Flight gloves

[gunship]

Any aviators or people that require fire resistant gloves have experience with the magpul flight gloves? I’m looking to upgrade from the standard issue nomex flight gloves. The 2 big contenders that I am aware of are Wiley X and Magpul. I am looking for feedback on any brand and whether or not they are worth the upgrade.

Size comparisons will be greatly appreciated as well!

 

[jphil108]

Kinda depends on your use. Mechanix wear azimuth and carbonx are two other options in the middle of those two price points. They have a big padded section over the knuckles and the fingers are a bit boxy but they have the longest gauntlet section of any of those three options. I’ve always found mechanix sizes fit best when you get a size smaller than you think you should (medium for a large hand). I have a pair of their nomex crew gloves with nomex up past the elbow from my circle track days and they work well, I’ve laid my forearms right down on a hot brake rotor fresh off the track and they just barely got warm. They’re also pretty warm on a cold day.

 

[pmclaine]

Outdoor Research makes some gloves with fire rated capability.

Have a couple of their offerings and like them.

 

[gunship]

It seems I made the classic mistake of asking for a recommendation without stating my intended use. These will be for flying .mil, so they need to either be approved or look close enough to not draw attention. I have no issue with the issued gloves but I figure if there is something better that offers improved feel, better comfort or touchscreen capability then its worth the upgrades

 

[Hoser]

I have been flying with Uncle Sams gloves for 30+ years.

I have tried a few different flavors, but keep coming back to the issued glove.

I even tried the flight gloves with iPad compatable fingertips. Total waste.

 

[gunship]

Well I guess that makes 2 products Uncle Sam got right. The Woobie and flight gloves.

 

[Rthur]

Was given a set of Uncle Sams.
I'd be surprised if they can be beat for their dexterity/warmth combo.

R

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

Outdoor Research makes some gloves with fire rated capability.

This. I just got a new set, since I'm on my last set of camelbak flight gloves. The OR are almost as comfortable, and are touch screen compatible without using any of that goofy nail polish shit.

 

[gunship]

I think a may have asked about the magpul gloves too late. It seems they have been discontinued. I will read up on the outdoor research and camelbak gloves.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

Too late for the camelbak gloves - they've been discontinued too. I've been babying my last pair for almost two years now.

 

[Shootin Stuff]

I would be concerned about using your own gloves incase something went wrong, say you have a fire up the front, get burned and they find out you were using non approved gloves.

I would be flayed alive by my company should they find out I was using my own non approved kit.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

would be concerned about using your own gloves incase something went wrong, say you have a fire up the front, get burned and they find out you were using non approved gloves.

I would be flayed alive by my company should they find out I was using my own non approved kit.

Fair concern, but your company/unit should either maintain a safe-to-fly list, or accept anything that meets no melt/no drip standards. Depends on policy - which should be explicit in what is / is not allowed.

Technically, we're only allowed to wear 100% cotton or nomex underpants. I'm still waiting on my underpants inspection, or for the accident report that finds "pilot's silk g-string" as a causal finding.

 

[gunship]

@TheOfficeT-Rex right before I saw your message, I was concerned they might be and found some that are supposedly in stock Here. I am waiting for a phone call or email tomorrow saying they aren’t actually in stock.

@Shootin Stuff The phrase that comes to mind is “present, non-contributing”. The army is very bad at approving flight items but most things are approved under the airforce. It is a gamble, but it is also one I am willing to take for comfort or better mission performance...also sometimes just to look cooler.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

@gunship Those are them - except mine are coyote and look beat to shit. Most comfortable gloves I've used - except they don't work on touch screens and they stopped making them years ago - anything left is old stock or leftovers in a supply closet.

The new ones I got are OR Firemark Sensor. They look good so far but time will tell. And they work on ipads.

 

[_Windrider_]

Let me ask, what will you be flying?

 

[slowagon]

I’m a flyer as well. We just got Wiley X gloves flight approved. I wear OR Sensor FRs though when I actually do wear gloves.

 

[natdscott]

Well I guess that makes 2 products Uncle Sam got right. The Woobie and flight gloves.

