DeWalt deerskin work gloves
During the storm cleanup Tuscaloosa experienced over the last couple of months I had the opportunity to try out DeWalt’s deerskin gloves. I loaned my first pair to fellow volunteer who never returned them, but I do recall him yelling above the roar of chainsaws and heavy equipment: “I love these gloves!”
After I got a second pair I understood why. The gloves were very soft and comfortable. The wrist cuffs were short, but kept debris out just fine and the nylon fabric tops let enough air circulate that the gloves didn’t become sweat soaked. It didn’t take long for the exterior of the gloves to show some wear (deerskin isn’t as tough as cowhide), but I consider this an acceptable trade off. I’d rather have comfortable gloves that wear out in a season than stiff, uncomfortable ones that last forever.
I was particularly impressed with the assembly quality of both the deerskin and the anti-vibration gloves (see previous article). A lot of gloves today are made so hastily that they leave little ridges of untrimmed material inside where your fingers go. If you’re working hard, these seams rub raw spots on your fingertips and cuticles. This didn’t used to be a problem, but the quality of gloves in the big box stores has deteriorated so much in the last 10 or 15 years that I’d just about given up wearing them. Thankfully, both Black and Decker’s and DeWalt’s gloves didn’t suffer from this defect and left my fingertips in fine shape even after 8 hour of hard work. That alone is worth whatever premium you’d pay over the cost of inferior brands. Rest assured both types have found a permanent place in my toolbox.
