Gloves are an essential tool for corrections officers. Working in corrections often involves challenging manual tasks that require reliable gear. Whether you’re conducting cell searches, handling contraband, escorting inmates, or responding to emergencies, you need tactical gloves that enable you to perform your duties effectively while protecting your hands from harsh environments and the risks inherent in the job. Corrections gloves must provide safety and comfort without hindering your ability to work efficiently in demanding conditions.
Four areas define a tactical glove’s ability to do its job effectively: Durability, comfort, grip and dexterity. Let’s look at each of these before we get to my list of some of the best tactical gloves:
- Durability: A good set of gloves should have durable palm construction, and the fingertip areas should allow good feeling while lasting for several months of patrol work.
- Comfort: Gloves should fit comfortably without being too tight. They should provide a good range of motion while fitting snug enough to wear during physical activity. Fingertips should fit well without digging into your fingernails or preventing you from using your handcuff key to double lock a set of handcuffs. They should breathe and wick moisture away from your hands to keep your hands warm on cold days and cool on hot days.
- Grip: Gloves don’t need to be capable of scaling tall buildings, but they do need to help us maintain our grip on important items like handcuff keys, pens and inmates.
- Dexterity: Gloves shouldn’t feel clumsy or restrict your range of motion. With the number of touchscreens we use on a regular basis, gloves need to be compatible with all our touchscreen devices. Seams need to be placed in areas that don’t interfere with the ability to operate a computer, handcuff keys, radio mics, or writing notes.
Keeping those four primary features in mind, here is my list of the best tactical gloves available today, which include breathable gloves for long shifts and gloves with touchscreen capability.
5.11 Competition Shooting 2.0 Glove
This 5.11 Competition Shooting 2.0 Glove packs all the features necessary to protect your hands from jagged obstacles and other perils found at work. Constructed from nylon ribspan with breathable four-way stretch, these gloves retain flexibility and keep you comfortable through hot summer shifts. Touchscreen-compatible palms are constructed from tough synthetic suede, with taper-wrap fingertips and a ring-cut trigger finger. Breathable and padded knuckles at the index and middle finger provide added protection where needed most. When the action heats up, you’ll appreciate the sweat wipe panel on the thumb. The adjustable hook and loop wrist closure keeps the gloves secure so you can bring your best with the 5.11 Competition Shooting 2.0 Glove.
First Tactical Medium Duty Padded Glove
In the world of tactical gloves, First Tactical’s Medium Duty Padded Glove is ahead of the pack by offering protection and durability without sacrificing mobility. Expect control and comfort with a full range of motion to perform during any scenario that comes your way. The palm is constructed of durable goatskin. When soiled, simply launder, air dry and wear again for long-term utility. The midweight, snag-proof, stretch-woven materials offer a precision fit and professional appearance. The knuckles have closed cell foam padding that is perforated offering bacteria-resistant ventilation while keeping your knuckles sufficiently protected. TouchTac fingertip engineering gives you a better fit with a seamless wrap-around index finger design that is touchscreen-friendly and more sensitive than ever before for even greater efficiency and performance.
First Tactical Women’s Lightweight Patrol Glove
Finally, female officers are getting great tactical gear made specifically for them. First Tactical’s Women’s Lightweight Patrol Glove offers all the benefits of the men’s glove but is designed and fit for women. It combines durability and precision so you can perform with top speed and accuracy. The machine washable goatskin palm and lightweight, snag-proof, stretch woven fabric for precision fit and professional appearance combine for the ultimate in durability, grip and comfort. You’ll never have to worry about a slip of grip or cumbersome fit. The advanced design and engineering around the fingertips give you a better fit for even greater efficiency and performance, with a seamless wrap-around index finger design that is touchscreen-friendly and more sensitive than ever before. Whatever the task at hand, this glove will perform.
Mechanix Wear Specialty Vent Covert
Hot or humid conditions can cause sweaty hands leading to the loss of valuable control in the field. The Mechanix Wear Specialty Vent Covert gloves offer a low-profile thermoplastic rubber (TPR) closure that provides a secure fit to the wrist while the lightweight mesh allows cool air to circulate throughout the glove. The fingers are ventilated to help keep you dry and cool while a micro-fleece sweat wipe is available for those hot days. Expandable flex joints improve overall finger mobility. Even the palm is ventilated to help keep your hands cool on patrol. The Mechanix Wear Specialty Vent Covert gloves are machine-washable and include nylon loops to hang and dry. Specialty Vent shooting gloves are also touchscreen capable, so you’re always connected in the field.
Ironclad Caliber Standard Duty
Designed with uncompromised dexterity, for effectiveness in the field, the Ironclad Caliber Standard Duty gloves feature a sheepskin palm with pre-curved finger construction for added dexterity. The backs of the gloves are made of highly breathable, stretchy spandex for a great fit and lasting comfort. The wrist closure has a hook and loop closure allowing easy entry and a secure, comfortable fit. The wrist also has a unique watch contour providing extra room for your watch without bunching or pinching your wrist as well as a carabiner hole to hang the gloves to dry. The fingers and thumb are touchscreen-compatible, so they don’t slow you down.
Oakley Standard Issue Flexion 2.0 Glove
For a glove that protects while maintaining dexterity, Oakley’s Flexion 2.0 Glove is a great choice. With a layered exterior of flexible molded TPR, the Flexion 2.0 offers protection from blunt impact or abrasion. The palm is padded for gripping and conducting heavy work while being ventilated for breathability. Fingertips are lined with touchscreen-compatible material for use with all smart devices. This glove is water-repellent and wind-resistant to keep you comfortable in uncomfortable environments. An aggressive glove for high-impact environments, the Flexion 2.0 Glove doesn’t mess around.
221B Tactical EXXTREMITY Patrol Gloves 2.0
Designed specifically for first responders, the EXXTREMITY Patrol Gloves 2.0 incorporate the features you want and need. Designed and built by a police officer, the EXXTREMITY Patrol Gloves 2.0 feature a high-quality nylon shell along with a supple and durable synthetic leather palm. Unique hook and loop fasteners on both the right and left gloves are designed as an attachment point for the 221B Tactical LED 250-lumen flashlight. Smart-Touch fingertips allow for touchscreen usage. The hook and loop wrist closures give you a custom fit and nylon loops at the wrists provide a way to hang them up to dry.
These gloves represent the best-of-the-best in the tactical glove market. Each of these tactical gloves includes features that every corrections officer needs while maintaining their unique designs. Most importantly, each of these officer gloves meets the demands officers will place on them in the important areas of durability, comfort, grip and dexterity. Check them out and see which one is right for you.
