’s Ironsight Sensor Gloves being far from an exception. Quick-drying and highly breathable, OR’s Ironsight Sensor Gloves feature a Spandex-infused polyester shell with a seamless construction that’s been overlaid with synthetic leather and adorned in an ultra-grippy Precision Grip pattern across the inside of the palm and fingers. The construction of shell feels thicker and more robust than most of the other gloves I tested — though it is a bit stiffer too. Nonetheless, the shell does a great job protecting its wearer’s hands.

On top of the robust shell construction, further fortification is afforded via the glove’s synthetic leather overlays and reinforcements, and TPR bumpers adorning the back of the hands and trigger finger. I found the Outdoor Research Ironsight Sensor Gloves  to be tight and super snug-fitting but still super easy to take on and remove thanks to the heavily reinforced pull tabs and Velcro closure. I also appreciate the fact they come with touchscreen compatible thumb and trigger finger tips. The grippy silicone printing on the palms and inside of the fingers does a phenomenal job bolstering traction and grip, almost feeling as if your hand is sticking to whatever you’re holding. As effective as this silicone printing is, I did also notice that it sticks to dust, dirt, and other bits of small debris. 

Alongside the overly grippy print pattern, there were a few other issues I uncovered while putting these gloves through their paces. While they did a great job of protecting my hands, I did notice these gloves do limit range of motion in the fingers, preventing me from making a tight fist — but still allowing me to easily tightly grasp the handle of a weapon. My biggest complaint stems from the way the gloves’ fingertips are designed. Though it took quite a bit of testing to eventually notice, I did find that there was a noticeable amount of fingertip discomfort when worn for an extended period. This may just be a simple sizing issue, though the rest of my hands fit perfectly in the glove, with the only bit of discomfort being in my fingertips — leading me to believe otherwise. 

With all that said, these gloves instantly redeemed themselves once I got to wear them on the range. While it doesn’t afford the feeling of shooting barehanded, I nonetheless really liked how the leather trigger finger tip overlay felt when squeezing a trigger. The grip pattern also does a phenomenal job of keeping a weapon’s pistol grip firmly planted when shooting. Likewise, it makes racking a slide markedly easier than doing so barehanded. All in all, the rugged and robust feel of these gloves actually reminded me a lot of some of the lightweight motorcycle riding gloves that I’ve used over the years — a fact that I think speaks volumes about their overall quality and construction.  

Verdict: Though they do possess a few minor downsides, the Outdoor Research Ironsight Sensor Gloves offer solid protection and an elevated level of grip that bolsters traction to an astonishing degree — and that’s before even factoring in the pair’s excellent materials and build quality. 

Magpul Patrol Glove 2.0

Best Shooting Glove: Since first hitting the market, the Magpul Patrol Gloves has stood as some of the finest tactical mitts that money can buy. Despite already being a stellar product, the Colorado-based team at Magpul opted to return to the drawing board and deliver a new and improved generation of these items in the form of the Magpul Patrol Gloves 2.0. Cut from a combination of high-denier nylon and goatskin leather, the second-generation Patrol Gloves were designed primarily for shooting, but still boast a level of versatility that puts most of the other gloves I tested to shame — and by a pretty huge margin too. 

Typically speaking, there’s a tradeoff when dealing with tactical gloves. The better dexterity a pair affords, the worse protection it will usually offer — and vis versa. Magpul has somehow managed to deliver the best of both worlds with a zero-compromise pair of tactical gloves that afford ample protection while still offering remkarbale levels of tactile feel. The fortification these gloves offer is owed to their leather palms, overlays, and reinforcements, coupled with their closed cell foam knuckle padding and padded overlays at the side of the fist. This pair also benefits from the use of the brand’s signature Magpul Gun Gusset between the trigger finger and thumb — a detail that bolsters both comfort and durability, while also preventing slide bite. 

I liked these gloves a lot and was impressed with how they performed in my tests, though it wasn’t until getting to the shooting range and firing with them that I realized just how stellar they are for shooting — and how clear it was that the individuals that designed them possess an enormous amount of experience and knowledge of shooting. At the end of the day, there’s just a lot to like about Magpul’s Patrol Gloves 2.0. The construction feels super premium, both the materials and how well they’ve been pieced together, and they don’t compromise or restrict mobility or range of motion in any way whatsoever. More importantly, they also offer the best dexterity and tactile feel of any glove I tested — closely followed by the Stone Glacier Mirka Gloves and PIG (FDT) Delta Gloves. 

