The 6 Best Shooting Gloves of 2025

Watch those hands! The shooting range is full of things that can cut, scrape, and burn.

You can protect yourself with a good pair of shooting gloves, but they’re not all built the same or even intended for the same uses. How are you supposed to choose?

We bought six of the best shooting gloves of 2025 to try them for ourselves. Read on to get all the details on what they’re good at, where they’re lacking, and which one is right for you.

Best Shooting Glove Comparison Chart

How We Tested the Best Shooting Gloves

For this article, we gathered some of the most popular shooting gloves on the market and put them to use side by side.

We evaluated fit, materials, grip, and features at the range to put each pair of gloves through its paces. Testing included setting up targets, loading magazines, shooting, running shot timers, and clearing malfunctions. 

You may never disassemble your firearm with gloves on, but that’s a good test of dexterity, so I field-stripped and reassembled a Springfield Hellcat Pro with each pair of gloves to see how they affect fine motor skills. 

Since more and more shooters are using ballistic calculators and training apps, we tested these gloves for touchscreen compatibility, as well.

To check for comfort, we wore these gloves in a range of temperatures and weather conditions, from sun to snow. By the end, we had a good idea of where each glove excelled and why you might buy one over another.

Best Shooting Gloves

The whole point of wearing shooting gloves is to protect your hands. No glove on this list does it better than the Magpul Patrol Glove 2.0.

Everyone’s hands are different, but these gloves fit me like an extra layer of skin. They’re easy to put on, stay comfortable all day, and I hardly noticed them once they were on. Two things help them stand out: real goatskin leather on the palms (nothing protects like leather, just look at motorcycle gloves), and padding on the knuckles.

Grip is another area where real leather shines. These gloves excelled at recoil control on snappy pistols and dexterity while loading magazines. There’s an extra layer of goatskin near the thumb joint, but the rest of the palm is one piece so there are no seams to get bunched up when you curl your fingers. Goatskin is thinner and softer than cowhide, but still very strong. It’s a great choice for these gloves.

Field stripping a pistol with these gloves revealed one small hiccup. Grip and dexterity were great, but the leather was just slick enough that rotating the disassembly lever into the vertical position to release the slide took a few tries. Other than that, the process was smooth as can be.

Only the thumbs are touchscreen-compatible on these gloves. That’s kind of odd (I’d like to have the option to use my index fingers) but it’s not a deal-breaker. Aside from using a ballistic app, there’s not much I use my phone for when I’m shooting.

The Magpul Patrol Glove 2.0 is for people who move around a lot when they shoot. If your training involves getting prone, shooting off a barricade rest, climbing over obstacles, and moving in and around vehicles, this is what I recommend.

221B Recon shooting gloves take a unique approach to grip texture, and it pays off if that’s your top priority.

These all-synthetic gloves stretch to create an excellent fit. I think they’d work with a wide variety of hand shapes. They also offer the most sizing options; this is the only glove here that you can order in 3XL. The material is fairly breathable, but these were also my favorite gloves during cold weather testing.  

221B gave these gloves use strips of rubber-like material to add grip to the palms and fingers. It’s extremely effective. While I didn’t notice a tremendous difference at the range, these are definitely the gloves I’d reach for if I had to do something physical like pull ups or carrying a stretcher.

I also enjoyed this grip texture during my field strip test. I’m not one to under-lubricate my guns, so sometimes it’s a slippery, messy task. With 221B’s aggressive grip texture, I didn’t even notice the thick coat of gun oil on certain components.

The index and thumb areas are touchscreen-compatible. That’s what I prefer – anything more is unnecessary and anything less can be a nuisance.

These are great shooting gloves, but I’d store them in the car instead of my range bag so they’re always handy. They’re as useful for changing a tire as they are for holding a firearm. 

I’ve tested a bunch of Vertx products, and they always impress me with their attention to detail. The Vertx Assault 2.0 shooting gloves were no different.

First, a word of advice: pay special attention to Vertx’s sizing chart when ordering these gloves. I ordered a size medium in everything else, but I chose a size small for these. The digits fit perfectly length-wise, but the hand area was very snug. The Assault 2.0 gloves seem to favor people with narrow palms and thin fingers. When in doubt, order two sizes and keep whichever one fits best.

These are one of two gloves here that use real leather on the palm. That translates to excellent wear resistance, comfort, and grip. But unique design features go beyond that. 

Some shooters don’t want anything coming between their index finger and the trigger, so they cut off the last bit of their dominant hand glove. The problem is that it creates loose ends that fray and spread. Vertx solved this by adding not one, but two extra seams on each index finger, so you have two places where you can cut without fraying. That’s clever and considerate, and I love it.

The robust finger and palm materials that offer so much protection at the range make fine motor skills a little more challenging. Disassembling and reassembling a pistol with these felt a little awkward because I had less feel – especially at the fingertips – than I did with some of these gloves.

The Assault 2.0 is one of two gloves here with touchscreen-compatible material on three fingers. You can use your index finger, middle finger, or thumb. It’s a small detail, but one that I find surprisingly convenient when I’m digging through ballistic data or setting up a course of fire on the Drills app.

These gloves are for shooters who obsess about the details (long-range precision crowd, I’m talking to you). They’re significantly more expensive than the competition, but nobody can say that Vertx doesn’t give us our money’s worth.

Not sure if you’re into wearing gloves at the range? The Magpul Technical Glove 2.0 might be right for you.

These lightweight gloves are barely noticeable, with no padding, minimal seams, and thin material throughout. Magpul pitches them as all-purpose gloves rather than dedicated shooting gloves, and I agree. These are great for working on your car or doing odd jobs around the house as well as slinging lead at the range.

