As female fabricators, sometimes it seems like metal fabrication gear is not designed for us. Gloves, welding helmets, hats, and work clothing can be hard to find in the right sizes. We’ve tried all of the women’s welding apparel to assemble this guide to the gear you need to get job done. In this blog post we’ll focus on welding gloves for women.
Lesson 1: You only get one set of hands. Whether you work with metal all day at your job or occasionally as a hobby, working with metal glove-free is a recipe for lost digits. When in doubt, wear gloves.
Lesson 2: Save your welding gloves for welding. The nature of your work will determine the right gloves for the job. Most welding gloves won’t provide the dexterity to do pre-fab, while most fabrication gloves won’t provide the heat protection for welding
Lesson 3: You get what you pay for. Paying a few dollars more means the difference in buying new gloves once a month and once a year.
Now that we got that out of the way, here are our top picks in gloves for female fabricators.
For general pre-fab, project layout, metal grinding, de-slagging, etc.:
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: A glove that can stand up to sharp edges and grinders, and provide the dexterity to keep your work precise.
TOP PICK: Miller Metalworker Gloves and Heavy Duty metalworker gloves
- Great all-purpose metalworking gloves
- Leather and spandex construction offer a good balance durability and dexterity
- Padded, reinforced palm and thumb saddle enhances comfort and extends wear
- For a couple bucks more, get the heavy duty gloves for longer life and increased protection, especially in the knuckles
- Not truly a product for women, as they’re only available in sizes M-XL, but we’ve used them and they’ll get the job done. Check the sizing guide to see if they’ll fit
For TIG welding and general metal fabrication for those with small hands:
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: A glove that provides enough dexterity to control your torch and filler rod in all environments, but also
provides heat resistance.
TOP PICK: Firefly™ Women’s Premium Flame Resistant TIG Welding Gloves
- Excellent dexterity for precise TIG welds
- Drag patch and thermal lining for added protection
- Available in sizes XS to XL
- Top choice for the woman TIG welder
For MIG / stick welding:
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Extreme protection and durability without sacrificing comfort.
TOP PICK: UPDATED- We’ve just added the new Angel Fire Women’s Premium MIG Welding Gloves!
- Fitted design just for women
- Premium grain pig skin palm with side split cowhide back
- Leather reinforcement on the palm
- Padded drag patch for durability
- Available in Sizes XS-XL
- Top choice for the woman MIG welder
For all of these gloves, getting the right fit is imperative. Make sure to check the glove sizing guide before ordering a pair.
Do you have gloves that you love? Let us know in comments.