Showa 380 multi-purpose work gloves/mechanics gloves review

These gloves now form the back bone of my whole families working glove collection, from the odd gardening use to full on oily mechanical tinkering.

Pros:

• Selection of sizes
• Washable
• Extremely grippy
• Comfortable fit
• Good price
• Long cuffs to stop debris getting inside

Cons:

• They are resistant to oil but they are not a barrier

These Showa gloves are manufactured from a woven Nylon with a Nitrile Butadiene rubber coating on the palm and fingers. I find the coating to be super sticky even on cool days and they even provide a bit of insulation from the cold which always helps, no more frozen banged and grazed knuckle moments from slipping here.

They grip exceptionally even when working in the rain or with oil coated tools which can be a nightmare without gloves, surprisingly they also feel the grippiest on smooth chrome handles of some breaker bars and ratchets with no loss of grip on the smoothest of surface finishes.

As the gloves are manufactured from a woven breathable material it also alleviates the horrible paste hands which I always suffer when using the non breathable latex gloves for any period of time. however due to this it also means that if you accidentally stick your hand in a puddle or a pool of oil its also going to get wet.

Despite their permeable nature these Showa gloves do a remarkably good job of keeping your hands dirt free with liquids penetrating through to your skin but not dirt and grime. If you really need to stay clean you could always wear a pair of the plastic gloves underneath or use a barrier cream such as this one Dri-Guard Barrier Cream,

I find the material to be the perfect thickness as it provides shielding from sharp edges but still allows for the right amount of sensitivity through the material.

Even though the gloves are advertised as multi-purpose delicate work I would find myself disagreeing and saying that they are a lot more capable as I use mine for absolutely everything. Although I will say that if you are looking for gloves to trim the brambles with I would suggest something in a bit of a heavier gauge material like these Showa Gardening Gloves.

For myself I can always find packs of these gloves readily available here Showa 380 Gloves and am generally inclined to go for the pack option simply because i have found them to be the best for what I do. A pack costs roughly £34.95 whilst individually they are £3.55 so the packs only really provide a modest cost saving I just appreciate the convenience of being able to always grab a spare.

I take a size 7/medium but there are also available in sizes 6/small, 8/large & 9/extra large. I find the 7/M fits most people leaving the 6/S for small hands and the 9/XL will fit even the largest.

Conclusion:

As far as I have found these are the best all round work and mechanics gloves available at a decent price. I highly recommend them great gloves that don't take away any of the feeling required when handling components yet still offer good levels of protection.