Eye and hand protection: disposable vs. reusable gear?

I find my hands get sweaty fast, which isn’t ideal either.

That’s my main gripe too. I tried the nitrile-under-gloves trick last fall when I was clearing out the gutters, and my hands felt like they’d been in a sauna by the end. It definitely keeps the mud and gunk off, but I’m not convinced it helps with grip - if anything, it makes things a bit more slippery for me.

I’ve gone through a few pairs of those “waterproof” reusable gloves from the hardware store, but they always seem to get stiff and crack after a couple weeks of wet work. Maybe it’s just our climate (I’m in the PNW, so rain is basically a given), but I haven’t found anything that holds up and doesn’t feel like wearing cardboard after a while.

Honestly, I wish there was a magic glove that stayed flexible, didn’t get gross, and didn’t make my hands sweat buckets. Until then, I’m stuck with the disposable cycle too... not ideal, but at least my hands aren’t freezing.

I wish there was a magic glove that stayed flexible, didn’t get gross, and didn’t make my hands sweat buckets.

You’re definitely not alone there. I’ve tested a bunch of different gloves for crawlspace and attic work, and even the pricier “breathable” ones end up clammy after a while. The PNW climate just seems to accelerate the wear and tear, too. At least disposables keep your hands dry-ish, but I agree - none of it’s perfect. If anyone ever invents that magic glove, I’ll be first in line...

even the pricier “breathable” ones end up clammy after a while

Honestly, I can’t help but wonder if “breathable” is just a marketing word most of the time. Every glove I’ve tried - rubber-dipped, nitrile, even those fancy bamboo-fiber ones - ends up sweaty and gross during a long shift. I actually prefer cheap disposables for some jobs just because you can ditch them when they get nasty, but then you’re tossing out a ton of trash. Not much of a win either way. Maybe there’s something better out there, but I haven’t found it yet.

I get what you mean - “breathable” gloves always sound great until you’re halfway through a job and your hands feel like they’ve been soaking in a sauna. I’ve tried a bunch too, and honestly, even the lightweight ones just end up sticky. I started using those mechanics’ gloves with mesh backs for yard work, and they’re a bit better, but still not perfect. Disposables are handy when things get really gross, but tossing out so many feels kind of wasteful... Maybe there’s just no magic glove yet?

Funny you mention the mesh-back mechanics’ gloves - I tried those last summer on a tear-off job, thinking they’d be a game-changer. Ended up with hands full of grit and still sweaty anyway. Disposables are nice for the gross stuff, but I always feel guilty tossing a pile at the end of the day. Has anyone found a reusable glove that actually holds up to roofing work without turning your hands into prunes? Or is it just one of those “pick your poison” situations?