Gardening can be a lot of fun, it can calm you, relax you, and is a great way to clear your head, blow off steam. For some, it’s an awesome, perhaps lesser appreciated way to indulge in your creativity. To make for a successful garden, though, you must invest in the best equipment. This includes the best leaf shredder, the best pruning shears, and the best gardening gloves.
Novices and those less passionate about how their garden grows may not think it’s too big of a deal, they might even laugh at you for seeming so over-prepared, but they won’t be laughing when their hands and arms do their finest pin cushion impression courtesy of thorns, thistles, and the occasional cactus. Gardening gloves are practical, protective, and tough enough to tackle whatever your garden’s perfection demands. Plus, if you know how to rock them right, they can be stylish, too, which doesn’t change much but is always useful to know.
The Best Gardening Gloves
1Magid Glove & Safety Professional Gardening Gloves
In a wide range of sizes and a couple of attractive colorways, these professional-grade gloves from one of America’s leading manufacturers of industrial and safety personal protective equipment will definitely prevent any unwanted thorn pricks. The Bella glove from Magid Glove & Safety is all about providing next-level protection thanks to a glove featuring a puncture-resistant padded palm alongside reinforced yet flexible fingertips. In a lovely little whimsical design touch, the fingers have a grippy floral motif printed on them for an even more confident and secure feel.
These longer length gauntlet style gardening gloves come up to the elbows to provide adequate protection to the entire forearm from any potential stinging or scratching of thorny bushes and shrubbery. The knuckle sections are reinforced for extra protection whole the addition of form-fitting spandex to the palms of the gloves ensures plenty of flexibility and comfort to carry out the most delicate of pruning jobs. These are a stylish, durable, and high-quality pair of gardening gloves, absolutely ideal for the professional rose gardener. You may also like some of these amazing anti vibration gloves from our list, so check them out.
Durable puncture resistant design with reinforced yet flexible fingertips
Gauntlet style provides complete protection to the entire forearm
Padded knuckle guards for extra thorn protection
Comfortable and flexible form-fitting spandex design
Grippy fingertips with floral printed motif
- BrandMagid Glove & Safety
- ModelBE195TM
- Weight0.64 ounces
2Exemplary Gardens Rose Pruning Gardening Gloves
Rose gardening is highly therapeutic, and there is no greater satisfaction than seeing beautiful budded roses, blossoming into life. They make for a gorgeous floral display both in your garden and in your home but tending and pruning them isn’t without its dangers. From thorn pricks to scratches and worse still, the rose gardeners disease known as sporotrichosis. If you are serious about your gardening and in particular adore maintaining roses, then you need adequate protection, whether you have delicate skin or not.
These Exemplary gardening gloves are constructed from premium quality goatskin leather combined with a long protective gauntlet section made from cowhide suede. The combination of both these durable materials ensures that both hands and forearms are supremely protected up to your elbows. They’re puncture resistant yet pliable and flexible to that you can still retain the dexterity you require to complete those delicate pruning jobs around the garden.
100% premium puncture-resistant goatskin construction
Flexible and protective extended split cuff design
Soft lanolin infused texture moisturizes and soothes even sensitive skin
Ergonomically designed thumb section supports the handling of tools
Unisex gauntlet design for protection up to the elbows
- BrandExemplary Gardens
- ModelEXGA01
- Weight8.5 ounces
3Pine Tree Tool Bamboo Gardening Gloves
The Pine Tree Tool Bamboo Working Gloves aren’t just a sustainable and (we’ll admit: surprisingly) effective option, they’re also mighty cheap while still maintaining the excellent quality necessary for successful pruning and picking. The bamboo construction is breathable, which is awesome news for those who garden in warmer, perhaps suffocating, climates or anyone who likes to spend all day with their hands in the bush. We understand these aren’t mutually exclusive though.
Despite the excellent protection they offer, they’re designed in such a way it doesn’t feel you’re wearing gloves, which may take some getting used to on a psychological level, and could cause some phantom pricks and pains at first. This bare hand sensitivity makes it easier to handle branches and the touchscreen-friendly features mean you can record your progress on your smartphone without removing the gloves. Isn’t technology great?
Breathable cooling bamboo fabric construction
Barehand sensitivity with touchscreen responsiveness
Durable, abrasion-resistant hand protection
Naturally moisture absorbent and anti-bacterial
Full range of sizes available for a snug second-skin fit
- BrandPine Tree Tools
- Weight1.6 ounces
4G & F 5013M JustForKids Kids Genuine Leather Work Gloves
From G&F products, these real suede gloves are designed and manufactured from precisely the same high quality textured materials as the full adult-sized work gloves. They’re an ideal choice for any parent wanting to get their child engaged in either gardening or workshop activities for parent-child twinning in style. They’re made from cowhide leather and feature protective shirred wrists which keep unwanted dirt and debris out.
