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.
That smell is the worst—reminds me of a job after a hailstorm last spring. We were swapping out shingles in the rain, and my leather gloves basically turned into sponges. I tried hanging them in the truck overnight with the windows cracked, but they still stank for days. Ended up tossing them.
I’ve bounced between those rubber-palmed gloves and disposables too. The rubber ones are decent until you hit rough shingles or have to crawl a lot—then they start peeling or even tearing at the fingertips. Disposable nitrile gloves are nice for keeping your hands dry under heavier gloves, but they rip so fast if you’re grabbing anything sharp.
Honestly, I haven’t found a glove that holds up well on steep roofs when it’s wet out. Rotating pairs helps a bit, but sometimes I just end up working barehanded for better grip (not ideal). Has anyone actually found a reusable glove that doesn’t fall apart after a couple storms?
I hear you on the leather gloves—once they get soaked, it’s like wearing wet cardboard, and the smell is just brutal. I’ve tried those “water-resistant” coated gloves, but honestly, after crawling around on a couple rough jobs, the coating starts to peel and you’re back to square one. Last winter, I doubled up with nitrile under some cheap mechanics gloves, but they still tore up fast on the ridge caps. At this point, I just keep a few pairs in rotation and accept that nothing lasts long if you’re working wet roofs. If someone’s found a glove that actually survives more than a week of real use, I’d be shocked.
Yeah, I’ve pretty much given up on finding “the glove” too. Wet leather is a lost cause, and those dipped ones just shred after a couple days on shingles. I tried the nitrile-under-mechanics trick too—felt like my hands were in a sauna and still ended up with holes. At this point, I just buy the cheap 3-packs at the hardware store and swap them out when they get nasty. If there’s a magic glove out there, it’s hiding from me...
Magic glove is right up there with unicorns and self-mowing lawns, if you ask me. I’ve tried everything short of taping grocery bags to my hands. The “waterproof” ones always end up full of water anyway—usually after about five minutes of gutter cleaning. I bought a box of those blue latex gloves thinking I’d be clever, but they basically melted when I tried to pick up anything rougher than a leaf.
My last project was patching some siding and I went through three pairs in a day. It’s almost like the universe is telling me to just accept splinters as part of homeownership. I did try those fancy reusable ones with the rubber palms, but after a couple weekends, they smelled like a gym sock left in the rain and had holes in all the fingertips. Not sure if it’s my technique or just the curse of old houses.
Honestly, I’m with you on the cheapies. I keep a stash in the garage and just swap them out when they get gross or start falling apart. It’s not glamorous, but at least I don’t feel bad tossing them when they’re done. I will say, though, I’ve started doubling up when I know it’s going to be wet or nasty work—one thin pair under a thicker one. Still sweaty, but at least my hands survive most of the time.
If someone invents gloves that actually last through a weekend of yard work, I’ll be first in line...right after I finish picking splinters out of my palm.
I hear you on the glove struggle. I’ve cycled through just about every type—nitrile, latex, those “cut-resistant” ones—and none have held up perfectly. For siding and rough work, I started using mechanics’ gloves (the kind with reinforced palms and knuckles). They’re not waterproof, but they last longer than most and don’t shred instantly. I toss them in the wash when they get gross, which helps with the smell. Not cheap, but I’d rather buy one decent pair than burn through a whole box every weekend. Still haven’t found anything that keeps hands dry for gutter cleaning, though...