The ECWCS puff suits are pretty bitchin.

 

[_Windrider_]

I wore the standard nomex gloves exclusively. We didn’t have a choice. I never had any issues with them. They offer decent warmth and good dexterity. I have heard good things about Wiley X and if you want a life hack, you can stitch in conductive thread to make them touchscreen compatible.

 

[gunship]

@TacticalDillhole currently flying the AH64E. About to be spending a little bit more time in the cockpit and that got me thinking about whether or not there were better gloves.

@natdscott part of me wants to go to Ft Wainwright but then I see that and realize I like the beach too much

 

[_Windrider_]

@TacticalDillhole currently flying the AH64E. About to be spending a little bit more time in the cockpit and that got me thinking about whether or not there were better gloves.

@natdscott part of me wants to go to Ft Wainwright but then I see that and realize I like the beach too much

i would focus on dexterity rather than warmth. Given the altitudes you normally operate warmth isn’t a primary concern (but keep warm gloves in your kit if you have room).

 

[Desert_Racer]

The OR gloves are what we use. They are comfortable and hold up really well. Nothing else I have used or tried has lasted more than a couple weeks before blowing out the fingers. Great dexterity after they break in.

 

[gunship]

@TacticalDillhole Warmth is my last concern. The cockpit is climate controlled lol. The only time I need warmth is when the heat valve sticks and it goes full cold. Dexterity, touch capability, and just general comfort is what I’m after.
Room is at a premium compared to other helicopters. Being from the south I always have cold weather gear, it doesn’t matter wear I go. The rest of my flight bag is snacks....

 

[tinytigers]

No gloves is ideal, but if you want a good pair I used to use the outdoor research firemarks.

 

[Shootin Stuff]

I'm still waiting on my underpants inspection, or for the accident report that finds "pilot's silk g-string" as a causal finding.

Hey, how do you know about the silk g-string!

I had better not tell them about the fishnets and pink heels either.

 

[usafa77]

Well I guess that makes 2 products Uncle Sam got right. The Woobie and flight gloves.

And the B-52

 

[solson]

A little late to the party but another vote for OR Firemark Sensor. No issues with iPad compatibility (if that is part of your flight bag), very durable, by far the longest lasting gloves I have used. I size down for tighter fit/better dexterity on gloves, I have blown fingers out of the standard issues gloves in as little as 3 flights, first pair of the OR lasted over a year, great dexterity, and very comfortable. Buy with confidence. As you already stated, it's worth the gamble as far as regs go. I personally DGAF and am much more concerned about comfort/performance than if a book says I can wear it in flight, (obviously within reason and using common sense, I'm not rocking a polyester flight suit over nylon underoos).

 

[acudaowner]

Heated Gear

- FNDN

fndn.com

while it ain't cheap so far the gloves are pretty nice posted about them in another post and had to try em so I did while they don't get as hot as I thought they would its still a nice warm glove that totally kept the chill off in cold weather walked into a sub zero freezer to test them and no chill even while the rest of me was freezing cold my hands were toasty i really cant wait to try more of there stuff . the soul warmers for the feet strike me the most while the jacket looks sort of neat as well but i was and am able to operate my phone with the gloves on and test as well as shoot for hours with no problems they are at least worth a look to see if they fit your needs .

 

[whisper35]

Been wearing the WileyX Aries for a while doing some air and some ground stuff. I Made sure they fit under fast rope gloves when we did that. I like the dexterity I get with the first three finger snot completely being there. Trying to flip through maps and pages in a notebook is a whole lot easier than with full-fingered gloves.

 

[gunship]

@TheOfficeT-Rex got the camelbaks last night. Brand new the dexterity is better than the gloves I’ve worn in for 3 years. I took the gamble since they were discontinued and I found some in stock. I will probably use the conductive thread in them after a bit like @TacticalDillhole suggested.

I took the gamble since they were discontinued but if they don’t work I will probably jump to the ORs or WileyXs. Then maybe I will wind up like @Hoser and be right back at the issued gloves