Rappelling & Zip Line Gloves

Photo above courtesy of the Alligator Farm who use the Kinco 97 Gloves.

Rappelling & Zip Line gloves are very similar for
their hand safety, gripping, and abrasion resistance properties and functions.

The primary safety goal is to protect your hands from
the friction caused by the fast movement of the ropes or zip line cables.
Therefore gloves used in rappelling maneuvers and grabbing zip lines must have
a high level of abrasion resistance on the palms of each glove. These gloves
should also be sized to the user so their dexterity is not hindered.

The only difference is that some rappelling gloves
should offer some higher dexterity for handling ropes and tools. This would
especially be the case when rappelling out of helicopters. However, in most
cases, gloves used in rappelling operations would also be ideal for use in zip
line operations.

We currently feature 2 types of Rappelling and Zip Line
Glove models which are distinctly different in design and materials. These 2
glove models are described below.

Before I describe the gloves we are featuring, it is
important to understand why. First, while I was searching for gloves to sell
with the elements needed with these types of gloves, I obviously searched the internet.
I found a few potential glove candidates but the problem was that these gloves
were not sold or made by known reputable glove manufactures. They were branded
gloves sold by companies who cater to the rappel and zip line markets and made
by third-party foreign vendors. This is a red flag to me for many reasons.

I’m sure that some of these branded gloves are very good
but I am also sure that many are made with more focus on fashion and design
than the actual quality. This quality issue is in both the quality of materials
used along with how the gloves are actually made. This is most important since
these gloves need to last and withstand the high stress and friction that these
gloves will endure.

As a footnote to some of the better rappelling and zip
line gloves that I reviewed, the ones that looked very good were priced in the
$40 to $50 range. That’s a bit extravagant in my personal opinion but that’s
what the big brands guys do. The gloves we feature work and look just as good
at a fraction of the price.

The gloves we are featuring are made by very reputable
and reliable glove companies who design and make their own gloves. Furthermore
and a very interesting aspect is that both of these companies are known for and
make industrial work gloves such as welding gloves. Obviously, you want to
purchase durable, hardworking gloves from companies who actually know how to
make strong gloves.   

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Kinco
WK-97 Strong Cowhide Fencing Gloves

A Glove that is very popular with Zip Line operations
is our Kinco WK-97 Strong Cowhide Fencing Gloves. Don’t let the name fool you
since these gloves were originally designed for ranchers constructing and
mending fences. Think barbed wire!

Kinco has since changed the name of these driver style
leather gloves but I kept the old name alive for posterity reasons. I still
think ranchers need to identify with their own type of glove that was
originally designed for them.

By word of mouth, Zip Line operators started buying
these gloves and they became as popular with zip line customers as well as their
popularity with ranchers, landscapers and utility workers. It’s actually not
surprising when you consider the basic features of these gloves. These gloves
found their way to the zip line market by their own design and function and I
take no personal credit or accolades for making them popular with zip line
customers.

I’ll mention a few important features with these gloves but you can read more at this link: Kinco 97 Cowhide Gloves

• They
  have an additional Suede cowhide patch on the palm which reinforces the
  high-wear area of the glove. This allows the gloves to withstand abrasions and
  to extend the longevity of the gloves.
• Out-seam
  wrap around index finger for more comfort and less wear on a high wear seam.
• Ergonomic
  keystone thumb design offers more flexibility, a fuller range of motion and
  provides more dexterity and less hand fatigue.
• Shirred
  back for a snug fit.

____________________________________________________

Caiman
MAG 2984 Rappelling and Zip Line Gloves

The MAG stands for multi-activity gloves.

These gloves were specifically designed by the Caiman
glove company for rappelling and rope handling.

• The
  MAG-2984 Gloves are made with a base of Goatskin leather for a comfortable fit
  and feel with a large reinforcement layer of tough Pig Skin Grain leather in
  the high wear areas of the palms and the fingers.
• The
  leather palm reinforcement extends over onto the backside of the index finger
  and the thumb crotch for added durability and longer glove life.
• Air-mesh
  back keeps gloves cool.
• Internal
  padded palm for extra comfort.
• Hi-Viz
  reflective back for maximum visibility. I’m told by the manufacturer that these
  gloves may come in a black model due to requests from police departments but I
  think the hi-vis aspect is a very nice feature.
• Although
  the base Goatskin is not as durable as cowhide or pigskin, I feel these gloves
  offer a great balance of higher dexterity and good abrasion resistance for
  rappelling. For zip line users they meet their needs in many ways.

See this link for additional information: Caiman MAG 2984 Gloves

Link to both models: Rappelling and Zip Line Gloves

Please let me know if you have any questions and thank
you for subscribing to my blog.

The Glove Guru – Joe McGarry