I spent my early adulthood with a fairly deep loathing of work gloves. They were hot, bulky, and a pain to use. Let’s be honest, they gave me about as much dexterity as an oven mitt without the extra thermal protection. Milwaukee Performance Work Gloves are anything but those old cumbersome gloves I loved to hate.
Milwaukee started working on something better. It started with their Demolition gloves earlier this year and has now evolved into the performance line. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on them!
Milwaukee Performance Work Gloves come in a couple of varieties – full finger and fingerless. Aside from the styles, they share very similar characteristics.
Editor’s Note: Check out our best work gloves article to get our top picks.
Safety First
The Performance line is all about an equal mix of safety, comfort, and dexterity. When it comes to safety, these are light duty gloves. They’re going to protect you against cuts, scrapes, and splinters, but you won’t find extra thick padding or harder material against heavy strikes.
Both glove styles use a hook and loop cuff for security. I found the Velcro closure locked them down securely without creating any undo pressure on my wrists.
Dexterity
Dexterity? Milwaukee nailed it! These gloves fit and feel like a pair of gloves you’d wear when it’s a little cooler outside or in my case, cycling gloves. There’s very little loss of dexterity with them on. I’ll stop short of saying that I can still tie flies with them on (although you could with the fingerless), but they’re solid for holding, working controls, and manipulating every tool I’ve used with them on – from screwdrivers to miter saws.
On both glove styles, you’ll notice gussets have been created at the knuckle to improve their ability to bend easily. This definitely works and combined with the thinner palm material really offers a lot of movement.
If you’re handling small screws or nails, that’s where the fingerless glove begins to shine. You have all the fine movement and grip of your finger tips while leaving only the last 1- to 1-1/2 inches of your fingers exposed.
Comfort
Milwaukee Performance Work Gloves take it to another level in the comfort department by creating more than just a basic work glove. A terry cloth is sewn in on both thumbs to wipe your face. This could actually be a little softer, but it’s a durable material that should last a while. The lining of each glove is made to be breathable. As your hands sweat throughout a tough work day, the moisture has the chance to escape so you’re not left with raisin hands.
From there, the two gloves split paths slightly. The fingerless glove includes palm padding. As a cyclist this is a must-have when you’re constantly putting pressure on your hands and it’s a great feature to find on a pair of work gloves. Whether it’s handling tough material or working the same tool all day long, the padding takes some of the pressure off my palm and dampens vibrations as well.
While it’s not needed on the fingerless glove, the full finger model gives you access to your tech with a Smart Swipe strip of material. This thinner material on the knuckle of your first finger, fingertips, and palms allows you to navigate and type on your phone if you need to respond quickly. Some phones like the Kyocera DuraForce XD are getting better at working with gloved hands, and I found I could operate mine perfectly with the Milwaukee Performance Work Gloves on.
The Bottom Line
My normal go to for work gloves is a classic leather model, but the Milwaukee Performance Work Gloves have changed that overnight. They’re comfortable, and offer dexterity that exceeds my favorite leather ones. I definitely prefer the hook and loop closure over a straight pull over style.
The only thing I’d like to see improved is to get a softer terry behind the thumb. The fit is a little generous. I got medium (my normal glove size) and they’re just a hair on big on me. Time will tell just how durable these gloves are, but they’re off to a good start.
Milwaukee Performance Work Gloves are an easy recommendation for light duty applications against cuts, scrapes, and splinters and are priced where everyone from the DIYer to the Pro can afford to keep both styles on hand.
Milwaukee Performance Work Gloves
- Model: Milwaukee 48-22-8721/22/23/24
- Available Sizes: M – XXL
- Cuff Design: Hook and Loop
- Price: $14.97
Milwaukee Performance Fingerless Work Gloves
- Model: 48-22-8741/42/43/44
- Available Sizes: M – XXL
- Cuff Design: Hook and Look
- Price: $18.97