The fixed wrist of these gloves does make them harder to put on than gloves with a Velcro closure, though the elasticized wrist allows them to open up quite a bit, plus there’s a reinforced leather loop pull tab at the base of the cuff that’s supplemented by a pair of interior pull tabs. Aside from this, the only other complaint I have with these gloves is the fact that only its thumbs are compatible with the touchscreen of smartphones. Having said that, these very minor downsides don’t in any way come close to outweighing this pair’s litany of strengths, as they truly are some of the finest tactical gloves I’ve ever seen or used. 

Verdict: Magpul’s Patrol Glove 2.0 stands as not only one of the greatest pairs of tactical gloves on the market, but they’re also almost certainly the best option for those solely looking for a pair to use for shooting. 

5.11 Tactical Competition Primaloft Insulated Glove

Best Insulated Glove: 5.11 Tactical typically produces solid gear at an affordable price. These pieces of kit offer excellent value, though tend not to perform at quite as high of a level as more premium gear. You’d never know this from using 5.11’s Competition Primaloft Insulated Glove, as it affords a level of performance, construction, and build quality that’s more typical of elite military gear brands like Triple Aught Design and Arc’teryx LEAF. The Competition Primaloft Insulated Glove is crafted around a proprietary TAC-DRY shell with a brushed fleece lining, 40 grams of Primaloft Gold insulation, neoprene knuckle padding, and touchscreen-compatible E-suede fingertips. 

5.11 describes its TAC-DRY shell as being windproof and water resistant, so when I dunked my hand into a bucket of ice water with the glove on, I expected to feel the frigid water permeating the construction after a few seconds. Approximately 30 seconds later, I could start to feel some of the cold of the surrounding liquid the glove was submerged in, but it never allowed any water to make its way inside the glove or fingers. Not only did it stand up to water, but the glove is also surprisingly resistant to slash’s and cuts. I even tried running the blade of a Microtech knife — one of the sharpest factory edges in my entire collection — and it didn’t cut the glove or even leave a scratch or visible line of any kind. 

I found the gloves to be super warm and cozy thanks to both the brushed fleece liner and 40 grams of Primaloft insulation. They did leave my hands fairly sweaty after being worn for a prolonged period, though this was to be expected. More importantly, my testing revealed that they also do a pretty terrific job of keeping your hands warm without noticeably mitigating tactile response or dexterity. In fact, I thought the dexterity of these gloves were actually on par with several of the non-insulated gloves I tested — a pretty remarkable feat considering the fact they’re stuffed with insulation unlike every other tactical glove on this list. In addition to the padding across the knuckles, 5.11’s Competition Primaloft Insulated Glove also sports a padded guard and gusset between trigger finger and thumb that provides stellar slide-bite protection while shooting, plus helps to absorb a bit of recoil at the same time. 

Despite a fixed entry, the elasticized wrist of these 5.11 Tactical gloves make entry and exit an absolute breeze. The elasticized cuff is stretchy enough to easily let your hand slip in, while being firm enough to provide a snug fit once your hands have entered the things. There’s also a reinforced nylon webbing pull tab that hugely assists in this area. And, while it admittedly doesn’t have any bearing or impact on how they perform, I am a fan of the subtle topographical pattern adorning the top of these gloves. These gloves are also made all the more impressive by the fact that they’re sold at a price of just $40. 

Verdict: 5.11 Tactical’s Competition Primaloft Insulated Glove offers the perfect blend of protection and warmth, without overly mitigating dexterity — making this an obvious go-to pair from anyone looking for a winter-ready glove. 

Stone Glacier Mirka Gloves

Best Premium Glove: Stone Glacier is one of the best-kept secrets in the tactical and hunting segments, as the Bozeman brand produces a wide range of world-class backpacks, clothing, and accessories — all of which are meticulously designed and crafted from high-end materials. For proof, look no further than SG’s Mirka Gloves. Secured via adjustable Velcro wrist straps, the Mirka Gloves are constructed around a nylon shell that features AX synthetic suede palm and fingers, touchscreen compatible thumb and trigger finger tips, goatskin leather palm reinforcements, a nylon and spandex back, articulated knuckles, and perforated fingers and palms.  

The Stone Glacier Mirka Gloves were the first pair of tactical gloves that I tested, and early on I found myself being fairly impressed with them, though it ultimately wasn’t until trying out every other pair on our list that I became fully aware of just how fantastic Stone Glacier’s tactical gloves truly are. These gloves feature protective overlays not only across the palm, but also on the side of the fist, plus sport a fully articulated design and strategically placed seams in fingers that together massively bolster range of motion and dexterity. I had no problem flipping a butterfly knife or handling 4mm bits, and I even found that I could comfortably type while wearing them without my fingers accidentally hitting the wrong keys. 

