So you’re headed to Bandon Dunes for the ultimate guys trip – the trip of a lifetime. You’ve got your rain suit, and an umbrella, but I’m guessing you didn’t spend much time researching what rain glove to buy, or even worse, you didn’t even pack a set of rain gloves. You’ll buy some when you get there, right?
You basically just tossed the trip of a lifetime down the drain because you’re probably not going to be able to grip your clubs.
Got your attention? – Good!
Read on to learn which gloves will keep you making contact no matter how wet it gets, and which gloves will have you cursing up a storm when your driver goes flying down the fairway. We put 8 of the leading rain gloves on the market to the test. Let’s see which ones came out on top.
Something every golfer needs…yet almost no one has? Rain Gloves. Just buy one, trust us you’ll need it one day.
The Contenders
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FootJoy |
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Hirzl |
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Nike |
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Orlimar |
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PowerBilt |
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TaylorMade |
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Wilson |
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Zero Restriction |
The Scoring Process
Gloves were tested both Damp and Soaked:
Damp was achieved by applying 5 even sweeping sprays of water using a spray bottle to both the palm and back side of each glove.
Soaked was achieved by fully submerging gloved hands into a bucket of water for 10 seconds and then allowing gloves to drip for 10 seconds.
Both Damp and Soaked tests were run for each tester.
- Immediate feedback was provided for looks, comfort, fit and feel.
- Each tester was then asked to make 5 swings with the damp gloves before moving to 5 swings with the soaked gloves.
- Testers swung a 7 iron with a 1-year old GolfPride New Decade grip.
- Comparison tests were also performed with a rubber/non-cord grip. Those results were consistent with the results achieved with the New Decade grip.
We also utilized testers with two different gripping styles; overlapping and interlocking. Performance differences related to gripping style proved significant in some cases, and are noted under specific gloves where appropriate.
For every glove other than our bottom performers, golfers with the overlapping grip style report better gripping performance than those who use an interlocking grip.
Gloves were scored for grip, feel, comfort and durability and thickness:
Grip – does the club spin in your hands? a lot? (or worse, feel like it’s going to go flying down the fairway)
Comfort – does the stitching rub, do the fingers fit right, is there anything distracting.
Sizing – true to size, small, big – as well as fit in the fingers.
Durability – gloves were inspected for any visual ques as to long-term wear – gloves were soaked, dried out and soaked again and dried out again.
Thickness – thin, normal, or thick.
The Reviews
The top three positions in our buyer’s guide were highly contended and required quite a bit of talking through with our testers to reach a final decision. Nike originally was rated the Best Overall score, but after lengthy discussions about how comfort plays into the game, gloves from FootJoy and Hirzl were moved to the top of the list.
FootJoy RainGrip – $22
Good: The FootJoy RainGrip just beat out Nike All-Weather II for over-all comfort which is why it finished ahead of the Nike offering.
Bad: One tester mentioned it would be nice to have more padding in the palm. While the inclusion of a tee/tee holder on the glove is infinitely practical, in practice it’s more of an annoyance as the tee falls out with regularity. Not as much grip as the Nike – but also not lacking in grip.
Worth Noting: If you are an overlap gripping player you might choose these over the Nikes for near equal performance with an edge in comfort. Includes ball marker on cuff as well as a tee that will fall out/get lost within your first round.
Hirzl TRUST Control – $24.99
Good: Impressive performance – especially for a glove suitable for everyday wear. If you use an overlapping grip, the Hirzl TRUST Control performs every bit as well as the FootJoys . Interlocking players may find the FootJoy preferable.
Bad: Runs a bit large and one of our test gloves had the stitching start to come undone within the first 20 minutes of testing (we’ve seen several Trust Control gloves do the same thing in the past outside of our rain test – it’s sad because the leather on these gloves lasts longer than anything else we’ve seen)
Worth Noting: Interlocking players will not be as impressed as overlapping players. Stitching issues are hit and miss with the Hirzl Trust Controls. These gloves also run nearly an entire size too big. One tester who is an overlapper said he would play this glove over any other in the test, but he also has gamed this glove for the past two years.
