I get the whole “glove graveyard” thing, but honestly, I think folks give up on reusable gloves too fast.
I used to do the same, but after trying out some heavy-duty leather ones (not the cheap split-leather, but the thick cowhide), I noticed they actually lasted through a couple of roof jobs. Yeah, they cost more upfront, but I’m not tossing a pair every weekend. For me, it’s less waste and less hassle hunting for new gloves all the time. Disposable has its place, but for roofing? I’ll take tough over tossable any day.I’ve started keeping a stash of those mid-range ones too and just swap out when they start falling apart.
I’ve had similar luck with the thick leather gloves—mine survived a whole deck rebuild and still have life left. The only downside is they get stiff if I don’t dry them out right, especially after working in the rain. Anyone found a good way to keep them from turning into boards after they get soaked? I’m not wild about tossing them in the dryer, but air-drying takes forever.
The only downside is they get stiff if I don’t dry them out right, especially after working in the rain. Anyone found a good way to keep them from turning into boards after they get soaked?
Yeah, I’ve run into that too—leather gloves are tanks but after a wet day, they’re like cardboard. I’ve had better luck stuffing them with newspaper and leaving ’em near a vent or furnace. Dryer’s a gamble… sometimes the seams go. Not perfect, but better than waiting days for them to soften up.
Newspaper trick works pretty good for me too, especially if I swap it out a couple times while they dry. I’ve tried tossing them in the truck cab with the heat cranked, but then you’re stuck with that wet leather smell for days. Anyone ever try those reusable rubber-coated gloves when it’s pouring? I like leather for grip, but the rubber ones seem to bounce back faster after getting soaked... not sure how they’d hold up on shingles though.
- I’ve tried the rubber-coated gloves on wet days—honestly, they dry out way faster than leather, but the grip isn’t quite the same.
- On shingles, they seem to wear down pretty quick, especially if you’re doing a lot of crawling or grabbing edges.
- Leather’s great for grip and feel, but once it’s soaked, it takes forever to get back to normal... and yeah, that smell lingers.
- Haven’t found a perfect solution—sometimes I just rotate between two pairs and hope for the best.
- If you’re on steep roofs or rough shingles, watch for those rubber palms starting to peel after a few jobs.