Search the Community

After being kindly sent a pair of each style of gloves to trial by Landmark Trading, I can safely say that they have held up as well as could be expected from the level of use that they saw. How many things can you say about a pair of gloves? 1000 words is probably going to be optimistic for something that a lot of us probably take for granted but in reality, the biggest problem that I normally have is losing them rather than wearing them out. With both pairs, I have kept them and tried to use them for a range of tasks to give a fair enough review. Both pairs now have holes in them but on the whole the rubber grip has lasted longer that the normal builders merchant type gloves which always seemed to get caught in friction hitches when you didn't want it to! The good parts are the Maxiflex gloves actually fitted properly and, with dotted/raised contact area give a really good level of grip. Half the time you didn't notice that they were on. Used them for most climbing jobs and had no problems, they were easy enough to use in the tree and you could feel and open hardware which was handy. They would not hold up to any form of running ropes but I found them to be great to use when climbing. The MaxiTherm gloves were considerably thicker and also seemed to be a lot bigger which gave a poorer fit despite them both being a size 10. They were brilliantly warm though and could happily use them on the ground in the cold conditions that we had last Winter. There was pretty much no chance of doing anything too refined in them though (putting pins back in the RopeRunner) as the movement was sacrificed for the warmth. Gave a surprising level of protection when chipping but when using them on spiky branches like Hawthorn there would still be the odd one the crept through. Both gloves have decent elastic on the cuff which has held up well and stops slipping which although a minor point, is worth noting. I'd definitely not recommend a single pair over the other but would say that having both pairs should cover most eventualities and for the price, you do get a level of quality that makes it worth the purchase. View full review

Gloves are an essential element of personal protective equipment (PPE) for arborists and anyone working in the forestry industry. They serve several purposes including protection against chainsaw injuries, the reduction of the impact of vibration, improved grip, protection from thorns and splinters from branches and in protecting the skin from cold and moisture. Before you rush out and purchase a pack of workwear gloves, it is important that you assess the tasks that you will be using them for and are clear about what you expect from the gloves. This allows you to select the right brand based on grip, dexterity, size and breathability. Here are the main considerations that you should take into account. Size of workwear gloves All PPE must fit if is going to afford the required protection and not interfere with work tasks. Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive makes it clear that workwear gloves must suit the user in terms of size, fit and weight. To find your glove size, measure the width of your hand at the widest point (across the knuckles). Then the following size guide will indicate which glove size to select. Small: up to 8.5cm Medium 8.5-9.5cm Large: 9.5-10.5cm X large: 10.5-11.5cm XX large: over 11.5cm Some ranges are available in all of the sizes. In particular, Maxiflex Endurance and Maxitherm gloves are comfortable and hard-wearing options. Chainsaw gloves Gloves with a neoprene band across the back will protect your knuckles and a knitted cuff will stop debris from falling in. For maximum comfort, choose a supple glove with palms and fingers made from a flexible material such as leather and a stretch fabric at the back. A good all round, durable option is a pair of Husqvarna chainsaw gloves. When working in wet conditions, a synthetic glove with rubberised pads on the palm and fingertips will help with grip and the Harkie chainsaw gloves are ideal. Climbing and dexterity gloves The ideal glove for climbing: Makes it easy to use karabiners and climbing devices Has dots for grip on the palm and fingers Is durable Is breathable Is machine washable The Maxiflex Endurance glove ticks all the boxes. For dexterity, a glove must have a very thin coating, be ergonomically shaped and be both breathable and durable. The world benchmark for precision handling is undoubtedly the Maxiflex Ultimate. Waterproof and thorn resistant gloves The ideal waterproof workwear glove will provide you with comfort and grip and, at the same time, will keep your hands dry. An extra desirable feature is resistance to oil and chemicals. To prevent fatigue, the glove should mimic the ‘hand at rest’ position. All of these features are found in the Maxidry Zero and the Maxidry Regular. Thorns are a particular hazard faced by arborists and forestry workers. A specialised needle-resistant glove would be required to afford complete protection from thorn penetration, but for those not wanting to spend such fortunes, the B771 Drivers thick leather and open cuff glove or the B773 Drivers knitwrist glove are good choices to offer a reasonable level of resistance. You may prefer the B776 Leather gauntlet but it is made from a stiffer material and may lead to hand fatigue if used over a prolonged period of time.