CONCLUSION
All our testing team preferred the fit of different gloves on this test, so unless you have gloves tailormade for you, there will always be some compromises when it comes to choosing the best pair for you and your sailing.
Unsurprisingly, we found that full-fingered gloves were less dexterous than short fingers. There was some advantage to short-fingered gloves compared to just thumb and forefinger being short, though not a huge amount – we preferred the protection and warmth of the compromise. Nearly all of the gloves tested have pre-curved finger construction to give a good moulded fit and greater dexterity. This worked well with the Zhik G2, the Gul Evo, the Musto Evo and the Henri Lloyd Pro Grip, but it made the Helly Hansen pair cumbersome.
We were impressed with how well the cheaper gloves stood up against more expensive pairs. While the Gill Grip and Musto Dipper Grip might not look like a traditional sailing glove, they were superior when it came to the grip test, making them ideal for hauling lines and anchors. Dexterity could be improved by cutting the fingers off. The performance of the Decathlon Tribord 900 was also strong, considering the low cost.
Gill is good at making sailing gloves. The Gill Pro Gloves Long Finger were our best on test. They might not have beaten our runner-up, the Gul Evo 3, on grip, but the close fit and comfort made them clear winners.