One piece of synthetic suede covers the palm and fingers. It’s adequate, but not as grippy as leather or 221B’s over-the-top grip texture. I’d say it favors dexterity over outright grip strength.

It’ll come as no surprise that these gloves were far and away the winner of my field strip test. No glove offered better feel and dexterity, while staying out of the way. Many gloves have thick seams on the thumbs that get caught when reassembling a firearm, but not these. If I put a gun on the workbench, this is what I’m wearing. 

The index finger, middle finger, and thumb are all touchscreen-compatible. Considering you’re likely going to be zooming in on some kind of instructions or repair manual with these, that’s a considerate choice by Magpul. 

These aren’t the most rugged, protective, or tactical shooting gloves on this list. That doesn’t mean they don’t have a place, though. As lightweight work gloves that can hold their own at the range, they rock.

Shooting with sweaty hands is no fun. If you struggle with staying cool, Mechanix Specialty gloves can help.

The thin, breathable material makes these some of the most comfortable shooting gloves I’ve worn. At the same time, the palms are as rugged as you’d expect from Mechanix so there’s no issue handling sharp or hot objects at the range. If I were going to do any kind of advanced training with shooting as part of an obstacle course, these are the gloves I’d reach for.

I wasn’t sure how much grip the synthetic AX-Suede palms would offer, but they never let me down. Hot brass, protruding staples, and aggressive slide serrations were no problem. 

Mechanix is very proud of how thin the AX-Suede is (0.5 millimeters, thanks for asking). That comes in handy when you need to move small objects with your fingertips. Popping out the Hellcat Pro’s tight recoil spring assembly was easier with these than many other gloves I’ve used.

These are delightfully rugged shooting gloves, but they’re a bit old-fashioned. None of the fingers are compatible with a touchscreen. That’s a bummer because these gloves excel in many other ways.

If you don’t care to check your phone, and expect your shooting gloves to be as tough as work gloves, grab a pair of these and don’t look back. If you’re attached to your devices and apps, check out one of our other picks.

I know a lot of shooters who swear by Pig Delta gloves, and it’s not hard to see why once you get a few reps with them. I have conflicted feelings, but that could be a personal problem. Allow me to explain.

These thin, stretchy gloves have a way of wrapping your hand like a second skin. They’re light, breathable, only reinforced where you need it, and extremely comfortable. Unfortunately for me, the shape is just a little off because the thumbs are excessively long. I had to cut them off at the last knuckle so I could use my thumbs without an extra half-inch or more of fabric flapping in the way. While I was at it, I cut the right index finger off, as well. 

I have no issues with grip. Between the material and the snug fit, they gave me tons of confidence in loading magazines, manipulating safeties, and dialing scope turrets. If it weren’t for the odd thumbs on these gloves (or maybe the odd thumbs on my hands, although the other gloves on this list fit well), these would be just about perfect.

Field-stripping a pistol with these feels very close to using bare hands, except you don’t end up covered in oil. Once again, though, the long thumbs came back to haunt me. I cut the extra material off these gloves long ago, so my thumbs were exposed; if I hadn’t, that loose fabric would have been a huge nuisance during this part of the test. If your thumbs are long enough to fill them up, that won’t be an issue.

If you like using apps or taking pictures at the range, you’ll appreciate that the index and thumb have touchscreen-compatible panels. Beyond that, I was able to easily slip my hand into my front pants pocket and grab my phone with these gloves, which is more than I can say for most shooting gloves.

Don’t let my issues with fitment turn you off of the Pig Delta. We all have different hands and they might fit you perfectly. They’re fantastic shooting gloves that deserve a look.

How to Pick the Best Shooting Gloves

The criteria you should use to pick the best shooting gloves are the same ones we used to test them: fit, materials, grip, and standout features.

Fit

You know the saying, “Fits like a glove?” That’s because gloves should fit your hands so well that you forget you’re wearing them.

Manufacturers provide fit guides to help. You might need to measure around the palm of your hand, the distance from your wrist to your first knuckle, the length of your middle finger, or some combination of the three. If you’re in between sizes or unsure, I recommend ordering two sizes and returning the one that doesn’t fit. Most vendors have generous return and exchange policies, so this is a good way to make sure you get the best fit possible with minimal back-and-forth.

Materials and Grip

These gloves use various synthetic materials. This keeps them light, breathable, and relatively durable. These are for shooting, not skiing, so it’s more likely that you’ll need to shed warmth than retain it.

The material on the palm area is important because that’s where your grip comes from, and it’s where you’ll experience the most wear. The 221B Recon gloves use lines of soft, grippy, rubberized material. Many use a type of polyester that feels like suede but is more durable. Some, like the Magpul Patrol Glove 2.0 and Vertx Assault 2.0 use real leather. All of these materials can get the job done, but leather is hard to beat.

Standout Features

Some manufacturers find a way to make their gloves stand out. If you like using your phone at the range, pay attention to how many fingers are touchscreen-compatible. If you prefer to cut the index finger off your shooting hand, consider a glove like the Vertx Assault 2.0, which has extra seams sewn in to prevent fraying. 

The best shooting gloves for you will fit your preferences as well as your hands.

Meet the Experts

Writing this article is Scott Murdock. Scott is a Marine Corps veteran who competed and qualified as a rifle and pistol expert while in service. In addition to shooting, Scott has written for a variety of publications, testing, researching, and evaluating guns and gear. He brings that knowledge and skillset to this article, editing and fact-checking for accuracy.

Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Shooting Foundation.

Final Thoughts

After all my testing, it’s hard to choose just one pair of these gloves because they’re all good at different things. In fact, they’re all still in rotation in my range bag.

But this isn’t about me – it’s about finding the best shooting gloves for you. I’m confident that you have enough information now to find something that, well, fits like a glove!