When I got to use these gloves on the range, I found myself liking them even more. The padding and overlays on the inside of the palm and thumb are perfectly placed for grasping a pistol grip, and the construction of the pointer finger affords the feeling of shooting barehanded when squeezing a trigger. This was all the more impressive to me when considering the level of protection that they afford — as stellar dexterity usually comes at the cost of being less protective, yet the team at Stone Glacier have managed to deliver a pair that doesn’t really comprise in either area. In fact, I’d say the Mirka Gloves’ ability to balance dexterity and protection is the most special thing about them. 

After testing the Stone Glacier Mirka Gloves, I only uncovered two very small areas of complaint. Though they are perforated throughout, I nonetheless found my hands getting a little sweaty after wearing them for more than a few minutes at a time. This area was nowhere near as bad as some of the other gloves I tested, but it was still a downside that I took note of while using them. Second, these gloves don’t come cheap. Their price is fairly steep, though I’d actually argue it’s wholly justifiable based on their material selection and overall build quality. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, these gloves are well worth the financial premium.

Verdict: The Stone Glacier Mirka Gloves are a more premium take on standard tactical gloves that afford a superb combination of protection and tactile response — making this the obvious pair to get, assuming you don’t mind shelling out just a bit of extra cash. 

Mechanix Wear TAA M-Pact 3 Covert

Best Impact-Resistant Glove: After Mechanix Wear’s regular mechanics gloves became exceedingly popular amongst military personnel, the company opted to start producing tactical gloves aimed specifically at operators — such as the Mechanix Wear TAA M-Pact 3 Covert. Equipped with motorcycle glove-style knuckle armor, these gloves feature 3mm EVA accordion padding, internal fingertip reinforcements, and synthetic leather palms and fingertips. A lightly elasticized cuff has also been paired with an adjustable Velcro closure that together afford a super-snug fit every time — plus small nylon carrier loops double as effective pull tabs, making entry and exiting even easier.  

One of my favorite aspects of this glove is the super beefy padded gun gusset in between the thumb and forefinger, as it mitigates slide bite and provides some cushioning against recoil when popping off rounds.  Plus, the TAA M-Pact 3 Covert is also machine washable, and all of its fingertips are touchscreen compatible — unlike most of the other gloves on this list that only sport touchscreen-friendly thumb and trigger fingertips. Meeting EN 13594 impact standards, these gloves’ TPR knuckle guards feature underlying padding that further absorbs impacts. I even tried punching a brick wall at half-force and didn’t feel any pain whatsoever. 

Though Mechanix Wear’s TAA M-Pact 3 Covert does afford incredibly robust levels of protection, this immense fortification comes at a cost as all this protection does limit dexterity. This isn’t a problem when handling larger tools, weapons, or equipment, but is noticeable when carrying our finer, more delicate tasks that require more finesse or dexterity. Finer tasks such as handling bits or flipping a Balisong was exceedingly difficult when wearing these — though they no doubt make up for this by just how great they feel when handling a weapon. The cushiony nature of these also unsurprisingly resulted in these being if of, if not the single most comfortable pair of tactical gloves that I tested. 

As much as there is to like about Mechanix Wear’s TAA M-Pact 3 Covert gloves, this pair isn’t without a few minor downsides — above and beyond being a bit lacking in dexterity. While I only spotted a few loose threads over the course of my testing, it was still pretty obvious that this is a pair of mass-produced gloves, as they simply lack the more meticulous construction of some of its pricier counterparts. This would be okay in my eyes if they were sold at a much lower price, but at just over $90, this is a real sticking point for me, as they’re definitely lacking in craftsmanship compared to other tactical gloves I tested like the Stone Glacier Mirka Gloves, PIG (FDT) Delta Gloves, and Magpul Patrol Glove 2.0. 

Verdict: If outright protection is your top priority, you’ll almost certainly want to opt for a pair of Mechanix Wear’s TAA M-Pact 3 Covert, as they offer incredible levels of fortification while still affording enough dexterity to handle most weapons and mission equipment. 

Tactical Gloves Comparison Chart

What Exactly Are Tactical Gloves?

Typically engineered for military personnel and law enforcement officers, tactical gloves are a genre of protective gloves that aim to fortify their wearer’s hands while still affording enough dexterity to easily operate a weapon, mission equipment, or electronics. In many ways, tactical gloves are similar to work gloves or mechanics gloves in the way they must balance fortification and tactile feel, though they typically differ in terms of features, with tac-gloves usually sporting tactical-specific features and amenities such as hard knuckle protection, stealthy or military-style color ways, and reinforced gussets between the trigger finger and thumb that are designed specifically for shooting. Additionally, a great many tactical gloves also boast grip patterns that are laid out specifically to accommodate holding the grip or handle of a weapon. 

