Gloves for Driving?

[asagaai]

I have never driven a car with gloves- and wonder if it helps if you are driving spirited.

Racing car drivers wear gloves- but part of that is fire protection in case of a fire.

If I am going to really push my car on track or just spirited country runs with TC off etc, I have a pair of leather sports shoes- very thin but grippy flat rubber soles, leather upper that is tight fitting, and I prefer operating and heel/toeing using those shoes than barefoot- the soles are thin so I feel the pedals, but the rubber grips much better than bare skin of the feet.

My question is- from a person who has never used driving gloves- is there a benefit in performance terms to using gloves???

Cheers and happy safe new year all.

[stock1991]

I always associated gloves with the Europeans in their open tops, MG'S etc. thought it was more for the cold. On a side note I've noticed Asian ladies driving in white gloves here. I asked somebody why and they said it's to stop their hands aging from the sun

[nstg8a]

I've thought about it just to stop my dirty greasy hands from wrecking my steering wheel if I ever come across an au momo hat a realistic price.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by asagaai

I have never driven a car with gloves- and wonder if it helps if you are driving spirited.

Racing car drivers wear gloves- but part of that is fire protection in case of a fire.

If I am going to really push my car on track or just spirited country runs with TC off etc, I have a pair of leather sports shoes- very thin but grippy flat rubber soles, leather upper that is tight fitting, and I prefer operating and heel/toeing using those shoes than barefoot- the soles are thin so I feel the pedals, but the rubber grips much better than bare skin of the feet.

My question is- from a person who has never used driving gloves- is there a benefit in performance terms to using gloves???

Cheers and happy safe new year all.

The old sweaty palm syndrome.
I know what you're up to.

Tried it but it's slippery on the leather wheel.
I just use aircon and stick my hand in front of the vents when I get the opportunity.

[lra]

Stringback gloves with open fingers ? Yes.
But must be accompanied by a deer stalker cap, a buxom blonde, and a Morgan.

[XRtowcar]

Used to use karting gloves when I’m drive at track sprint days.
They are fairly lightweight.
Helped with grip on the wheel.

[Tonz]

I got my hands sunburnt driving over 3 days last summer, its actually not a stupid question, if I could find something suitable and didnt look like a ponce, I'd seriously think about this..

[GO FURTHER]

Originally Posted by Tonz

I got my hands sunburnt driving over 3 days last summer, its actually not a stupid question, if I could find something suitable and didnt look like a ponce, I'd seriously think about this..

SPF 30+

[Rallye Sport]

I operate machinery, tractors, loaders etc for a living and wear a pair of light motocross gloves.
Can't say they're for 'performance' mainly to keep the sun off my hands and for warmth in winter.
I use a pair of leather gardening type gloves for greasing and fueling so I don't get muck over the contols and wheel.
Never needed to wear gloves in my cars road or track.

[Tonz]

Originally Posted by GO FURTHER

SPF 30+

I am allergic to the stuff, lucky though the rest of my body is pretty thick skinned

[Rallye Sport]

Problem I found with suncream is even though you only need it on the backs of your hands you rub it in with your palms leaving you with greasy hands and over time you'll get a build up on the wheel and controls.

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

Problem I found with suncream is even though you only need it on the backs of your hands you rub it in with your palms leaving you with greasy hands and over time you'll get a build up on the wheel and controls.

Thats exactly why I hated borrowing my mums old car. The thing was just slimy.

[CoupeKing]

I used to do plenty of clay target shooting and even though I've never played golf I found that golf gloves were good. Light and thin so you have plenty of finger dexterity and it kept salty finger tips of the metal work on the gun. You would probably go through them fast if used for motoring.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by Rallye Sport

I operate machinery, tractors, loaders etc for a living and wear a pair of light motocross gloves.
Can't say they're for 'performance' mainly to keep the sun off my hands and for warmth in winter.
I use a pair of leather gardening type gloves for greasing and fueling so I don't get muck over the contols and wheel.
Never needed to wear gloves in my cars road or track.

Im a forky and I wear them as well, generally less in summer because it's just too damned hot.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by asagaai

My question is- from a person who has never used driving gloves- is there a benefit in performance terms to using gloves?

I used to wear them (Deerskin, I think) in a previous life as hands got a little sweaty in the middle of winter when going quickly through a forest stage.

But then most steering wheels in thye 70's & 80's were plastic and sports wheels were real wood, both of which were slippery.

These days you don't really need gloves ( except to prevent the natural oil from your hands ruining the leather on the wheel) as most quality steering wheels use good soft leather.

[Mechan1k]

Wicket-keepers gloves look like they will grip well.



Maybe change to an Alcantara wheel (or have the factory one modified and padded) if you can and see if it assists with grip.
The FG wheels are really thin compared to the B-series GT wheel ... and find it harder to grip in the FG.

[Pedro]

Used the required gloves when I used to circuit race but found no use for them doing hundreds of laps in sprints around Lakeside and QR in various cars including my F 6's.