Nike All-Weather II – $27
Good: The Nike All-Weather II feels like a second skin. They are thin. They fit well and, they simply grip better than any other glove in the lineup.
Bad: The stitching on the top of the index finger at the lower knuckle made all of our testers feel like they were being rubbed raw and/or forming a blister after only a couple of swings. The issue was more pronounced for overlapping grip players. The stitching issue alone was the reason the Nike All-Weather II did not win Best Overall.
Worth Noting: Pure performance. These gloves just flat work, but your index finger will likely pay the price (you’ve been warned). If not for the finger issue, the All-Weather II would be at the top of this list.
Wilson Staff Rain Gloves – $14.99
Good: A comfortable gloves that you could wear all day, the Wilson Staff Rain Glove, while not the best overall, provides adequate grip. For less than than $15, they’re arguably the best value in the field.
Bad: The Wilson Staff Rain Gloves run big, but downsizing will likely result in a glove that’s too small. The material is also thicker than most, which can be an issue for golfers who use an interlocking grip. Those players would be better served by the FootJoy RainGrip, Nike All-Weather II, or even Hirzl’s TRUST Control.
As we move down the list, this is the first rain glove that “feels” like a rain glove.
Worth Noting: If you’ve ever used “mechanics” gloves to work on your car, these gloves feel suspiciously similar.
TaylorMade Stratus Wet Glove – $21.99
Good: The TaylorMade Stratus Wet work’s well in damp situations, ie: when it’s not dumping buckets.
Bad: Fits a little big in the fingers. For those with an interlocking grip some traction is lost (not to the point of failure) when the grips were soaked. Others simply offer better grip in soaked conditions.
Worth Noting: Our overlapping testers found the grip to be “good enough” while our interlocking testers found the gloves provided less grip than others. While not overly thick, the material in the palm, but may be bulkier than some will prefer. Include a ball marker on the cuff.
Zero Restriction Rain Gloves – $12.99
Good: The Zero Restriction Rain Gloves are well made, and durability is their strong point. (It’s Zero Restriction, what else would you expect?)
Bad: Grip is lacking by comparison with the competitors, and that can lead to an even greater lack of confidence in one’s ability to hold the club security.
Worth Noting: Spongy feel when gripping the a club.
PowerBilt Rain Gloves – $12.99
Good: Performance is better than expected based on initial inspection.
Bad: We have serious doubts about the durability of the PowerBilt Rain Glove. In our tests, the palm material showed visible pilling after just a few swings.
Worth Noting: The grip of these gloves is nearly a toss up with the Zero Restriction gloves, but the durability is the worst of the bunch. They run a little small/tight and are very difficult to get off your hands. The material is difficult to grasp, making it hard to remove the clubs when worn on both hands. At least one tester had to use his teeth to bite the finger tips to pull the gloves off. A ball marker is included.
Orlimar Rain Glove – $16.99
Good: Your fingers won’t feel soaking wet in these gloves.
Bad: Poor overall performance due to inadequate traction. The club slips downward in your hand as you swing, and we’re confident that had we had kept pushing these gloves we’d have sent our 7 iron flying down range.
Worth Noting: These gloves fail as a rain glove. The squared-off fingers are slightly uncomfortable and the material feel “cheap.”
You’re Welcome
Congratulations, you made it through MyGolfSpy’s Rain Glove Buyer’s Guide, and now have all the information you need to keep a little rain (or a full-on deluge) from spoiling the golf trip of a lifetime (or just 18 holes on your local goat pasture).
The lesson here…don’t be one of those guys who shows up unprepared and buys whatever the proshop happens to have lying around. Be prepared. Use the next 5 minutes of your life to order the right rain gloves. Control the club while your buddies are throwing theirs down the fairway. You’ll thank us for it later.
Beers are on you the next time it rains.
Something every golfer needs…yet almost no one has? Rain Gloves. Just buy one, trust us you’ll need it one day.
Bob
10 years ago
In most parts of the U.S. the rain comes in the summer when it is warm. In CA and the Pacific Northwest it rains in the winter. My biggest problem with rain gloves is they soak through easily and then my hands are frozen. Did you come across any rain gloves that keep the hands dry while still providing grip and feel?