Leather-palmed gloves and water are a weird combo, for sure. I’ve had a few pairs basically turn into cardboard after a rainy day on a green roof—left them in the back of the van, came back, and they were so stiff I could barely get my hands in. I’ve tried oiling them up to get some flex back, but they’re never quite the same. Lately, I’m more into those nitrile-coated fabric gloves for anything wet or messy. Not as much padding, but at least they dry out fast and don’t get that musty smell.
On the eye protection side, fogging is the bane of my existence, especially when I’m crawling around under solar panels or in tight attic spaces. Anti-fog coatings work for a while, but once you wipe them with a dirty shirt (which is always), it’s game over. Sometimes I’ll just take the glasses off for a minute to let them clear, but then you risk getting something in your eye. Kind of a no-win situation.
Reusable gear seems better for most things—cheaper long run, less trash—but if it’s something really gross like cleaning gutters after a storm, I’ll just use disposables and toss ’em. Not perfect, but sometimes convenience wins out.
I get the urge to just toss disposables for nasty jobs, but I’ve actually started double-gloving with reusable nitriles under cheap disposables when it’s really gross. That way the inner ones last longer and my hands aren’t swimming in sweat. Not perfect, but cuts down on trash a bit.
On the glasses,
I feel this—except I keep a little microfiber cloth in my tool pouch now. Sounds fussy, but it saves me some headaches (and scratched lenses).Anti-fog coatings work for a while, but once you wipe them with a dirty shirt (which is always), it’s game over.
I’m with you on the double-gloving. I started doing that after a plumbing job went sideways and I realized how much sweat and grime gets trapped in just one pair. The reusable nitriles under disposables is a solid combo—saves my hands and I don’t feel as guilty about the trash.
On the glasses, I totally get this:
Anti-fog coatings work for a while, but once you wipe them with a dirty shirt (which is always), it’s game over.
Been there too many times. I finally caved and bought a pack of cheap microfiber cloths—one in every tool bag, glove box, you name it. It’s a little thing, but my lenses last way longer now. Still, I wish someone would invent a truly permanent anti-fog...
Double-gloving’s been a game changer for me too, especially on hot days up on a roof. I’ll do a thin reusable pair underneath and then the cheap disposables over top—makes cleanup way easier and my hands don’t get that weird pruney feeling. Only thing is, sometimes I feel like the disposables tear faster when I’m handling shingles or metal edges, so I end up swapping them out more often than I’d like. Still beats scrubbing tar off my skin at the end of the day.
On the glasses, totally agree about anti-fog being a joke after a few wipes. I’ve tried sprays and wipes, but honestly, keeping a microfiber in my pocket is the only thing that’s actually helped. The trick for me is to stash extras everywhere because I lose them constantly. Wish someone would invent a lens that just never fogs up, but until then, it’s all about damage control.
One thing I’m still figuring out: how to keep sweat from dripping down into my eyes under safety glasses. Bandanas help a bit, but not perfect. Anyone else run into that?
Sweat under safety glasses is the worst. I’ve tried bandanas, but they get soaked fast, especially in the summer. What’s worked a bit better for me is those cheap sweatbands you can get in multi-packs—they’re not perfect, but they buy me a little more time before everything starts dripping. As for gloves, I go through disposables like crazy when I’m working with rough stuff. Sometimes I just skip the outer layer if I know it’s going to shred anyway and just wash up after. Not ideal, but less annoying than swapping gloves every 10 minutes.