Best Welding Gloves for MIG & Stick – Reviews & Comparisons

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Welding is done with high heat applications so anyone who is welding needs to have gloves covering their hands, and forearms from the heat.

We asked our panel of professional welders what welding gloves they recommended for this type of work.

Those experts told us about their favorites, and they agreed to try out several gloves so they could recommend the best ones to our readers.

Best Welding Gloves

The following list of gloves is the ones that those professional welders declared to be good at protecting and the ones the professionals said they would buy for their own use. Besides this post, we have already reviewed gloves for TIG welding


Quick Comparison


Image

Name

Feature

Price

WZQH  Long Sleeve Welding Gloves

It is heat ,wear, ,puncture ,cut and oil resistant

KIM YUAN Extreme Heat Resistant Welding Gloves

90 days of no reason to return

CAIMAN 1878-5 Gloves - Best for Stick Welding

Genuine American Deer split palm

US Forge 400 Welding Gloves Lined Leather

Locked stitched for added strength

RAPICCA Leather Forge Heat Resistant MIG Welding Gloves

Kevlar Insulated Cotton with Air-isolated Aluminum Foil

Revco GM1611 Top Grain

Mig welding gloves with soft cotton lining

Best MIG/Stick Welding Gloves 2022 Reviews


Here we are presenting some of the best welding gloves available in the market with in-depth analysis: 

1. WZQH  Long Sleeve Welding Gloves

Specifications

  • Weight: 16 Oz.
  • Dimensions: 16.2 x 7.3 x 1.4 inches
  • Style: Leather Welding Gloves
  • Temperature Range: 32-932 °F
  • Measurement Accuracy: 1.0mm
WZQH  Long Sleeve Welding Gloves

The outside layer of these gloves is made from genuine cowhide split leather so they resist heat and they are tough. The middle layer of the gloves is a combination of flame retardant cotton and a material that has the same basic properties as aluminum foil, and those two materials are fused together to create a heat protecting force.

The portion of these gloves that makes contact with your skin is a soft 100% cotton material that is flame retardant. These gloves can withstand temperatures as high as 9320 F, or 5000 C.

The layer of split leather on these gloves is 1.2mm thick. That thickness provides you with gloves that will be heat resistant, cold-resistant, puncture-resistant, cut resistant, and wear-resistant for a longer amount of time than most gloves will.

These gloves have an extra-long sleeve protector that measures 7.5 inches. That gives your forearms the protection they need from the heat of welding.

These gloves are excellent for welding but they can also be used for gardening gloves, cooking gloves when you are grilling or cooking outdoors, and even pruning gloves. They are suitable for both men and women.

Pros


  • Made of cowhide leather, aluminum foil and flame-resistant cotton for excellent comfort and protection against heat.
  • The gloves can endure up to 932F of extreme temperature.
  • The sleeves are 7.4”, which 3.5” longer than usual welding gloves.
  • All-around protection against heat, cuts, puncture, oil, etc.
  • Great for long welding tasks as the aluminum foil prevents ambient heat from making your hands uncomfortably hot.

Cons


  • It will be hard to get a proper fit if your hands are too small since it comes in one size only.

2. KIM YUAN Extreme Heat Resistant Welding Gloves

Specifications

  • Weight: 11.5 ounces
  • Dimensions: 16 x 7 x 1.3 inches
  • Size: 16 Inch
  • Material: Cow Leather
  • Usage: Metal cutting
KIM YUAN Extreme Heat Resistant Welding Gloves

The manufacturer uses Kevlar thread to stitch these gloves. Kevlar thread is more resist\ant to high temperatures so it does not become compromised by the heat of welding processes. When a thread becomes compromised the gloves can start to deteriorate. These gloves last longer and protect more because the thread is designed to be used when high heat is a probability.

The gloves are thick enough to protect your hands and soft enough to be comfortable while you wear them. The external layer of material is genuine split leather. The gloves have a layer of heat protectant material and the layer of material that comes into contact with your skin is cotton so it will absorb sweat, and feel comfortable against your skin.

The palm of the glove is reinforced so you can work with heavy materials, materials that are sharp, or materials that are hot without damaging the gloves or your hands.

These gloves are useful in more applications than just welding. You can use them anytime you are cooking outdoors, they will protect your hands when you are building fences or pruning bushes with thorns, and they can be used for gardening or when you have to handle an animal that might bite.

The manufacture makes these gloves in both a 14 inch and a 16-inch variety. They are suitable for both men and women.

