Glove Coatings and Grips: What's Best for Your Application?

By HexArmor Marketing Team When choosing a glove, one of the biggest factors is the grip. There’s much to consider – starting with the application. Are you working in an oily, wet, or dry environment? What kinds of hazards are present? What kind of equipment will you be handling? Not having a proper grip on the job can have ramifications on a gloves’ effectiveness and can make or break a worker’s productivity. The more control, dexterity, and durability a grip provides the more benefits it has - including a decrease in hand-related injuries from slipping, dropping, or mishandling equipment. How do you know which grip is the best for your job? Let’s walk through the options. Polyurethane: Polyurethane, or PU, is a lightweight, flexible, durable grip coating that features good abrasion and puncture resistance. This coating is incredibly popular and sufficient for a wide range of applications. Natural rubber latex: Natural rubber latex is flexible, more resistant to abrasion compared to PU and nitrile, but has minimal tackiness. Natural rubber latex features an excellent dry grip. Sandy nitrile: Sandy nitrile is, of course, known for its high abrasion resistance. It’s also more elastic and form fitting compared to other nitrile coatings. It’s excellent in oily situations and very good in wet environments. Foam/sponge nitrile: Gloves with a sponge coating (chemically foamed) are softer and more flexible than flat nitrile and perform well in dry and oily applications. Micro nitrile: Formulated to be thinner than a nitrile foam coating, micro nitrile coatings can have a slightly tacky finish and feature good breathability and flexibility. Extra Grip (XG) nitrile: Solvent-free and derma safe, the Extra Grip nitrile coating offers excellent dexterity for an exceptional grip in wet or oily situations. Neoprene/nitrile blend: A neoprene nitrile blend coating features abrasion resistance superior to latex. Flame retardant and solvent free – this blend is safe for people with a latex allergy. With so many choices for grip options, many workers find their favorite through trial and error. While some grips are superior to others in certain applications, choosing a grip ultimately comes down to personal preference. The full article was originally published on HexArmor blog, August 25, 2017.  Photo courtesy of HexArmor.