There’s a solid fact that not all leather work gloves are created the same. When you’re in the market for the best leather work gloves, numerous options of sizes, leather types, brands, and price ranges might easily make you feel overwhelmed.
Don’t worry! You have us! In this article, we’re going to walk you through the top options out there.
Here are the best leather work gloves you can buy in 2024:
- Best For Farming (Cowhide): Wells Lamont Men's Leather Work Gloves
- Best For Woodworking (Cowhide): OZERO Flex Grip Leather Work Gloves
- Best For Ranching (Pigskin): Vgo 3Pairs Unlined Men's Pigskin Leather Work Gloves
- Best For Small Hands (Pigskin): G & F 2002M-3 Full Grain Pigskin Leather Work Gloves
- Best For Big Hands (Deerskin): Midwest Gloves & Gear American Made Work Gloves
- Best For Landscaping Work (Deerskin): Intra-FIT General Work Gloves
| 6 Best Leather Work Gloves | ||
|---|---|---|
Best For Farming | Wells Lamont Men's Leather Work Gloves
| |
Best For Woodworking | OZERO Flex Grip Leather Work Gloves
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Best For Ranching | Vgo 3Pairs Unlined Men's Pigskin Leather Work Gloves
| |
Best For Small Hands | G & F 2002M-3 Full Grain Pigskin Leather Work Gloves
| |
Best For Big Hands | Midwest Gloves & Gear American Made Work Gloves
| |
Best For Landscaping Work | Intra-FIT General Work Gloves
| |
Best For Farming (Cowhide): Wells Lamont Men's Leather Work Gloves
- Give decent resistance to puncture and abrasion - 100% grain cowhide
- Allow you to flex hands easily
- Keep dirt and debris out - drawcord design
- Run a bit small
Start with this tried-and-true leather work gloves which are also one of the bestsellers of Wells Lamont at the current. They’re built to last using 100% grain cowhide – a natural material known for decent resistance to puncture and abrasion.
Another great thing about this material is it isn’t stiff when wearing so you can flex hands easily. Plus, no dead spots for a great feeling of what you’re doing to hence avoid hurting your hands.
The glove is also easy to adjust thanks to the drawcord design around the wrist area. So while you’re doing different farm tasks, it keeps debris out efficiently. Personally, we consider this additional feature as a major selling point (as most gloves don't offer this feature or use Velcro).
| Wells Lamont Men's Leather Work Gloves Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 3.2 ounces |
Cuff Design | Medium: 9 & 5/16 in Large: 9 & 11/16 in |
Thumb Design | Keystone Thumb |
Highlight Features | 100% grain cowhide Drawcord design |
For farming, we hardly find anything else could beat these Wells Lamont Men's Leather Work Gloves.
Best For Woodworking (Cowhide): OZERO Flex Grip Leather Work Gloves
- Extra hand protection – ultra-thick 1.0mm-1.2mm full genuine grain cowhide leather material
- Deliver extra freedom of mobility and dexterity - keystone thumb and gunn cut
- Provide extra grips and wear resistance - elastic wrists and reinforced palm design
- Prevent sweating and irritation feel – moisture-absorbent comfortable lining
- Made in China
- Run a bit small
With the same full genuine grain cowhide leather material but these gloves appear to be thicker, around 1.0mm-1.2mm for extra hand protection. So for woodworking, these are the best.
The good news is they don’t compromise flexibility, thanks to the keystone thumb and gunn cut construction. As a result, you’ll get extra freedom of mobility and feel more dexterity.
Another good thing about this design is elastic wrists and reinforced palm design so it feels a lot grippier to hold or grasp something. Plus, it is good at wear-resisting to last you a little longer while.
As a big plus, we like its comfortable lining that also absorbs sweat phenomenally well, leaving no irritation feeling at all.
| OZERO Flex Grip Leather Work Gloves Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 5.7 ounces |
Cuff Design | Adjustable Belt Cuff |
Thumb Design | keystone thumb |
Highlight Features | Ultra-thick 1.0mm-1.2mm material Keystone thumb and gunn cut Elastic wrists and reinforced palm design Moisture-absorbent comfortable lining |
Overall, the OZERO Flex Grip Leather Work Gloves are best suited for woodworking.
