Eye and hand protection: disposable vs. reusable gear?

I lean toward reusable gear, especially for roofing work. The disposables just don’t hold up if you’re handling rough materials or working in the rain - plus, tossing them after every job feels wasteful. Yeah, cleaning reusable gloves is a hassle, but I just keep a couple pairs and rotate them. Goggles are a no-brainer for me - reusable all the way. They fit better and don’t fog up as much. Disposables have their place, but I’d rather not keep buying new packs every week.

I get the appeal of reusables, but I’ve had issues with them in high-turnover situations or when there’s a lot of different people onsite. Disposables make it easier to maintain basic hygiene standards - especially if folks don’t always keep track of their own gear. For goggles, though, I’ll admit the reusable ones usually win out... less fog, better fit, and they don’t get scratched up as fast.

- Gotta admit, keeping track of reusables on a busy site is like herding cats... especially when half the crew forgets where they left their gloves.
- Disposables are easy, but man, the waste adds up fast. I’ve seen trash bins overflowing after just one day.
- For goggles, totally agree - reusables are just better. Less fog, less landfill, and they don’t feel like cheap Halloween props.
- Still, if folks can’t be bothered to clean their stuff, hygiene gets dicey. I’ve seen some gnarly gloves after a week.

Honestly, the waste from disposables bugs me too, especially when you see piles of gloves after a single job. I get the hassle with reusables - cleaning them is nobody’s favorite chore - but I’d rather deal with that than add to landfill. Plus, I swear my hands feel less gross in the thicker, reusable ones. Maybe it’s just me, but disposables always seem to rip at the worst time.