Leather palm gloves are ideal for virtually any job, including those that involve rugged work. Split leather palm work gloves are less expensive than the grain leather work gloves in our previous section, so if you’re seeking budget-friendly leather gloves, you’re in the right place. Because grain leather is found after to use in products by the more fashion-driven industries, like automotive and furniture, it ensures the price for grain leather will always be higher, including when it’s used in the manufacturing of work gloves.
Workers who need excellent abrasion-resistance, puncture-resistance, and heat-resistance, turn to a
leather palm work glove that holds up to all three. MCR Safety’s leather palm work gloves are
designed to withstand some of the toughest jobs. Think of someone splitting and stacking firewood. A
day’s work will quickly destroy a thin piece of leather. Or, consider someone carrying large
and bulky items all day long. A glove has to be able to withstand the wear and tear caused by these
heavier-duty activities.
Here are some advantages to leather palm work gloves:
Downsides: less dexterity, can wear out faster
We explained the term “split
leather” on our opening
Leather Work
Glove page
. However, since it is what makes up every leather palm work glove you
purchase,
it’s worth further explanation here. Split leather is the rougher, inner side of the
hide.
We know you’re concerned about quality, as it determines the length of wear. That is another major reason we cover this splitting of leather again. The location of where the leather is split will determine the overall quality and potential length of wear. You can check out our three images below and see the general appearance changes that show up as you start moving from lower grade to premium grade leather. And, it’s not just appearance that changes, performance levels change, too, offering better abrasion performance and better puncture performance.
Revisit our main page for a look at our ITC testing lab’s abrasion- and heat-performance tests. There you’ll see that the quality of leather matters as it impacts performance!
You should know your leather glove options when it comes to selecting leather palm gloves. Understanding the selection criteria can help you choose the right gloves for the job. Our goal is to make sure you know what you’re purchasing, so let's get started.
The image above highlights the core parts to most any leather palm glove you’ll find offered. Most leather palm work gloves will look like the gloves pictured above, though there are some different patterns that may change the appearance somewhat. Once again, before we dive into the different types of leather palm gloves, it’s important to note where the split leather originates. Once you know what kind of quality leather hide is being offered, you’ll be able to compare like products. Within the core design of a leather palm work glove, you’ll encounter a wide range of palms. Here is a breakdown of each type:
These gloves feature a single layer split leather palm.
With an extra layer of leather sewn onto the palm for added abrasion-resistance, these gloves offer increased protection.
These gloves use leftover material from the process of creating leather work gloves to piece together materials into a double palm for added strength.
A reinforced palm patch offers superior grip and wear-resistance.
The backs of leather gloves are offered in a variety of materials. The selection of the appropriate back depends on how the gloves will be used. For those who prefer to spend less on gloves and only require palm protection, they may select a standard back. Leather is expensive, so adding leather to the back-of-hand increases costs. However, some workers need full-hand protection due to hazards like heat, so MCR Safety offers gloves with a variety of back options.
A standard leather palm has vital features like a safety cuff, shirred elastic back, knuckle strap, leather fingertips, wing thumb, and welted seams in the high-stress areas. Welting refers to an extra piece of leather that is sewn into the seam to give it additional strength.
When protection is needed across the knuckles, a ¾ back is a good option, and it still allows for some breathability.
A full leather palm glove covers the entire hand in leather for 360ļ° protection. The full leatherback is used when additional protection is needed on the whole back of the hand.
Almost every leather palm glove available on the market today will be made from cowhide. Why? Because other leather hides are not thick enough to be split into a split leather hide.
Leather palm gloves offer users many of the same qualities found in leather drivers but at a reduced price point. You’ll be amazed at the beating these gloves can take! Here is a quick rundown of the benefits of cowhide leather palm gloves:
Downsides: limited sensitivity, limited flexibility, limited moisture-resistance.
There is a wide array of leather palm work glove configurations, which is why we’ve broken these gloves up into different groups. Our goal is to help you find the preferred style that works best for your given application. Below are some of our most popular cowhide glove styles, organized to show you the options from our budget-friendly leather glove styles to our more premium leather work gloves selection.
As we mentioned above, the last thing you want is for a pair of leather work gloves to let you down. From material tearing apart to holes showing up after one day of use, your best leather gloves are those made with the higher-grade leather and overall higher-quality materials. For more on leather glove quality and grades, be sure to check out our Leather 101 section. You can see the entire knowledge center at the bottom of this page.
What is synthetic leather? The first substitute for natural leather started in the 19th
century with the
development of Nitrocellulose and collodion. In the 20th century,
DuPont™ patented
Fabrikoid, which was primarily used in upholstery and book bindings. Today, there are three
fundamental kinds of
synthetic leather fabrics: polyurethane (PU) leather, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) leather, and
microfiber leather. Each
of these is treated to resemble and feel like real leather.
Since the early to mid-2000s’, MCR Safety has been offering synthetic leather work gloves.
With increased
pressure put on the overall leather supply chain in 2008, mostly due to numerous tannery closures,
MCR Safety
decided it was necessary to offer our customers additional synthetic leather work glove options.
Artificial leather
has innumerable advantages over real leather.
Some of the benefits of synthetic leather include:
Keep in mind: synthetic leather is not recommended for welding, where heat and open flames are present.
Our current offering in a synthetic leather palm comes with a double palm, ensuring extra reinforcement and longevity.
Our lineup of lined leather palm work gloves ensures your hands are comfortable and protected from abrasive materials. A nice pair of leather palm work gloves will keep your hands free from scrapes. Add in a nice liner, and you’ve combined toughness and comfort together!
Synthetic leather does offer comfortable breathability. So, if you want a synthetic leather glove to use during the winter, you will want to add a cozy liner.
As you read over all of the information above, you may have realized that a leather palm glove is not what you need. In that case, be sure to check out our other types of leather work gloves by clicking either of the images below. You may have also realized that we used a lot of jargon you’re not necessarily familiar with or understand. If that is accurate, be sure to check out our Leather Glove Knowledge Center, linked at the bottom of the page.
Click one of the links below to learn more about that topic.