[solarite_guy]

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

... really thin...

Agree, modern wheels are easier to grab onto.

Unless the rules specify otherwise I like open fingered bicycling gloves when dealing with vibration for prolonged periods. They cover up to about the first knuckle and are perforated on the back side.

[bc47]

i wear a kart glove when i do track days, bought them from RPM. they're comfy and fit my bear claws. i struggle a bit with sweaty palms at the best of times, so for minimal outlay it has been more than worth it so far

[au350hp]

Great English company called Dents, who make specialised gloves, driving, shooting etc. They have developed a glove that allows use of smartphones with the index finger etc. I have a pair of deerskin gloves that I used when I had my mint two tone black n blue Momo on the AU. I took it off to save it & put a slightly t/tone on so I don't wear them now but I would on a long drive/interstate drive etc. They absorb perspiration which combined with dirt, is what destroys steering wheels. I do keep a lambswool steering wheel cover under the drivers seat if I need to leave my car in the sun for a while to protect it.

[Sioso]

I bought a pair of Dents this past winter as I leave early for work and my car is parked outside and covered in ice most mornings.
I only wore them for one day and I just didn't like it, apart from all the buttons and touchscreen stuff being cumbersome I just felt another step removed from the steering wheel.

[Mr Brooksy]

I've just been diagnosed with vitiligo (basically my immune system attacks melanin in parts of my body - mainly hands), so I need to keep the hands out of the sun... So this thread suddenly makes a world of sense.

I can't do the fingerless gloves due to my fingers being most affected.

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by Mr Brooksy

I've just been diagnosed with vitiligo (basically my immune system attacks melanin in parts of my body - mainly hands), so I need to keep the hands out of the sun... So this thread suddenly makes a world of sense.
I can't do the fingerless gloves due to my fingers being most affected.

In winter I sometimes wear full finger white cotton gloves under my cycling gloves for warm but I reckon they would be fine for driving. Like Japanese bus drivers.
I wear soft pigskin riggers gloves at work to handle granite. bit like the Snowmans here.

[ronwest]

When I got my first car (1967) I bought short-fingered driving gloves.

They were the bee's knees.

I figure that I really looked the part roaring around in my Morris Minor 1000 (with straight through exhaust...)

"Was that Barry Seton?" they'd ask as I roared past...

[Uncle_Ken]

Originally Posted by ronwest

When I got my first car (1967) I bought short-fingered driving gloves.

They were the bee's knees.

I figure that I really looked the part roaring around in my Morris Minor 1000 (with straight through exhaust...)

"Was that Barry Seton?" they'd ask as I roared past...

Well for me it was a Mazda 1500, same gloves but it would be Colin Bond.
UK

Mind you the gloves did help with griping the wheel back in those days

[au350hp]

Originally Posted by Sioso

I bought a pair of Dents this past winter as I leave early for work and my car is parked outside and covered in ice most mornings.
I only wore them for one day and I just didn't like it, apart from all the buttons and touchscreen stuff being cumbersome I just felt another step removed from the steering wheel.

What style & size did you get?

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by Sioso

I bought a pair of Dents this past winter as I leave early for work and my car is parked outside and covered in ice most mornings.
I only wore them for one day and I just didn't like it, apart from all the buttons and touchscreen stuff being cumbersome I just felt another step removed from the steering wheel.

Not quite on point, but when I worked in Melbourne in a timber yard stacking long lengths of timber as a uni student, we were supplied with gloves- but I lost power to grab and clamp heavy timber and did not use gloves. Cost was I ended up with splinters, but was able to shift timber and kept my job.

Fast forward 31 years and I was building a 20 metre retaining wall 1.1 high, got excavator to do cut. Clay and brick ends and rock and crap embedded in clay.

Got gloves but again no power to grip brick pieces and rock and pull from clay. Pulled gloves off and 40 minutes later was in the kitchen ****ing blood over the counter/medical draw-due to slicing finger deeply on sharp piece of rock embedded in clay.

When I go rockclimbing and abseiling, never use gloves abseiling cause I like to feel rope and the heat of nylon in my fingers.

I do not think gloves and driving would suit me-interesting to hear aside from medical conditions with sun and racing requirements with flame retardant gloves the world with decent steering wheels has moved on from the need to have driving gloves.

[My32Doors]

30 years of handling blocks, bricks, pavers and you want gloves to handle a steering wheel.

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by My32Doors

30 years of handling blocks, bricks, pavers and you want gloves to handle a steering wheel.

Not quite.

Handled timber in large timber yard as student 30 odd years ago-then sporadically built retaining walls on my house, on 5 levels running up side of hill.

Every 5 years I built another wall on 1 level- and it took me 5 years saving to get money to build next level, and to forget the pain involved and 5 years on when I thought ahh its not that bad- built the next one- only to be reminded what blood sweat and tears means- although with me add lots of foul swearing to boot.

[Feathers]

I tried these. Maybe not the answer...