Topic inspired by the Equipment/Barbed Wire thread:
I go through absolutely loads of gloves each year as a gardener and on my land. I thought I'd see what you all use as well and see if there are any definite recommends.
I use or have used various fabric gloves, for dexterity, with rubbery/plastic coating to palms and fingers, fabric gloves with faux leather palms/fingers for much the same reason, rigger gloves (I'm sure we've all bought a pair of these along the way) for extra protection, as well as all-leather light/medium/heavy weight gloves/gauntlets.
I have yet to buy any advertised as hypodermic needle proof (or whatever they call them).
I do also use disposable vinyl gloves for equipment greasing operations and the like (leaving aside Cv-19 issues), but they are not what I’m interested in hearing about here.
I've stopped buying rigger gloves as they tend to fall apart all too easily at their many seams (no matter where I've bought them from) and the quality of leather parts is variable (vis a vis handling thorns and the like).
If the rubbery/plastic coating to fabric glove palms/fingers is even slightly tacky to the touch I don't buy those any more: they are very likely to stick to themselves in storage than not.
I’m not a great fan of the premium price ‘Briers’ brand: their quite pricey gauntlets I bought were ripped apart in short shrift by some brambles, BUT they do actually do some really good grey/yellow fabric/rubber-plasticy gloves for lighter work that I bought at Trago Mills discount store.
I also have some Acegrip Lite fabric/rubbery/plasticy (textured) gloves that are pretty good and, I would say, even more comfortable to wear for long periods for light weeding and the like.
Re light-weight leather (sorry veggie/vegan TAS members): they can be pretty much used all-round apart from pruning nasty plants. However, weeding wears out finger tips quite soon and they are relatively expensive compared to fabric/rubber for that use. I’ve been buying mine (goat-skin) from Mole Valley Farmers @ £10-£12 I think. Not any more though: I plonked a pair on top of car roof and forgot they were there and they are now history. So, I’ve just ordered 3x pairs at some £17 total ont' web for Vgo brand pig-skin gloves. I’ll report on those idc.
Re medium-weight leather: well, the Stanley drivers’ gloves via Screwfix are, I would say, hard to beat at £6 a pair. Nuff said.
Really tough leather gloves tend to be gauntlets: not sure of branding of my welders’ gloves, but they are well-thick and can cope with pretty much anything - except that they do not allow easy hand/finger manipulation of anything!
What are you using & can recommend for various degrees of gloved protection at a decent price?