Best For Ranching (Pigskin): Vgo 3Pairs Unlined Men's Pigskin Leather Work Gloves
- Provide great softness and grips – made of fully premium genuine pigskin leather
- Dependable - REACH regulated and CA65 approved
- Give excellent fit - shirred elastic back design
- The seams are quite rough
These are the softest yet toughest gloves you can find at this price point.
They hold up great and after wearing them in a bit, they have an excellent fit and feel. With the shirred elastic back design, it gives a nice snug fit, which is perfect for multiple uses, such as DIY works, hand tools, gardening, and ranching.
The excellent grip provided by these work gloves ensures you’ll grasp things firmly without slipping or getting loose.
If you care about their quality, these gloves are REACH regulated and CA65 approved.
| Vgo 3Pairs Unlined Men's Pigskin Leather Work Gloves Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 11.3 ounces |
Highlight Features | Made of fully premium genuine pigskin leather REACH regulated and CA65 approved Shirred elastic back design |
For anyone seeking the best pigskin leather work gloves for ranching, this option does the trick.
Best For Small Hands (Pigskin): G & F 2002M-3 Full Grain Pigskin Leather Work Gloves
- Give better fit on the hands - elastic shirred back with straight thumb design
- Low-maintenance – washable material
- Lightweight and not bulky
- The stitching could be stronger
If your small hands are a common issue finding true sizing whenever buying leather work gloves, this pick is a great solution.
They feature elastic shirred back with straight thumb design to keep the glove secured better on your hands. The thick, durable pigskin leather material is great for heavy works with no compromise of soft hand-feel or flexibility in mobility.
We also like them because they are lightweight and not bulky like cowhide can be. The biggest bonus is their leather material is washable.
| G & F 2002M-3 Full Grain Pigskin Leather Work Gloves Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 5.6 ounces |
Thumb Design | Straight thumb design |
Highlight Features | Elastic shirred back with straight thumb design Washable material |
For small hands who are looking for the right fitting when buying work gloves, this is perfect.
Best For Big Hands (Deerskin): Midwest Gloves & Gear American Made Work Gloves
- Give good fit with comfortable hand-feel - gathered elasticity at the wrist area + keystone thumb design
- Ensure the quality – made in the USA
- Stay durable and long-lasting - no wear or blisters on hands during our tests
- Expensive
The stitching seam point between the first finger and thumb is noticeable
If you have big hands, the good news is these gloves are available in size L, XL, and XXL.
They highlight gathered elasticity at the wrist area plus keystone thumb design. The gloves themselves are very soft yet nice and thick, which is ideal for driving gloves, hunting, work, or essentially any other activity. A darker reddish color makes it look nice.
This is also one of those rare options made in the USA, which ensures quality. During our harsh testing, it gripped well with no wear or blisters on hands. It either shows no noticeable wear.
| Midwest Gloves & Gear American Made Work Gloves Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 7.2 ounces |
Cuff Design | Hemmed Cuff |
Thumb Design | keystone thumb |
Highlight Features | Made in the USA Gathered elasticity at the wrist area + keystone thumb design |
We greatly suggest the Midwest Gloves & Gear American Made Work Gloves for those people with big hands.
Best For Landscaping Work (Deerskin): Intra-FIT General Work Gloves
- Offer improved dexterity - stretchable spandex with half Lycra material
- Provide freedom in mobility - Velcro strap and soft neoprene cuff design
- Enhanced safety design – eye-catchy yellow color around fingertips
- Wish they were more wear-resistant
These gloves give just a perfect fit and are very comfortable with enough padding to keep your hands warm on chilly days.
While designed to be durable and offering good hand protection, we’re glad that they feel very flexible and elastic for improved dexterity. A big thank you to its stretchable spandex with half Lycra material. Plus, they come with Velcro strap and soft neoprene cuff design to not restrict your movement while working.
We do appreciate its stylish yet extremely useful design with catchy yellow color around fingertips to prevent unwanted hurt.
For landscaping work, it’s hard to beat.
| Intra-FIT General Work Gloves Specifications | |
|---|---|
Weight | 3.56 ounces |
Cuff Design | Soft neoprene cuff with Velcro |
Highlight Features | Stretchable spandex with half Lycra material Velcro strap and soft neoprene cuff design Eye-catchy yellow color around fingertips |
Out of various options that we’ve tried, the Intra-FIT General Work Gloves are the shiniest contender for landscaping work.
How To Choose The Best Leather Work Gloves?
