Best Welding Gloves: Keep Your Hands Safe From the Heat

We came up with this list of best welding gloves by finding the best handful of models with the best mix of features, durability, and comfort, and weighed them against the prices they command. All of these are solid options depending on your chosen method of stacking dimes, so to speak. Or how many, or how often. We also factored in a hearty amount of user feedback, and are proud of our thorough research. For more on our methodology, take a peek at this.

Your search for high-quality welding gloves may end here. The RAPICCA welding gloves are specially designed for high temperatures and can withstand up to 932-degrees Fahrenheit. They are reinforced with double-layer Kevlar padding around the fingers, palms, elbows, and on the back of the hands. The gloves are 16-inches long and have 7.5-inch sleeves. They ensure your forearms are well protected from steam, debris, sparks, and open flames. They are made from split natural cowhide that’s 1.5 mm thick and are resistant to cuts, oil, and punctures.

Durable and comfortable are two words that best describe these welding gloves. They are made of a soft, premium leather and are lock-stitched to last longer. The leather material also enhances the gloves’ dexterity and suppleness. The cotton lining inside the gloves makes them super comfy. The blue color ensures the gloves don’t get dirty easily. Reinforcements around the palms and fingers enhance grip and ensure the gloves stay in place. They are lightweight and can be used for prolonged welding work.

Made from premium split elk skin leather, these gloves are designed to be used in environments involving extreme heat. They are specifically manufactured for stick welding but are also ideal for heavy industrial welding. They are available in four different sizes to fit a variety of hands.To withstand wear and tear, the gloves are reinforced with split cowhide. They also have welted seams reinforced with Kevlar thread. The cotton lining and foam insulation increase comfort and make the gloves more heat- and fire-resistant.

With its good build quality and resistance to high temperatures, the RAPICCA Leather Forge Welding Gloves are the top pick in this category. The pocket-friendly price and good durability make the US Forge 400 Welding Gloves a worthy choice for buyers on a budget.

Comfort: Welding work is dangerous as there’s a lot of heat and sparks generated. You must be well protected as you go about your work. When buying welding gloves, choose those that are ideal for the specific type of welding you’ll be doing. For instance, running long beads requires thicker, more comfortable gloves than simple tacking work. The best welding gloves have an absorbent lining that removes moisture from your hands to prevent burns. 

Insulation: Whether you perform TIG, MIG, or stick welding, there’s plenty of heat created. The metal being welded becomes very hot after some time, while the torch’s heat and sparks make your hands hot. The type of insulation needed is determined by the amount of heat produced. Cotton is an effective and cost-effective insulator for moderately-high temperatures but may be bulky. Aluminized backing is ideal for high-heat welding since it deflects heat away from the hands. 

Material: The best welding gloves are made from leather because it’s heavy-duty, disperses heat well, and has high resistance to abrasion. The most popular material, cowhide, is versatile, durable, heat-resistant, and flame-resistant. Goatskin welding gloves are light, economical, comfortable, and durable. 

Gloves made of pigskin are tough and have a high resistance to oil and weather elements. Those made of deerskin are soft, comfortable, flexible, and fit well. Elkskin gloves are very comfortable and highly resistant to heat, flames, and abrasion.

Protection from Ultraviolet Radiation: Bright welding arcs can affect your skin the same way as too much exposure to the sun. Welding arcs and flames produce intense ultraviolet and infrared radiation. Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer. The gloves you get should block out UV and visible light frequencies and also provide thermal insulation. They should completely cover your hands and wrists.

Fit: It is very important to ensure that your gloves are a perfect fit for your hands. Avoid gloves that are too bulky, stiff, or feel awkward. Gloves that don't fit well can be the cause of accidents that could have been prevented. The best welding gloves allow you to easily bend your fingers, wrists, and hands.

Extra Features: Welding gloves should have a reinforced, flexible palm and a solid non-slip grip so people can safely use grinders and chipping hammers. Since they are used by both right-handed and left-handed people, glove supports and pads should be available for both hands. The gloves should also have built-in pads or ridges to enhance their firmness.

You'll only have to spend between $15 and $50 for a good set of welding gloves.

You've got questions. The Drive has answers.

A: Gloves that are resistant to electric shocks provide an additional layer of safety apart from protection from heat. Many gloves are built from materials that are tested to provide an effective electrical resistance for arc welding.

A: Welding gloves can be made from elk skin, cowhide, deerskin, pigskin, and goatskin—each with different properties. The choice of leather will depend on the type of welding you are performing.

Thin materials like goatskin can be used for TIG applications as the process involves less spatter. In the case of MIG welding processes, thicker gloves with a heat-resistant lining are a better choice.

It's essential that the glove fit properly if you want a comfortable experience while welding. Make sure that your fingers have enough space to move freely inside the gloves and your hand movement does not feel restricted.

A: This depends on the overall quality of the gloves as well as the working environment. Gloves used daily for several hours in high heat conditions will only last a few months. The lower the heat levels in which you work, the longer the lifespan of the gloves.

A: The circumference of your hands around the knuckles is the measurement that can be used to select the right size. Go through the size chart of the particular brand to check the sizing. Some of these gloves need a breaking-in period and tend to get looser with time.