Prospecting Gloves - Advice?

[angermd]

I've been cutting up my hands quite a bit with my recent diggings. I've been thinking about getting some gloves for protection while I'm out digging in the river. What does everyone else use for gloves? I will be getting them wet and I'd prefer if I didn't have to worry about them falling off (maybe something with straps at the wrist). Suggestions of kind and where to buy would be greatly appreciated!

 

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[fowledup]

Real miners don't wear gloves-lol! Sorry man, someone was gonna say it, might as well get it out of the way. Now if, IF a miner was to wear gloves, I've heard the cotton ones with the rubber dipped fingers work well. There cheap, last a long time and I've heard harbor freight sells them in a 5 or 10 pair bundle. But that's just what I've heard because real miners don't wear gloves. Cough cough.
On a serious note, be careful with wrist strap gloves. If you need to get your hand out of a caught up glove you should be able to do so with the hand that's in it. Not a big fan of wrist straps

 

[goldhog]

Pretty sure these are the ones we buy.
You'll lose them, so don't pay much.
We use these both for land and for underwater during the summer months dredging.
Doc

Shop MECHANIX WEAR Large Unisex Multipurpose Gloves at Lowes.com

 

[Hefty1]

Mining-Gloves
Nothing lasts...

 

[goldhog]

Mining-Gloves
Nothing lasts...

Very true...
Dive gloves get REALLY expensive and don't last long either, so that's why we went to these.
With about 30 hours diving a week, we buy them like cheap beer.
We know both (cheap beer and mining gloves) go quickly and and after several... no one really cares.

 

[delnorter]

That glove list as $9.97 per pair at Lowes site Doc. Is that the price you folks pay?
Thanks,
Mike

 

[Jimmydolittle]

Woodcarvers gloves, mde with kevlar. Wood Carving Gloves

 

[DizzyDigger]

AngerMD..Prospecting isn't some kind of contest, so ignore those guys who
think ya gotta be "manly" enough to keep your hands in 38º water all day. Don't
know where they're prospecting at, but let 'em come up here and spend an hour
with their hands bare, panning in what is little more than freshly melted snow..

These are lifesavers (and finger savers, too!)

Amazon.com: Custom Leathercraft 2084L PVC Gloves with 18-Inch Gauntlet Cuff, Large: Home Improvement

Not spendy at all, and while they don't last forever, they do last a long time if'n
ya take care of 'em.

These are a bit longer, and are made for commercial fishing (they should be tougher
than the above)

Atlas Glove WG772L 26-Inch Long Sleeve Nitrile Coated Cotton Lined Work Gloves, Large - Amazon.com

There's another 50 styles of them on Amazon, and most all are under $20
per pair. If you like working creeks in the winter, a couple pair in the pack is good
insurance against frozen, beat up fingers.

 

[Sick4gold]

I like to use asphalt or Kevlar coated gloves. They are usually decently cheap and last a long time.
Aside from the cold water there's lots of sharp objects in the rivers/creeks
Razor blades, nails, broken glass, jagged rusted metal, etc.
I personally prefer spending 20 bucks on a decent set of gloves compared to a nice gaping wound jam packed full of random bacteria and tetnis.
But that's just me

 

[2cmorau]

LOL,
best pair of gloves for water, my one pair have been around for about five years

of course four of which been unbl to dredge, cheap and will last a long time,
when movin rock above water, leather, with a coating of poxy two part and put just on the finger tips this is where thay wear out for me all the time

 

[KevinInColorado]

I use the nylon gloves on the left in warmer water because they don't absorb much water, protect my hands well and cost about $2 at Lowes or Home Depot. The ones on the right are $8 (I think) from Harbor Freight. With or without glove liners they keep me dry and warm in cold weather...I prospect right thru winter in Colorado!



...and I agree that hand protection is important. A piece of glass or a sharp rock can end a day in the field or lead to infection otherwise.

 

[goldhog]

That glove list as $9.97 per pair at Lowes site Doc. Is that the price you folks pay?
Thanks,
Mike

They run about 9 - 13 I think, but worth every penny when you're diving all day and moving rocks.
Also, if you've never had your fingers jammed between a rock and a big dredge nozzle... you ain't livin....

 

[Doitlaynstyle]

I tried out the GORILLA gloves and tore them up in a day but I gotta say they had the best wet grip I have ever experienced but the TOOL HANDS are the best for long lasting durable grip. I cut the wrist strap off for the same reason listed above. Black Stallion Tool Hands PLUS Reinforced Snug Fit Gloves 99PLUS

 

[fowledup]

I apologize for the manly jokes. I have enrolled in sensitivity training thru my works HR dept. (Was gonna make an obama care joke but thought I better not)
These are mine; left- skin tight summer $10/10 prs., middle-spring and fall <$5/pr., Right- insulated winter $5/pr. All of them last a pretty fair while, good luck.

 

[63bkpkr]

I find that if I move/pick up/throw/move rocks on top of a classifier or do anything else with my bare hands related to prospecting they get torn up rather quickly. Leather gloves do not last as the fingers wear out. I just went through a new plastic coated cotton glove in a morning of moving rocks and panning. I would say whatever is cheapest as they are not going to last but sure are appreciated.

Sensitivity training, Baahh! LOL...........................63bkpkr

 

[KevinInColorado]

I apologize for the manly jokes. I have enrolled in sensitivity training thru my works HR dept. (Was gonna make an obama care joke but thought I better not) These are mine; left- skin tight summer $10/10 prs., middle-spring and fall <$5/pr., Right- insulated winter $5/pr. All of them last a pretty fair while, good luck.

Good approach, I like it!

 

[NuggetN8]

I've never used gloves for prospecting but I've been going out almost every day now and I'm losing the skin on my hands quick! This thread reminded me I need to go buy some! Lol thanks for the reminder =]

 

[angermd]

fowledup - oh, umm, I was asking for a friend and accidentally typed the statement about myself...Just kidding :-)
Thanks for everyone's advice. I'll definitely take a look at all your suggestions, maybe try some out, and then take them out to the river. Maybe I'll even get a few pairs for different conditions since they're all nice and inexpensive

 

[russau]

ive always hated wearing gloves weither when i used to work for a living or when dredgeing!i guess ive been lucky and never had any problems!once the joints in my fingers/hands got sore and stiff from the cold water in the Wyoming mountains,but that was it!

 

[team sidewinder]

I know, I know the Deep Sea 3mm neoprene Kevlar gloves from Keene Engineering are outrageously expensive. BUT the wife and I in our old age just cannot take the early/late seasons ice cold Montana water anymore so these are well worth the money for US. They are $50 per pair with shipping and hold up better than any other neoprene dive glove out there IMHO. They keep your hands as warm as possible in those conditions and we can work all day without freezing our hands off. Freezing our butts off is another story.

I hate gloves too but really like these and the Kevlar makes them last longer with improved grip.