These brown leather gloves are comfortable and breathable to wear and feature a flexible keystone thumb for plenty of flexibility and dexterity to carry out versatile chores around the garden, home, and workshop. Available in two sizes to fit 4-6 years olds and 7-11-year-olds, if you feel it’s about time that you committed as a family to do more activities together, why not purchase these essential gardening gloves and get your little one off to a green-fingered start in life? You will be able to enjoy hours of digging, weeding and pruning together, bonding over the rose bushes and creating healthy outdoor habits.
High-quality premium cowhide leather construction
Designed with a protective shirred wrist
Available in two sizes to fit 4-6 and 7-11-year-olds
Same texture, quality and attention to detail as adult gardening gloves
Keystone thumb design for added dexterity
- BrandG & F Products
- Model5013
- Weight2.4 ounces
5FirTree Leather Gardening Gloves
For the best gardening gloves, the ones that cover all the basics, all the needs, and requirements and give you a simple, no-nonsense but also an effective option, the FirTree Leather Gardening Gloves are the one for you. If you’re new to the gardening game, they are an excellent way to dip your finger in without breaking the bank, nor going too cheap you may not be properly protected when things get spiky.
The durable goatskin leather provides protection but also isn’t too tough it restricts movement, so you keep that necessary dexterity while still having the confidence to prune and pick and tug and tear like your life depends on it. As for your arms, it comes with equally durable cowhide sleeves, which help ensure there are no nasty surprises when reaching into the dark and mysterious world of your rose bush.
Genuine goatskin leather for ultimate protection and dexterity
Durable cowhide sleeve covers arm up to the elbow
Sturdy but soft
Puncture resistant and capable of handling cactus, prickly bushes, and poison ivy
- BrandFirTree Brand
- Model78604
- Weight6.4 ounces
6Legacy Gardens Leather Gardening Gloves
The Legacy Gardens Leather Gardening Gloves are our final pick for today and like all great gardening accessories (gloves or not) they’re reliable, durable, and easy to use. The simple pull-on design reaches all the way to your elbows, unless you’re a long-armed dude, protecting you from scrapes and punctures where other, shorter gloves would fail miserably.
The fun doesn’t stop there though. For convenience, they’re as flexible as they are comfortable, with the natural goat leather perfect for withstanding prickly thorns and twigs which are sure to ruin any day of gardening. Should something terrible happen, the hypoallergenic and antibacterial design will prevent infections or further issues, and its breathability contributes to longer gardening sessions and fewer breaks, so you can get your work done quickly and efficiently.
Keeps hands soft and safe from scrapes and punctures with long forearm sleeves
Flexible, comfortable, and durable with natural goat leather construction
Breathable design, hypoallergenic and antibacterial
Capable of handling rocks, twigs, sticks, and thorns with ease
- BrandLegacy Gardens
- Weight1.44 ounces
Gardening Gloves Buying Guide
How We Chose Our Selection Of Best Gardening Gloves
Brand - Gardening is serious business, so it only makes sense we found the best gardening gloves from the best brands out there. This time, we’ve brought you an exclusive list that doesn’t overlap, shows no bias to any one brand, but instead a selection of the top brands that are guaranteed to provide excellent results. These brands may not be too well-known outside of the gardening bubble, but those who know their gardening accessories will attest there aren’t any better.
Reviews - We like to be a little ahead of the seasons so you’ve got the best products in time for when you’ll need them instead of halfway through, by which point it’s almost pointless. The problem with this, though, is that we’re unable to test out these products properly. To overcome this, we rely on the wonders of customer reviews.
These reviews are written by real people who are experienced in gardening, know what to look for, and what sets good gloves apart from great gloves. Without them, we’d just be blindly shooting and picking products at random, and that wouldn’t be good for anyone
Price - As much as we want to find the best products, we also want to consider the price of these products and while it’s tempting to go for a list of expensive, premium options or a list of cheap, budget ones, we’d prefer to have a decent range to appeal to everyone.
We understand that it’s not always within everyone’s budget or needs to splash out on the most expensive gear, so we’ve found the best products from each price range to appeal to as many people as possible.
Quality - We all know how crucial quality products are for anything but it’s especially important when doing heavy-duty work. It’s essential that the right materials are used to provide the best experience possible, and with gardening gloves, this includes reliability, durability, protection bit also offering comfort through breathability and fit.
Without this, it's likely the gloves will get used once - maybe twice if we’re being generous - and then never again, which costs both you and the company money in the long run.
Features To Look For In Top Gardening Gloves
Material - Material is perhaps the most important feature of your gardening gloves as it must be capable of withstanding the rigors of gardening while also allowing you to operate as if you’re not wearing gloves at all. There is a fine balance to find, but what’s the most effective is goat leather, cowhide, bamboo, and even latex will suffice, offering both the protection and comfort necessary.
This material for your rose gloves should be tough enough to protect you from thorns and similar potentially painful parts of the garden as otherwise, you may as well just dive in with your bare hands. Please don’t do that though.
You should also consider waterproof gardening gloves which aren’t just useful when the heavens open, but also if you’re dealing with wet branches and soil, as there are few things less comfortable than working with sodden hands.