What To Consider When Shopping

Assuming you haven’t spent the last few decades serving as an elite operator, there are a handful of finer points regarding tactical gloves that you may not be aware of. In a bid to help the uninitiated, we’ve pieced together this condensed guide on the most important areas to review before pulling the trigger on your purchase. 

Primary Construction: Just like with any quality tactical bag or jacket, a pair of tactical glove’s primary material — or shell construction — plays an enormous role in determining its overall quality. Typically speaking, most modern tac-gloves are crafted around shells composed of real or synthetic leather or high-denier nylons. As what’s essentials the chassis and main element of the glove, it’s hard to overstate the significance of a tactile glove’s primary construction — making this an area that’s beyond crucial to review when shopping. 

Inserts & Overlays: After the gloves’ shell construction, the next most important element is undoubtedly the secondary materials used. Often comprised of inserts or overlays, these items afford gloves with comfort and performance-enhancing qualities through the addition of stretch patches, or fortify the glove’s seams and construction via reinforcements or overlays made of more rugged materials. 

Protection & Feel: Tactical gloves have an interesting balancing act to pull off, as they need to thoroughly protect their wearer’s hands, however, they also need to afford enough tactile feel that they don’t compromise their wearer’s ability to operate weaponry or equipment. The more robust protective gloves tend to sacrifice some response and feel, like the more lightweight gloves afford markedly better feel, they do so at the cost of protection. At the end of the day. This area is all about striking a balance based on your particular needs and intended uses. 

Padding & Armor: Another area that separates tactical gloves fro your average mitts is the presence of padding and armor. This can include everything from padding along the palms and tops of the fingers and back of hands, to motorcycle glove-style knuckle armor. It’s also not uncommon to see gloves that sport cutting-edge armor or impact-absorbing constructions such as D30. 

Supplementary Features: Tactical gloves tend to be fairly straight forward in their design. With that said, some models do come outfitted with supplementary features. This can include everything from thumb-integrated sweat wipe panels to hanging loops to touchscreen-compatible fingertips. 

Honorable Mentions

Equipped with a polyamide and polyethylene construction supplemented with ventilated AX suede, the Oakley Factory Lite 2.0 Glove is undoubtedly one of the best pairs of tactical gloves on the market, benefitting from features such as touchscreen-compatible fingertips, a tackified print adorning the palms, and a compression-molded index panel, just to name a few. TAA-compliant tac-gloves admittedly afford solid performance and solid value, though they just weren’t quite special enough to receive a main pick slot on this guide — resulting in a very honorable mention. 

From pants to tactical backpacks, Eberlestock makes some of the best modern military kit on the market, so it frankly came as no surprise to learn the brand also makes some of the best tactical gloves currently available. Cut from a combination of Nomex and Kevlar and reinforced with goatskin leather, the Eberlestock Prowl Glove is another fantastic pair of shooting gloves — plus with a current price of just $20, they arguably  offer the best value of any pair of tactical gloves on the market. As great as they are for shooting, the Prowl Glove sadly lacks the versatility of some of our other main picks, which is why we opted to include this pair only as an honorable mention — though one that’s still worth considering when shopping in this space, especially if your’e on a tight budget.

Sporting a soft-shell design with leather reinforcements, the Arc’Teryx LEAF Rope Glove is a super rugged yet breathable pair of tactical work gloves that are largely characterized by their premium materials and build quality, and their immense versatility. Sadly, Arc LEAF’s offerings are often only available to active military and law enforcement personnel, which lead to problems when it came time to source a pair for review. Unable to get hands-on with these gloves for testing, we’ve decided to include them as an honorable mention. 

Engineered from the ground up specifically for use on the range, the Vertx Move To Contact Glove comes loaded with a host of tactical-specific amenities like an integrated leather slide guard and a trigger guard pad. It doesn’t end there, however, as the MTC Glove also benefits from the use of both D30 armor and Oiltac goatskin tech. With only so many slots for main picks on this guide, these admittedly stellar gloves were sadly relegated to being an honorable mention — though of all of our honorable mentions, this pair came closest to earning a main slot on the above guide. 

Tested: The Best Tactical Pens To Carry Everyday

Want to check out some another curated selection of tactical kit? Then be sure to head over to our guide to the best tactical pens for a handpicked list of everyday carry-ready writing instruments that can double as defensive striking weapons or window-breakers when in a pinch.