Gloves
A complete sailing outfit also includes functional sailing gloves, which have to meet the special requirements of water sports. Long-lasting durability, insensitivity to salt water and wetness as well as high grip and slip resistance are of prime importance. Gloves for sailors should also protect the hands against injuries and cold. A high-quality glove that offers reliable protection against water and a good wearing comfort must be elaborately designed and manufactured.
That is why sailing gloves require the right combination of particularly efficient materials. Amara®, for example, is a highly abrasion-resistant synthetic leather that remains permanently soft, supple and dimensionally stable and dries quickly again. Kevlar® is used for reinforcements in areas that are particularly stressed. Sailing gloves made of neoprene, such as those offered by the water sports specialist Gill, are waterproof and extremely warm.
Neoprene is often used to seal the wrist cuffs tightly. Excellent weather and cold protection is also provided by gloves made of soft soft shell with membrane lining, which are waterproof, breathable and windproof. Elastic stretch fabrics in sailing gloves provide the necessary freedom of movement when working with ropes and sails. The full mobility of the fingers is especially needed when knotting. The back of the hand should also be elastically processed.
The fit and comfort of dinghy gloves and offshore gloves are optimised by an ergonomically pre-shaped cut. Straight gloves for yacht sailors can be perfectly adjusted by means of wide Velcro fasteners on the wrist and trim cord on the cuffs. Quality manufacturers specialising in water sports and navy such as Compass, Musto, Gill and Henri Lloyd offer a wide range of gloves from dinghy gloves to winter gloves with innovative insulation.
Whoever wants to buy the right sailing glove should first think about the main area of application. Is cold and wet protection more important or is the priority on grip and protection of hands when working with sheets and halyards? Short fingers like the dinghy glove give more dexterity, even thin lines can be handled well and safely with the non-slip palm. With the long finger, the sensitive fingertips in particular are well protected against cold and impacts. Reinforcements on the fingers prove their worth especially when working with heavy ropes such as mooring lines or anchor cables. Sailing gloves with fingertips that can be folded down if necessary are also available.
The right size of the glove is very important for comfort and safety. A glove that is too big and slips is not only annoying and unsafe in a firm grip. It also insulates less. A sailing glove that is too tight not only restricts freedom of movement, but also impairs blood circulation in the hands and wrists.