Buying guide for best anti-vibration gloves
Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and Raynaud’s disease are similar conditions that can be caused by vibrating power tools. HAVS is sometimes called white finger syndrome. Raynaud's disease is named for Dr. Maurice Raynaud, who was the first doctor to describe it in medical journals.
HAVS is caused by constant vibrations from power tools, resulting in nerve pain, numbness or tingling, and a loss of circulation leading to cold, white fingers from lack of blood. Once sufficient nerve damage has been done, the condition is irreversible.
In Raynaud's disease, a sudden loss of blood circulation causes blanching — the fingers become cold and white. Nerve damage isn’t specifically associated with Raynaud’s but may occur in extreme cases. Primary Raynaud’s occurs spontaneously from largely unknown causes. Secondary Raynaud’s is caused by vibrating power tools.
If you use power tools on a regular basis, even exposure as short as one year may be enough to trigger HAVS or Raynaud’s in your hands. Keep reading to learn about anti-vibration gloves and what to look for when you’re considering buying them for yourself.
Key considerations
Size and fit
The size of the glove determines how well it fits your hand, which in turn regulates how well it stays in place when you’re using power tools. Vibrations from power tools can cause gloves to become loose and start slipping and sliding on your hand. This, in turn, reduces dexterity and your ability to securely grasp and control the power tools you’re using. Loss of control is one of the leading causes of injuries from power tools, so the fit concerns more than appearance.
Many glove manufacturers give you explicit directions on how to determine the size glove you need from their product line. Don’t measure your hand once then assume that measurement is the same size in each brand. Pay close attention to the sizes and how the manufacturer wants you to measure your hands.
Frequency of use
HAVS is the result of constant exposure of your hands and arms to mechanical vibrations during the course of the day. If you’re using jackhammers or table saws every day, the vibrations from those tools may eventually create a tingling numbness in your hands for brief periods when you’re using them. The tingling fades after 10 to 15 minutes, then restarts when you use the tools again.
If power tools are part of your everyday life, you need anti-vibration gloves. Remember, the symptoms can begin in as little as one year of constant vibrations from power tools. By the time you start feeling the tingles and numbness in your hands, you have already sustained some permanent damage to your hands and arms.
Features
Material
There is a wide variety of materials for anti-vibration gloves. Each manufacturer uses its own combination of materials to dampen the vibrations from your power tools and equipment. Most important is that they meet the ANSI standards for anti-vibration gloves. Some of the materials used include:
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Chloroprene
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Thermal Plastic Rubber
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PVC
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Memory foam
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Leather
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Synthetic leather
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Cotton
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Spandex
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Polyester
Color
Black and gray are the most common colors, with red or yellow impact material on the back of the glove. Eye-catching fluorescent green is also popular.
Flexibility
In addition to dampening or suppressing the painful vibrations from power tools, the gloves have to be flexible enough to allow a full range of hand and wrist motion when you’re wearing them. Gloves that are too stiff or don’t let you curl your fingers appropriately are not useful — the thickness of the material around your fingers impacts your dexterity. If you can’t pick up screws, nails, and other small items, you are severely limited in how much you can do without taking the gloves off.
Fingerless gloves
Fingerless gloves are not anti-vibration gloves, no matter what the manufacturer says. Leaving your fingers exposed defeats the purpose of protecting them. Fingerless gloves may have some anti-vibration materials or technology in the palms for riding motorcycles, but that’s not enough to qualify them as anti-vibration.
Accessories
The OrthoSleeve can help support your wrist and hand if you’ve already suffered hand, wrist, or arm damage from HAVS. It’s thin enough to fit under most gloves but strong enough to give you the support you need.
If you’re using power tools, buy some noise reduction ear muffs to protect your ears. We like the Mpow 035 Noise Reduction Safety Ear Muffs. Your hearing could be damaged by the same tools that pose a hazard to your hands, so don’t forget your ears as you prepare to work.
Safety goggles protect your eyes from the flying debris that power tools often throw out. Don’t use power tools without them. We like this tough pair from DEWALT with an anti-fog coating on the lenses.
Did you know?
Recent findings have cast doubt on the exposure-response relationship to vibrations and HAVS. The exact mechanism by which damage is caused to the hands and nerves is still not clearly understood.
STAFF
BestReviews
Anti-vibration gloves prices
Lower-priced gloves may come multiple pairs to a package for a price of just under $10 a pair.
However, price doesn’t always guarantee quality. Spending a bit extra increases your chance of getting a pair (or several) that are made with quality. If that’s your aim, look to the medium price range, which includes products from $10 to $20 per pair.
If you’re interested in the highest quality available, plan to spend $20 or more per pair. For this price, you can find heavy-duty gloves with extra padding to dampen vibrations but with a commensurate loss of dexterity.
Tips
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Anti-vibration gloves should always be tight when you first put them on. They stretch to a comfortable fit as they break in. If they’re not tight when you first get them, the breaking-in phase may loosen them too much and they’ll begin to slip and slide on your hands.
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Gloves don’t work well with touchscreens. If you need to use a touchscreen, take off the gloves.
- Wash gloves in cold water and dry them on low heat. If your dryer has a “tumble dry” setting without any heat, use that to dry them. Otherwise, hang them out to dry.
Other products we considered
We like Hanhelp Safety Anti-Vibration Work Gloves for use around the yard with weed eaters, chainsaws, vibrating brushes, and other power tools. Padded on the palms and fingers with thick lugs of vibration-dampening polymer, they meet the EN ISO/ANSI standard for vibration reduction to your hands. They're a bit stiff when you first get them. We also like Intra-FIT Professional Anti-Vibration Gloves that are EN ISO 10819:2013 certified. They're made of breathable spandex which increases your dexterity and comfort, along with an anti-vibration pad on the palm that extends all the way to the fingertips. The materials on the palms are abrasion resistant and provide a secure grip.
FAQ
Q. How much dexterity do I have wearing anti-vibration gloves?
A. Not much. You can easily move your fingers and clench your fist, but the thick material of the gloves may prevent you from picking up small screws and nails.
Q. What are the standards that anti-vibration gloves have to meet?
A. They must not amplify vibrations in the 1.5Hz to 200Hz range. In the 200Hz to 1,250 Hz range, the gloves must reduce the vibrations by 40%.
Q. Are anti-vibration gloves the only way to protect against HAVS?
A. No, but they are the least expensive. Manufacturers have invested millions of dollars in anti-vibration technology on their equipment and power tools. They have been able to reduce but not eliminate potentially dangerous vibrations.