Pros


  • Can be great for temperature up to 662F while welding.
  • The Kevlar thread is used properly to ensure reduced damage from extreme heat and flame.
  • Comfortable to wear due to the soft cotton inside that absorbs sweat and prevents heat.
  • Great for a range of work from welding to oven, BBQ, fireplace, animal handling.

Cons


  • Provides excellent comfort while MIG welding but not as good as WZGH for stick welding.

3. CAIMAN 1878-5 Gloves - Best for Stick Welding

Specifications

  • Weight: 1 pounds
  • Dimensions: 22 x 8 x 12 inches
  • Part number: 1878-5
  • Size: One Size Fits All
  • Material: Leather
CAIMAN 1878-5 Gloves - Best for Stick Welding

These gloves are the longest welding gloves that you can buy. They were the first ones that were 21 inches long. They provide the maximum amount of protection for the wearer, from the tips of their fingers up to their elbows.

The palms of these gloves are crafted from split leather made from genuine deer hide. On the external portion of the gloves that are exposed to the greatest amount of heat is crafted from leather made from boar hides. They are stitched together with Kevlar thread to increase their resistance to heat and reduce the possibilities of heat damages.

They are designed to increase the comfort of the wearer while they provide maximum protection. The design follows the natural slope of the human hand so the glove can fit better and the person wearing the glove retains their ability to grip firmly. This design protects the hand but it also ensures that the person is less likely to drop a heavy piece of metal or sharp piece of metal and be injured by that item.

These gloves weigh about a pound. They are black and gold in color, and they can even be used when you are burning things in the yard and have to move the live-fire from place to place and designed for especially the Stick welders and overhead welding. 

Pros


  • Great for overhead welding for having a longer sleeve.
  • 21” long, giving extra arm protection while welding in multiple situations.
  • It is sewn with 100% Kevlar.
  • A combination of boarhide and deerskin gives special protection in specific areas.

Cons


  • It is a bit heavier than most welding gloves due to the longer design.
  • Quite thin.

4. US Forge 400 Welding Gloves Lined Leather

Specifications

  • Weight: 11.2 Oz.
  • Dimensions: 13 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
  • Model number: Drake Off Road
  • Size: Standard
  • Material: Leather
US Forge 400 Welding Gloves Lined Leather

These gloves will provide protection to your hands when you are working around hot materials. They prevent accidental contact while you are welding, or working around high heat. They can protect you from hot slag, hot sparks, sharp pieces of metal and more.

They are very thick and protect your hands from temperatures as high as 6000 F. They can be used by welders, blacksmiths, gardeners, to clean around your property or to cook outdoors using live fire or hot coals.

These gloves are fourteen inches in length so they do not cover your forearm or restrict your movement in any way. They are intended for either gender to wear, and their interior material is soft and comfortable.

These gloves are high-quality pieces of apparel that are perfect at protecting your hands from high heat sources. They also prevent cuts and skin tears, and even skin bruising from handling heavy materials that have sharp edges.

They can be worn by both men and women. They fit comfortably and allow you to retain the grip you need to hold welding torches or materials securely. They can also be used for hand protection around the ranch, farm, or whenever you are going to be doing something that can cause injury to your hands. 

Pros


  • Non-stitched design, giving better dexterity.
  • Suitable for light welding tasks if you do not need heavy-duty gloves.
  • Extremely lightweight in comparison to most stick welding gloves.
  • Great for working under 800 degrees.

Cons


  • No extra heat shield.
  • Not suitable for heavy-duty welding.

5. RAPICCA Leather Forge Heat Resistant MIG Welding Gloves 

Specifications

  • Weight: 1.25 pounds
  • Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 2 inches
  • Part number: Rapicca-Gloves-Tools-blue
  • Size: 16 Inch
  • UV Protection: 80%
RAPICCA Leather Forge Heat Resistant MIG Welding Gloves

These gloves are made from split leather from cowhide. The split leather is 1.5mm thick so it provides the ultimate amount of protection from heat or hand injuries like cuts. Split leather from cowhide is also wear-resistant, heat resistant, tear-resistant, cold-resistant, it resists oil and it is resistant to cuts. 

The seams are reinforced by double stitching on the glove fingers, palm, elbow section and at the back of the hand. They are 16 inches in length and that gives you 7.5 inches above the wrist.