Thumb Options
You’ve got three thumb options to choose from:
Straight thumb – created with the thumb placed parallel with the index finger. The biggest benefit of this design is to deliver better grips and dexterity. This thumb is frequently made of fabric, best for driving.
Wing thumb - constructed with the thumb diagonally angled across the palm for comfort enhancement. You’ll commonly find this thumb option in leather palm gloves.
Keystone thumb – the most popular out of the three, featuring a double-sewn reinforced inset thumb with 2x thickness at a critical wear point. This design helps increase the glove’s durability and comfort, usually found on full leather glove patterns.
Safety Features
Oilbloc – offer superior water and oil resistant properties to extend the glove’s lifespan. But take note that this feature is exclusively found in Superior Glove. It’s a special treatment applied to the tanning process of this brand’s leather gloves.
Winter liners – for extra protection to your hands against winter hazards, like poor blood circulation, sleet, snow, freezing rain, and cold. Available in various weights and fabrics, such as Thinsulate.
Hi-Viz colors – to increase worker safety through hand awareness enhancement by using orange or yellow colors.
Impact-resistant features – usually known as d3o pads or anti-impact thermo-plastic that are located strategically on the back of the glove, offering decent protection against bumps, pinching, and crushing.
Cut-resistant liners – to enhance protection against punctures or cuts by adding an extra layer under the glove.
Kinds of Leather
In the realm of leather work gloves, there are lots of leather options to consider, each of which features specific pros and cons. A basic rule of thumb is the smaller the animal, the thinner the skin.
Here are some popular kinds of leather that you can find out there:
Leather Hide | Pros | Cons |
Horsehide | comfortable durable and tough extremely thick non-porous | Expensive |
Buffalo hide | Conform to your hand shape over time Breathable and well-insulated -> ideal for all-year-round use Superior abrasion resistance Extremely durable | Thick, which might restrict your hand movement |
Deerskin | Deliver the best dexterity for a custom fit Cold-resistant Lightweight and flexible Stretchy and comfortable | Not as durable as other hides Not puncture- and abrasion-resistant A bit pricey |
Pigskin | Breathable, durable, and comfortable Soft and subtle | A bit costly |
Cowhide | Resist to abrasion, heat, water, and dirt Comfortable and durable Low-maintenance | Heavy Need time to break-in |
Which Brands Make The Best Leather Work Gloves?
Wells Lamont
Founded in 1907 but until three years later, Wells Lamont started sewing their very first gloves. This brand is currently the leading glove manufacturing industry with lots of bestsellers, mainly in the USA.
OZERO
OZERO belongs to Shenzhen Beimeili Manufacturing Co., Ltd - a company established in 1987, specializing in producing leather gloves for different purposes of use. The brand itself was founded in 2014, aiming to be a competitive wholesaler and retailer seller in the e-commerce market.
Now, they have done it!
Midwest
This USA-based company is currently the largest U.S. producer of a full line of premium quality work gloves and internationally distributed to the industry, commercial, and retail markets. They’re also the exclusive licensee of Warner Brothers®, Mattel®, and Nickelodeon® kids garden gloves and gear products.
FAQs
Are leather gloves better?
Yes, they are. The reason is leather gloves are supple, soft yet tough and durable to last long. Besides, they’re winter-proof.
What is the most durable leather?
Pigmented leather
What is the best way to clean leather gloves?
Depending on the leather hide, there are some specific ways to clean them. For example:
- Using soap and water then lay them out flatly to dry
- Spot clean: use a toothbrush to brush off grime and dirt
Should leather gloves be tight?
They should only fit snug but not super-tight.
What color leather gloves should I get?
It’s a preference issue. As a basic rule of thumb, more vivid colors (such as lemon yellow and bright red) are playful and flashy while darker shades (like forest green, burgundy, brown, and black) brings a leisurely look.
Conclusion
After researching and then buying 20 of the best leather work gloves in 2020, we were able to compare and analyze which one to bring to the table. From cowhide leather, pigskin leather to deerskin, our side-by-side testing revealed which is their use.
Hopefully, with this research in hand, you’ll know how to pick the right one for your needs.
Harry RamosI’m Harry Ramos, who's crazy about all things green. I’m here to share some experience in my gardening adventure and how to choose the best products for your garden. Let's dig in, get our hands dirty, and celebrate the simple, earthy pleasures of the garden together!
