You should buy the best sailing gloves to protect your hands when handling Sailing Lines (ropes), especially when hoisting or lowering Sails. Choose the type of gloves that are designed for sailing. These are the ones that are resistant to wear and tear when dealing with Lines. Sailing Gloves come in many types, so wear the pair that meets your needs.

Obviously, the best gloves are the ones that you feel comfortable with. But, in this article, we will take a look at some of them that we think are the best. 

Let’s Take A Look At Some Of The Best Sailing Gloves On The Market in 2020

Musto Performance – Best Overall Sailing Gloves

This is also a premium sailing glove available in both full-fingered and short-fingered versions. The glove delivers a combination of lightweight construction, excellent movement, and comfort. This is all thanks to the 4-way stretch dynamic mesh construction. The Grip-Flex palm offers extreme grip and the extended cuff offers added protection in comparison to other gloves.

They are made from: 70% Nylon, 19% PU, 6% Neoprene3% Spandex, 2% Synthetic rubber.

Gill Pro Glove

This is the Gill Pro Glove, the top performer in the Gill range. It comes with both a full-fingered and a fingerless version. On the back side, the glove is made from a quick-dry, 4-way stretch material and there is neoprene all the way around witch makes the glove very comfortable and flexible.

The front side of the glove is made from “proton”, a durable, abrasion-resistant material but because of the stitching, it is comfortable as well. The palm is made from dura-grip fabric; a rubbery material that adds some friction when handling sailing lines.

Buy Short-Fingered Version on Amazon
Buy Long-Fingered Version on Amazon

Harken Sport Classic

These are some simple sailing gloves that fit great, provide good grip and protect your hands. They are of great quality and fit great. They are also pretty durable for sailing gloves and can last for a couple of seasons. Keep in mind this gloves are for warm temperatures and don’t have any quick-dry fabric.

Sometimes they run a little small but when you first wear them they will feel a little snag anyway. As per pretty much any sailing glove, you will need to wear them for at least a couple of days before they open up.

Buy Short-Fingered Version on Amazon
Buy Long-Fingered Version on Amazon

Stormr Typhoon – Best Winter Neoprene Sailing Gloves

These gloves are great when sailing in cold weather, they will keep your hands warm and dry. They are 2mm thick neoprene with soft fleece lining on the inside which makes them very comfortable and waterproof. There is also a hexagonal pattern hi-grip palm which makes handling lines easier. Also, these gloves are highly flexible so, hand movement is never restricted.

They wear a little tight so I would recommend sizing up if you don’t want them to be too tight.

Slam Sailing Gloves – Best Cheap Gloves

These gloves are primarily made out of nylon, which provides durability and toughness. There are also made with 35% polyurethane fabric that offers great water resistance. The addition of some lycra also offers some flexibility and comfort while holding some heat.

They also come in two versions. One with the thumb and index finger exposed and the other with all five fingers being 3/4 length. 

Kamo Ultralight – Best Sailing Gloves For Women

These are the best sailing gloves for women that we found. They are stylish and colorful and are perfect for all kinds of purposes like Kayaking, Paddling and, of course, Sailing. These gloves are very lightweight and breathable. They come with silica gel, anti-slip particles with foam padding for maximum cushion. This offers great support, and a firm grip to prevent painful callus and blisters. Also, they dry quickly since they are made from Nylon cloth.

The best part is a little latch between the ring and middle finger for easy removal. The padding is thick but doesn’t interfere with your hand’s motion. Furthermore, they are also cheap so, they will not break the bank even if you sail a lot and you need multiple pairs.

How to Choose the Best Sailing Gloves for Your Needs

The term “sailing gloves” can cover a wide range of mitts, many designed for cold-weather use. We restricted ourselves to gloves meant for general sailing, although some of these gloves can provide some warmth in cold weather. Also, when buying sailing gloves, keep in mind that sea salt and friction don’t work well together. For that reason, expect that you will be needing a couple of pairs per season, depending on the type of sailing you are doing. That can be a good thing because you will soon figure out what are the best gloves for you and your needs. A good tip for making your gloves last longer is to wash them with fresh water and let them dry before storing them. Here are a few key characteristics you should keep an eye on.

Here Are the Factors You Need to Consider Before Buying Any Sailing Gloves:

• The material: The best sailing gloves have to boast an excellent material for added durability, dexterity, and comfort.
• The design: The design also has to be checked single we have the full-fingered, half-fingered, and hybrid options.
• The size: Consider the size of your hands if you want to have a great experience with your sailing gloves.

Types of Sailing Gloves

Materials

Most of what sailing gloves need to do is handle sailing lines (ropes). That means protecting your hand from lots of friction, which usually requires some variety of synthetic or real leather.

Synthetic leather is more affordable but tends to be less durable in the long run.

Real leather can be sourced from either cows or goats. Cowhide is more durable but harder, while goathide is flexible but less sturdy. Leather gloves can feel hard, but they can be quite comfortable, particularly in a hybrid construction.

Either material can be paired with a softer fabric like neoprene on the back of the hand. A hybrid design with stretch fabrics improves breathability, comfort, and dexterity.

Neoprene is a breathable, windproof and waterproof fabric that secures stable fit for best sensibility in any action while keeping your hands dry. Neoprene sailing gloves are good for colder days but NOT the top choice for really cold ones.

Finger Length

Sailing gloves will be either full-finger or half-finger (sometimes referred to as 3/4-finger).

Full-finger gloves are more protective but sacrifice some dexterity. For long sailing journeys, a good pair of full-finger gloves offer maximum protection.

Half-finger gloves keep more dexterity but leave the fingers exposed. This makes tasks like tying knots easier, but it does mean that your fingertips will see extra wear. For all of us tech-savvy millennials, half-fingered gloves also make it easy to use a phone or take pictures. Hopefully, not while battling waves.

Hybrid-design gloves provide the best of both worlds. They leave the thumb and index fingers exposed, providing dexterity, protection, and phone-handling ability. 

Top Sailing Glove Brands

Like most products, there are a number of sailing glove brands on the market. Most agree that some of the top brands include Gill, Musto, and Helly Hansen. However, this is also a matter of personal opinion, and other brands like Harken and Ronstan are also praised in the sailing community. Do not be influenced by the mention of the top brands because the best glove brand is the one that works for you.

Average Price

The average amount you will spend to buy a good pair of sailing gloves is between 25$ and 30$. However, the actual price range in this particular piece of gear (like pretty much anything in life) is pretty wide. You can spend from as little as $15 to more than $100. A good pair of cold weather sailing gloves can easily top $150.

Do You Need Gloves to Sail?

You absolutely do not need gloves to go sailing. In fact, it is a common debate among sailors as to which is better, purer to the sport. However, even purists give in with a little tape on really rough weather. Few to none think sailing without gloves in rough weather is a good idea. It is actually dangerous to both your hands and your self to go sailing in rough weather without a good pair of sailing gloves. Sailing without gloves can cause rope burns, and eventually, you resenting the sport.

Best Sailing Gloves – Summary

Personally, I prefer 3/4 finger gloves most of the time. However, when it’s cold, then I like gloves, which expose just the tips of my thumb and two fingers. You will need to figure out the best gloves for you through trial and error and test the ones that you prefer yourself, but this is a great list to start your journey.