Gauntlet - The gauntlet sleeve helps protect your arms from thorns and thistles. Not all gardening gloves have this gauntlet, and not all of them need one, but if you’re working with deep, tricky bushes with long thorns, the gauntlet is crucial to preventing scratches and similar injuries.
For fully effective gauntlets, ensure they are long enough to reach your elbow, covering the entirety of your forearms, otherwise you won’t get the protection necessary for hassle-free de-weeding and gardening.
Flexibility - As much as your gloves must be tough and protect you, they should also be flexible and not hinder your dexterity. With some gloves, this can be a problem, as they are too thick to adequately serve you, and end up with you losing your grip because you can’t hold things firmly enough.
The more flexible the material, the better you will feel when gardening. With it, you can tear plants and branches as easily as you can operate garden tools without risking injury. Not only does it make your gardening more straightforward, but it also gives you better confidence, as you know you’ll be safe whatever you work with.
Durability - We hope that anything we buy will last for a long time, and with the demands of pulling weeds and tearing out thorny branches, this is especially important for gardening gloves. It doesn’t matter if you wear them every day or just twice a year, you still want to ensure they last as long as possible.
Durability is determined by the material and the stitching and construction, to ensure they’re well made before buying them. If you know you’ll use them often, it’s probably worth it to splash out on the more expensive, high-quality models for your peace of mind.
Breathability - Gardening can be tiring work, so buying a pair of gardening gloves that provide excellent breathability will go a long way towards ensuring a comfortable, stress-free day in the yard. The warmer your hands are, the less fun you’re likely to have, and you will need to take breaks more frequently to prevent overheating.
Not only is this inconvenient, but it also means you’ll spend more time in the garden and take much longer to complete your work. If you’re doing domestic clearing, then this may not be a problem, but if it’s a professional job for a client, you don’t want to take too long.
Health - On the off chance you suffer a small injury when gardening, it helps to have a pair of gloves which won’t cause further damage. If you’re really concerned about this, you can invest in gloves which are both hypoallergenic and antibacterial, which prevents a build up of disease and potential infection through dirt, bugs, and other things you might encounter in the garden.
It’s still wise to be extra vigilant though, and you shouldn’t rely solely on the antibacterial features to keep you protected from infection. If you suffer an injury, remember to clean the wound to protect yourself even further and save any injuries getting worse.
Weight - Gardening gloves that are too heavy will end up fatiguing your arms and cause discomfort, especially for larger clearing and gardening jobs. You should ensure your gloves are tough and sturdy, but also lightweight enough so they don’t become a hindrance.
Types of Best Gardening Gloves
There are several types of gardening gloves for you to consider and the kind you choose may depend on what you need them for.
Leather - Leather gloves are perhaps the most reliable type available. They are tough, sturdy, and durable and also offer excellent protection through sticks, stones, and thorns. However, some leather gloves aren’t flexible enough for a catch-all gardening solution and so could restrict your movement and dexterity if you don’t invest in a high-quality pair.
Their thickness helps protect your hands, though, and if you buy gloves with wrist and forearm gauntlets, then you’ve got excellent protection from potential garden dangers.
Cotton - You can find cotton gardening gloves anywhere, especially at your local hardware and home improvement store. They are cheap and useful for the more casual gardener who won’t spend all day tending to their bushes.
They aren’t perfect though (what is?) and while they are breathable and lightweight enough to provide decent comfort and cleanliness; they aren’t as tough as leather gloves so you could end up with a few pricks from thorn bushes. They are not waterproof, which could cause discomfort if you go digging in damp soil.
Disposable - As the name suggests, disposable gardening gloves aren’t meant to be used more than once. In fact, you could even say they aren’t technically gardening gloves. That being said, they’re still useful to have for quick gardening tasks that require little heavy lifting or protection such as collecting leaves or even light pruning.
You can find them at your local supermarket or pharmacy and can throw them out when done. If you’re concerned about the environmental impact (as you should be) look for disposable gloves which are biodegradable if possible.
Rubber - Rubber gloves are an excellent option for working in wet conditions because of their waterproof nature. Along with leather, they’re the most weatherproof options for you, and will also keep the heat in, especially when dealing with damp ground.
This isn’t always a good thing, though and the tightness of rubber gloves can prevent breathability needed for all-day gardening, making your hands sweaty and making you wish you’d not bothered. Different types of rubber gloves are available, so don’t get them confused with dishwashing gloves, as these won’t be as useful in the yard.
Stretchy - A mixture of cotton and lycra, stretchy gardening gloves are well-fitted and elasticated for easy removal while still offering a decent amount of breathability. They’re comfortable, long-lasting, and won’t cause blisters if you work with them all day. If you need an all-purpose pair of gloves, then this hybrid option is an excellent choice that’s typically a little cheaper than other products.
Sources
- I’m 35 and I love gardening. Deal with it - The Guardian
- 5 Types of Garden Gloves - HGTV
