As an electrician, your work gloves will serve multiple important purposes that will help you get the job done more efficiently, and safely. This is especially true if you’re working in colder weather, which can freeze up your fingertips and make it hard to do the delicate wire work that’s required of an electrician. The hard part is finding a good pair of work gloves that can serve both purposes: warm enough to keep your hands from feeling brittle and slow, but thin enough that your gloves don’t impede your hand dexterity. Luckily, these types of gloves to exist. We’ve done the research for you, and created a list of the six-best pairs that you’ll find on the market today.
What makes a good cold weather work glove for electricians?
If you’re working with high voltages, the first thing you’re going to want to look for is that your gloves are certified to protect you against the voltages you normally work with. The next thing to consider is whether these gloves are going to keep your hands warm while working in cold winter temperatures. This isn’t just about comfort, although that’s important too. Think of it this way: have you ever tried typing on your phone when your hands are frozen from the cold? If you think writing a quick text message to a friend is hard with cold hands, imagine trying to work with thin electrical wires with potentially hundreds of voltages running through them. But even if your gloves do keep your hands warm, will they be so warm that they begin perspiring? These questions that address dexterity, electrical protection, warmth, and perspiration, are all important to consider when choosing a pair of winter work gloves. That’s why we’ve created this comprehensive list to make your life easy.
Here are the 6 best cold weather work gloves for electricians in 2020:
Lineman Work Glove – Klein Tools 40082
These work gloves are made from an 85% leather, 5% neoprene, 5% nylon, and 5% spandex mix. The mostly soft grain leather make of these gloves ensures superior comfort and long lasting durability. The cuffs on these gloves also come with side vents to keep your hands cool, comfortable, and free from excess perspiration. While side vents seem counter intuitive when trying to stay warm in the winter months, this is actually an essential feature since sweat in the wintertime will freeze and make your hands cold. For added durability, the these work gloves also come with double-row padded knuckles. Lastly, but definitely not least, the Lineman work gloves are proudly made right here in the United States.
PROS
- High quality soft grain leather make for superior comfort and durability.
- Neoprene cuffs for added comfort.
- Side vents to keep your hands sweat-free, important in the colder winter months.
- Double-row padded knuckles.
- Made right here in the United States.
- Made with a reinforced leather palm for added durability.
CONS
- Not suitable for use on live circuits.
- Some customers have reported that they don’t last as long as expected.
Magid Safety M011B10 Electrical Gloves
The Magid Glove & Safety Rubber gloves are made from natural rubber latex so that they’re highly flexible and fit closely to the fingers, perfect for working with thin wires and other jobs that require lots of dexterity. Despite their latex thin design, these gloves are also able to withstand up to 1000v AC/500v DC, giving you the best of both worlds. These gloves are also perfect to use in the winter months due to their snug fitting rubber cuffs which keeps your hands perfectly insulated in cold weather. The combination between these gloves dexterity and capacity to work with live circuits up to 1000v AC/500v DC makes them a great option for electricians who live in cold regions.
PROS
- Ultra thin design.
- Offer a high level of dexterity.
- Extremely comfortable.
- Natural rubber latex build.
- Able to withstand 1000v AC/500v DC
- Insulated.
- Snug fitting rubber cuffs.
CONS
- Some reviewers claim that the rubber gave them mild chemical burns.
Carhartt Men’s Winter Dex II Gloves
These work gloves by Carhartt are perfect for electricians who work in colder regions due to their insulated, waterproof design and adjustable wrist cuff. Carhartt implemented their FastDry technology in the linings of these gloves to quickly wick away sweat—an important feature because in the cold, sweat in your gloves will cause your hands to freeze. These gloves also feature a Storm Defender insert that not only increases breathability, but also ensures that these gloves are both fully waterproof and windproof. The soft shell of these gloves use neoprene with a durable nylon trim to offer superior comfort, while the fingers and thumb slots are outfitted with padded foam reinforcements. Lastly, the cinched elastic design of the wrists of these gloves, which uses a hook and loop cuff closure system, ensures that your hands remain fully insulated.
PROS
- FastDry technology helps wick away sweat on your hands.
- Cinches elastic wrist opening, adjustable with a hook and loop cuff closure.
- Ultra soft insulation.
- Fingers and thumb come with padded foam reinforcements.
- Storm Defender insert for breathability.
- Waterproof.
- Windproof.
