The Great Glove Debate

What Is This Debate Anyway?

You've seen those specialized mechanic's gloves on the shelf at your local auto parts store. But do you really need a $20 pair of gloves to repair your car? Do you need gloves at all? We polled some experts to see where they fall in the great glove debate.

It's the stuff of lunch table debate. To glove or not to glove. It's the question, alright, but who cares? We obviously don't need gloves to work on cars. Glove proponents claim an overall cleaner, safer work experience. They can touch hot parts without fearing a scar. At the end of the day, they can take off their gloves and leave their work behind while they go home to their families.

On the other hand, there are the no-glovers. Old school mechanics almost never wear gloves. Sure, their hands may look like gloves, but that's because they're serious about getting things done in a hand-to-hand combat sort of way. They aren't metrosexuals, and they don't care whether their hands are supple.

Whichever side you find yourself on, you're sure to run into opposing opinions, along with the occasional choice insult. If you think gloves are for wimps, stop here. If you wear gloves or are interested in wearing gloves while you're under the hood, read on.

So you're a glove person. Congratulations. I wrenched bareback for years, always scrubbing grease out of my cuticles, drenching my hands in nasty cleaners, and inevitably missing one big black spot that shows up while I'm eating at my in-laws. Now I wear gloves. Part 2 of the glove debate hovers around which gloves you're going to wear. Two camps seem to develop -- specialized mechanic's gloves or blue dippers. The mechanic's gloves will run you around $20 a pair, the blue dippers are only a few bucks.

Mechanic's Gloves
Mechanic's gloves are designed to protect your hands from the harsh elements of auto repair while leaving your tactile senses intact to do things like thread a nut. You can spend a lot of money, but to be more realistic, we chose a commonly available version. They work well. You have to find the glove that fits your hands or the extra bit hanging off the ends of your fingers will hinder your work. I could feel what I was working on pretty well. The gloves breathed well enough to stay comfortable, too.

Generic Blue Dippers
These are those white knit gloves dipped in blue latex. I know a lot of guys who swear by these. On the plus side, they're waterproof in the fingers, the mechanic's gloves were not. You can touch some nasty stuff with these and it'll never seep through to your skin. They're super comfortable, and also come in different sizes so you can find the right fit. Did I mention they're cheap? On the down side, you don't get as much feeling in your fingertips. The blue is a little thick when it comes to fine tuning. For the price, they're great.

We've compared the two most commonly used glove types, along with the bare knuckles method. All of them have qualities that are inarguably worth mentioning. Mechanic's gloves give you a better feel, but blue dips offer better protection. Bare hands are free but don't forget to budget in all that hand cleaner.

So which setup is best? None of them! It's a personal call all the way. Go with what your personality, or your significant other, says is best. Try some out and see what works for you. Don't settle, though. When it comes to being comfortable while you're working on your car, you shouldn't shortcut. Fatigue or even discomfort can be the first step toward carelessness, and safety is number one.