They can protect you when you are welding, from high heat when you are cooking, when you are burning items outside, when you are using a plasma cutter when you are working with sharp materials like barbed wire, and anytime your hands are going to be subjected to thorns, sharp objects, or dangerous hot or cold temperatures.

They consist of three layers, with the cowhide being on the exterior of the gloves, a heat protectant material being sandwiched in the middle of the gloves, and soft cotton that absorbs moisture and does not irritate your skin is the innermost layer. The gloves are blue and gold.

Pros


  • Suitable for complicated and heavy-duty welding tasks as it can withstand up to 932 degrees.
  • Double Kevlar stitching on the gloves’ palms, fingers, back and elbow, ensures overall anti-heat protection.
  • The sleeves are 7.5 inches long, allowing the gloves to be suitable for overhead welding.
  • Provides safety against heat, cut, oil, puncture, wear, etc.

Cons


  • Not suitable for the direct contact of hot metal for more than 15 seconds.

Buying Guide


If you are going to weld or workaround high temperatures then you need to invest in welding gloves to protect your hands. Before you buy the best MIG and Stick welding gloves, consider the following things about the items so you can choose a pair that will benefit you the most.

Heat Tolerance

If gloves are made for welders then they are heat tolerant. The problem is that some gloves might protect your hands from heat levels as great as 9320 F and other gloves may only offer protection for heat amounts up to 5000 F. Read the manufacturer description and discern how much heat the gloves can tolerate without being compromised.

Length

Welding gloves come in a wide variety of lengths. You can get 14-inch gloves that cover just your hands and the portion of your wrist that connects to your hands, you can get 16-inch gloves that cover farther up your arm, or you can get gloves that are 21 inches long and cover all the way up to your elbows.

The length of glove you choose is a personal preference and should be decided according to the process you will be doing while wearing the gloves.

Materials

Gloves are not all made with the same quality of materials. You want the external portion of your gloves to be made from split leather and cowhide is the most common of those leathers. Boar hide and deer hide are also used to make split leather for gloves.

Stitching

The stitching of the gloves needs to be reinforced to create stronger gloves. It is also beneficial if the gloves are made with Kevlar thread because this type of thread is heat resistant. Your gloves are only as strong as your stitching so make this an important part of your decision on which gloves to buy.



Welding Gloves FAQ


Q. Can you use MIG gloves for stick welding?

You can use gloves recommended for MIG welding processes when you are doing other welding processes such as stick welding or TIG welding. The gloves are manufactured from materials that will protect your hands and forearms from the intense heat that is produced when you are welding, and all welding processes produce high levels of intense heat.

Make sure that your glove fits you well so you have the perfect amount of control over the welding torch you will be holding. Your gloves should cover your fingers completely but be tight enough that you can hold and grip things securely while you are wearing them.

Q. How long should welding gloves last?

Gloves that are worn while you are welding are exposed to very high levels of heat. The materials that you handle while wearing these gloves are hard on the gloves and the heat and rough materials will cause the gloves to shrink, become torn, or deteriorate really fast.

Normally a welder can get one to eight weeks of optimum use out of a pair of gloves. As time goes by the material of the gloves will become thinner and it will become ragged. Ragged gloves are a fire hazard because the frays on the gloves can ignite due to the intense heat.

The thinning of the glove material is a problem because the thinner gloves do not protect you as well from the intense heat you are exposing your hands to.

Q. Why do welders wear gloves?

Welding is a process of heating metal to its melting point so it can join two pieces together. To heat the metal to a melting point you have to apply very high heat to it. The high heat can be felt by the person welding and the gloves protect the hands of the welder so they are not burned or affected by the heat of the welding process.

Welding gloves also protect the wearer from being burned or seriously injured if they handle the metal they have been welding. The metal being welded can often cut your hands and is hot enough to give you a serious second or third-degree burn with just a minimal amount of contact.


Final Note


Welding gloves are not an accessory they are a necessity. If you do any of the welding processes you need to have a good pair of gloves available at all times.

If you are looking for gloves with very high heat tolerance, and protection for both your hands and forearms, then look at the WZQH 16" Gloves.

If you are looking for gloves that are long to protect your arms while you weld check out the CAIMAN 1878-5 Glove. They are some of the longest on the market.

Last Updated on 1 year by Richard Boyer

  • June 28, 2022
Richard Boyer
 

Richard Boyer has been a professional welder for over 27 years of his life, and now he is a trainer and blogger providing critical information to anyone interested in welding. He is helping out both hobbyists, novice and professional welders to learn newer and better techniques. Read more about me

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