- Neoprene shell.
- Nylon trim.
CONS
- While these gloves are designed for moderate cold, they will keep your hands sufficiently warm in extreme cold.
- Are not designed for handing live circuits.
Ansell ActivArmr 97-001 Dyneema Electrician Glove
These gloves are specially designed for electricians who frequently experience hand injuries on the job. That’s because the Ansell ActivArmr gloves are built to protect against cuts, punctures, scrapes and abrasions while on the job. The reason these gloves do such a good job at protecting the hands is because they’re made with a polyurethane palm and fingertip coating that holds up better against wear and tear than even leather can. The Ansell ActivArmr gloves are also knit from Dyneema fiber—which some of you may know by its longer name, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)—providing top of the line protection against cuts and abrasions. In fact, this Dyneema fiber is even more effective than both leather, aramid fibers, and is even stronger than steel. You can’t get much more durable than that. For the cold winter months, these gloves come with an adjustable wrist closure that provides great insulation, while the variable stitch design offers the breathability you need to avoid excess perspiration. These gloves are certified to ANSI and ISEA standards.
PROS
- Certified to ANSI and ISEA standards.
- Specially built to protect against cuts, punctures, scrapes and abrasions.
- Super durable polyurethane palm and fingertip coating.
- Knit from Dyneema fiber.
- Adjustable wrist closure for insulation.
- Variable stich design for breathability.
- Comes with an ID nameplate on the inner cuff.
CONS
- These gloves are not designed for use with live circuits.
- Gloves get dirty quickly.
Salisbury OTC 3991-12 Large Hybrid Electric Safety Gloves
If you’re an electrician working on higher voltages, these gloves may be the perfect pair for you. That’s because the Salisbury Hybrid Electric Safety Gloves offer protection for up to 1,000 volts AC, an impressive design feature that sets them apart from a lot of the other gloves on the list. These gloves are rubber insulated, with a leather outer lining, ensuring that your hands stay warm even in cold winter conditions. The combination between warmth, and protection against high voltages, makes these gloves one of the best options on the list for electricians. Just remember that it’s highly recommended that these gloves are re-tested for their capacity to protect against electrical currents every six months, in accordance to the most recent editions of the ASTM Standard F496.
PROS
- Rubber insulated with a leather outer lining to keep your hands warm.
- Class 00 protection.
- These gloves offer protection for up to 1,000 volts AC.
- Durable and built to last year-after-year of use.
- Great for cold weather work.
CONS
- Some customers claim that their gloves were expired when they arrived.
ESA SUPPLIES Insulated Rubber Electrical Protective Gloves
These insulated rubber gloves are a great option for the electrician who wants protection from the cold weather without loosing too much hand dexterity. These gloves offer protection from electrical currents under 1,000 volts, and are crafted out of highly durable rubber, giving them lasting power. Another undeniable benefit of these gloves is their low price point. If you’re looking for a cheap and easy pair of insulated gloves for handling lower voltage jobs in colder weather, this pair from ESA Supplies may be a good option for you.
PROS
- Insulated.
- Great value.
- Offers protection for currents under 1,000 volts.
- High durable and built to last.
- Great dexterity.
CONS
- May not be suitable for commercial jobs with higher electrical voltages (anything above 1,000v).
Conclusion
As an electrician, your work gloves are your first line of defence against electrical injuries, a shockingly common type of accident that is often associated with high mortality rates. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), there are roughly 1,000 deaths per year in the United States alone that result from electrical injuries—most of which happen in the occupational setting, and most of which were preventable. This doesn’t account for the more than 30,000 shock incidents that occur each year that, while not being fatal, can still do significant damage. Don’t let yourself be a part of these statistics. If you’re constantly working around high voltage electrical wires—or even just sharp objects that can lead to cuts and abrasions—take the necessary precautions and get yourself a reliable pair of work gloves.
We hope that you’ll use this list to find a pair of gloves that works for you. That means finding gloves that not only protect your hands from the cold, but also from the electrical currents you’re working with. While all of these gloves are highly rated, and will improve your comfort and safety on the job, take a moment to read through the possible options to find the right pair of gloves for your personal and professional needs. And as always—stay safe (and warm) out there!
Here is a round up list (sorted by price) of all the cold weather gloves mentioned in this article:
Image Credit: “New York City, Lower Manhattan” by Vincent Desjardins is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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