Gig Gear Gig Gloves

Designed for stage hands, road crew and those of us who have to lug our own gear to gigs, Gig Gloves aim to provide hand protection combined with flexibility and the ability to grip well. Given the number of times I’ve bashed my hands while carrying kit up fire escapes or scraped away skin on flight case corners, they seem like a jolly good idea!

Gig Gloves, which are of course available in a wide range of sizes, are black, but with coloured rubbery sections protecting the back of the hand and the finger joints in particular. The bright colour in the rubber sections makes for high visibility and gives the gloves something of a Power Rangers vibe, but an all-black Onyx version is available for use by stage hands and others who need to remain discreetly camouflaged during a show. In all respects other than colour, however, the design of the gloves is identical. For those working in colder environments, a thermal Thermo-Gig version is now also available, offering all the same outward features, but with the addition of a thin but very effective internal fleece lining to provide insulation.

In all versions, the main body of the glove is made from a very tough but flexible woven synthetic fabric, with the back-of-finger and hand protectors stitched very securely in place. Two grip pads are stitched to the palm side of the glove and all the fingertips are covered with a grippy synthetic leather. Because the gloves are very flexible, you can do most things without taking them off, but a really neat feature is that when only bare fingertips will do, the fingertip ends on the thumb and first two fingers can be flipped back to expose your fingertips. The split-point for this is far enough down the finger to ensure that it never happens accidentally, but it’s easy to do when required. A stretchy fillet at the wrist ensures the gloves are quick to put on and take off, and there’s a strap around the wrist with a Velcro fastener to ensure the gloves stay on securely. You can even operate most touchscreens through the fabric, without exposing your fingers.

Investing in special gloves for gigging might seem like a bit of a luxury to some, but these are built to last, they are very comfortable to wear and they give added protection to the most vulnerable spots on your hands. A lot of thought seems to have gone into their design, and given that most musicians rely extensively on their hands for a living, buying something that is effective and designed specifically for the purpose really does make sense.