Mechanix Shooting & Tactical Gloves
When I pulled into the range to meet Bob for a shooting session, it was with the full realization that we were not going to just be turning loaded rounds into empty brass. No, not at all. Bob is a consummate instructor who goes full bore all the time, every time. The man is incapable of going to the range casually; there are goals for every range session. I love his teaching style, and I always learn something. He taught me to have at least one goal in mind for every training session.
This particular day, we’d be running the AK platform. Anyone who is familiar with the AK realizes that they have a plethora of sharp edges, all the better to cut the living hell out of your hands while running the gun. I’d be fine, though.
Nowadays, our training has taken on a new urgency, given the state of our society. One never knows what twists and turns things will take next week or even tomorrow.
As we laid out our gear to get ready for shooting drills, Bob asked me if I had gloves to wear to protect my hands. Gloves?! What the hell, Bob, I have working man’s hands, I don’t need no damn gloves!
We began shooting drills, which included many magazine changes at high speed. I was persevering, but damn, my hands were getting pulverized. “Hey, Bob…uhhhh…you still have them gloves?”
Bob looked at me disdainfully, shook his head, muttered something about “(Expletive) greenhorns,” and handed me the gloves. Thus was my introduction to Mechanix Gloves.
I’ll tell you, they made that shooting session a lot more tolerable and saved me some bleeding. I was able to concentrate more on training and learning, as opposed to being distracted by pain.
Mechanix offers a solid product. The thing I believe I like the most about them is the dexterity that they offer. The palms are made from synthetic leather and really allow me to feel everything that I need to, and yet offer a decent amount of protection so my palms don’t get chewed up. The thickness of the leather in the palms of the Fast Fit model is .6 mm and they have “touch screen technology” (I tried it, and it actually works).
The uses for these gloves are many. Because of the dexterity they permit, I can perform magazine changes, easily feel the magazine release, and access magazines from pouches. I can easily pick up small tools and such for maintenance jobs and can feel the controls for operating machinery.
The Fast Fit gloves have elastic around the cuffs, which makes it easy to don and doff the gloves, yet keeps them on securely. On a practical level, it works very well.
The part of the glove that covers the back of the hand uses TrekDry, which is breathable and facilitates keeping the hands cool in warm weather. The gloves that I have are in the MultiCam pattern, and also Coyote Brown. I like the Coyote because it blends well in many environments, but is also low-key and doesn’t draw much attention when doing “normal” activities. In short, they don’t look overly “tactical.”
I recently purchased another pair of Mechanix Gloves, “The Original” model. They are very similar to the “Fast Fit” model, with a few minor exceptions.
The leather on the Original is .8mm (it also has touch screen technology), which is slightly thicker than the .6mm of the Fast Fit gloves. I purchased the Original gloves with the intention of wearing them at my job. I often have to touch metal lift gates and chains on trucks, and in the colder months, I like a little protection for my hands (temperatures here can reach zero degrees or even lower at times). Despite the fact that the gloves are intended for warm weather, they do offer some protection in the colder months. The fact that they are light and I can feel what I’m grabbing very well is a major plus.
Another difference on the Original gloves is that the cuffs have a hook and loop closure as opposed to the elastic cuffs. The hook and loop does hold the gloves on more securely, but for my needs, the elastic works nicely and makes it easier and faster to don and doff the gloves. Personally, I find that I prefer the elastic system that’s used on the Fast Fit gloves.
Mechanix took pains to make certain that the gloves fit extremely well; they feel like they were tailored for my hand. The leather is cut and stitched in such a way that the leather doesn’t bunch up, and I’d use the word “Sleek” to describe how they feel.
So far, the Mechanix gloves are holding up very well and seem durable. Granted, I don’t beat the hell out of them, but I’m quite satisfied with how they’re wearing.
They are available in several colors: Coyote, Woodland Camo, MultiCam, Black, and Wolf Grey.
Mechanix offers a variety of gloves, including impact-resistant and cut-resistant tactical gloves. Some other varieties that they have are mens’ and womens’ gardening gloves, Durahide leather gloves (for heavy work), Winter insulated gloves, Winter water-resistant gloves, impact-resistant winter gloves, heat-resistant gloves, and welding gloves.
I’m considering picking up a pair or two of their water-resistant, insulated winter gloves.
On top of performing very well, Mexhanix gloves also look attractive, which never hurts. They are used by a variety of law enforcement and military teams, as well as other folks in all walks of life.
Now for one of the best aspects of these gloves: the price. I picked up the three pairs of gloves that I currently own for around $13.95 each, which I consider to be very reasonable. The rest of their gloves are priced pretty reasonably as well; nothing in their lineup appears as though it will break the bank.
Overall, I endorse Mechanix Gloves. They function well, look good, and are available at a great price point. Plus they help in training and on real operations. For law enforcement, military, mundane jobs, hunting, and a myriad of other functions, they are just what the doctor ordered.