I hear you on the glove graveyard—sometimes I wonder if there’s a secret stash of left-hand gloves somewhere, because I always blow out the same side first. I’ve tried the thicker nitrile-coated ones, and they last a bit longer, but even those get shredded after a couple of days wrestling with shingles or scraping old tar. I started keeping a box of disposables in the truck for the really nasty jobs—like when you’re dealing with wet underlayment or that black goo that never comes off your skin. Not cheap, but at least my hands don’t look like I tried to pet a porcupine.
Curious if anyone’s found a brand or style that actually holds up to repeated abuse? Or is it just wishful thinking? Also, do you all bother with those glove liners in summer, or does that just make everything sweatier? I’ve tried both ways and can’t decide which is worse...
I’ve burned through so many pairs, I just buy the cheap multi-packs now and treat them as semi-disposable. The thicker nitrile ones are decent for a day or two, but once you start scraping old tar or prying up nails, they’re toast. Liners in summer? Tried it once—felt like my hands were in a sauna. I’d rather deal with grime than sweat puddles. Has anyone actually found a glove that doesn’t get shredded on shingle edges? Or is it just part of the job?
I hear you on the glove struggle. I’ve tried everything from leather to those “cut-resistant” ones, and shingles still chew them up. The only thing that’s lasted me more than a week was a pair of heavy-duty mechanics gloves, but they’re bulky and not great for detail work. Honestly, I think some wear and tear is just inevitable with shingle edges—especially if you’re doing a lot of scraping or lifting tabs. Haven’t found anything that’s both durable and breathable, especially in the summer heat. If anyone’s cracked the code, I’d love to know too.
I get where you’re coming from, but I actually think the “inevitable” part depends a bit on how you use the gloves. I used to go through a pair every few days, but then I started switching between two types depending on the job. For tearing off or scraping, I’ll grab those thick mechanics gloves—even if they’re clunky, they save my hands when it’s rough work. But for laying shingles or detail stuff, I swap to a thinner coated pair (like those nitrile-dipped ones). They don’t last forever, but they’re cheap and surprisingly grippy, plus way cooler in the heat.
One thing I noticed: if you keep your hands dry and clean, the gloves seem to hold up longer. Not sure why, maybe less grit grinding into the fabric? Anyway, I don’t think there’s a perfect glove out there, but mixing it up and not expecting one pair to do everything has helped me stretch them out. Just my two cents—might be worth a shot if you haven’t tried rotating types yet.
Yeah, I’ve noticed the same thing—no glove really covers all the bases. I tried the “one pair for everything” approach at first and was burning through them way too fast. Switching it up makes a lot more sense. I like this point you made:
if you keep your hands dry and clean, the gloves seem to hold up longer
I’ve found that too, especially in the summer when your hands get sweaty. Also, washing the grime off the reusable ones now and then seems to help them last. For disposable gloves, though, I just accept they’re gonna rip if I’m doing anything rougher than painting.