Are Gloves Really That Useful During an Obstacle Race?

Over the years, I've tested many obstacle race gloves, and I've tried bare hands. I have realized that gloves are useful in the following situations.

Gloves are useful to protect your hands from injuries such as rope burns or splinters. They are also helpful with many obstacles but providing extra grip and comfort. However, they become utterly useless in some situations. Read on to find out if gloves can be helpful for your next obstacle race.

If you're searching for the best gloves for an obstacle race and expecting to find a real review from a real runner. Check out this list I created of the top gloves for OCR.

Obstacle course racing is intended to be challenging and to get you out of the comfort zone. After many years of Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, Rugged Maniac, and more, I have understood which gear is useful or not. For me, the proper pair of gloves make all the difference.

I know how controversial the gloves subject is within the OCR community, and you'll hear all kinds of contradictory opinions mainly because most top athletes are not wearing gloves.

Still, gloves are an excellent advantage, because even if I train 5 times a week, my hands are not that tough. I work behind a desk and the only grip strength I need to grab my cup of coffee. I'm sure I could ditch the gloves if I had a more manual job. For now, gloves are simply the extra help I need to hold on to the obstacles.

However, the purpose of this article is to find out if YOU need to wear gloves during an obstacle race.

Do you need gloves for Spartan Race?

Gloves are not a mandatory piece of clothing when competing in a Spartan Race. You can do an obstacle race without gloves, and you'll probably be fine.

Still, they are beneficial to many participants, such as my self. Gloves can make the difference, between failing or overcoming the obstacles.

Should you wear gloves for Tough Mudder?

On Tough Mudder's website, it's recommended you bring gloves to the race. Because the gloves can help to keep your fingers from completely freezing in cold weather, while also enhancing your ability to hold on the obstacles.

However, even if the race organization recognize the utility of wearing gloves, they list it as optional.

What are the benefits of wearing gloves?

I get tones of benefits from my gloves, and I know other runners feel the same way.

1. Preventing injuries

The main reasons why many people wear gloves during an obstacle race or a mud run is to protect their hands from injuries.

The obstacles are designed to be challenging, and it's easy to burn your hands on a rope, get a splinter from the wooden structures or scratches from crawling in the dirt.

Small injuries, splinters, blisters, and calluses can be avoided by wearing gloves.

2. More comfort

The gloves will also bring you a little extra comfort. It may seem neglectable, but after hours of pushing through hell, you'll appreciate the additional layer of protection.

The obstacles that involve moving a cinder block attached to a chain, or carrying a heavy wood lug, can be brutal for your hands. Also, the extra padding on the palm can undoubtedly make a difference when you are exhausted and still have to crawl in gravel or doing 30 burpees in the dirt.

Gloves are meant to keep your hand happier.

3. Keep warm

Theirs is no doubt that glove is extremely valuable in a winter race. Because even if you have the most reliable grip, once your hands are frozen, they will be worthless on the obstacles.

4. Improve grip

In many situations, gloves can improve your "grip" on the obstacles. They enable you to hold tight for a longer time, by providing additional comfort for your hands.

5. Arthritis problem

Gloves can also be a tremendous relief for those suffering from arthritis problems. They keep your hands warm and more comfortable through the race.

6. Protect fingernails

The Spartans with French manicure will appreciate the protection. All jokes aside, the gloves can protect your fingernails from accidents.

What are the downsides of wearing gloves?

You must also consider the downside of wearing gloves, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

1. Useless when wet

The ultimate downside of wearing gloves, is they become completely useless when wet.

It's not unusual to have a pool of muddy water to go through right before the obstacle where you planned to use your gloves. Has soon as your gloves are submerged in water, or covered with mud, they lose their grip, and you end up more disadvantage then been bare hands.

2. Get heavy

Also, some gloves tend to absorb water and become an extra burden for the race. Furthermore, wearing the wrong type of glove can even result in blisters because of the mud accumulating inside, and between the fingers. Once they are soaked in water or filled with dirt, they become an extra weight to carry to the finish line.

3. Management hassle

Over the year, I have learned how to keep my gloves dry and useful through the race.

Except for the rain, it's possible to avoid water or mud, by taking off the gloves during the race. This is why, I always carry a ziplock bag in my pocket, and every time I'm facing an obstacle with water or mud, I stored them away.

However, all that management become a problem if you are competing to finish the race as soon as possible. The time won't pause when you take off your gloves.

4. Loss of sensation

The gloves will alternate your sensation, and you won't get the correct information about how strong you are gripping to the rope or how tight you are holding the steps of the ladder.

Therefore, when the obstacles are slippery, this loss of sensation becomes a problem for your security.

Also, you might feel like you are losing your grip on the monkey bar, but it's actually your hand slipping from the glove. All of which can lead to failing to complete the obstacle.

This is why it's important to train with the gloves and become comfortable even in difficult situations.

5. Prevent hands from becoming more resistant

Over time, always using gloves will prevent your hands from becoming more resistant. In other words, the more you use gloves, the more you'll need to wear gloves.

When you become more serious about obstacle racing, you should start working on your grip strength. To eventually run without the help of your gloves.

However, knowing the pros and cons of wearing gloves, I'm still convinced of their utility in specific circumstances.

When are gloves useful during a race?

Gloves are helpful at 15% of the time during a race. The other 85% you'll be running, and you don't need gloves while running. The only situation where I keep my glove 100% the time is during a winter race.

Mostly, I bring my gloves to protect my hands from cold or specific obstacles.

Gloves are useful for which obstacles?

I found my gloves to be specifically handy with all obstacles involving ropes or chains, such as the Rope Climb, the Tyrolean Traverse, the Hercule Hoist, Tire Drag, or the Tractor Pull.

Moreover, the infamous bucket brigade or Atlas Carry from Spartan is less painful with my gloves.

Finally, I found it more secure to wear gloves while climbing wooden obstacles, such as the Stairway to Sparta or the Warped Wall.

Should I wear my gloves during the whole race?

The only Spartan Race where I would keep my glove all the time is the Stadium race because there is no mud or water involve (except when it rain). For a Sprint, Super, or Beast, I would only wear them when needed.

However, if I'm participating in a Tough Mudder or any other race with a load of muddy obstacles, I would probably wear my gloves the whole time. Those type of obstacle races are extra slippery, and my hands are handy when climbing muddy hills or crawl in the mud.

On the other hand, if I have to climb a rope during such race, I would take off the gloves, wipe my hands on the grass or my shirt and try to climb without protection on my hands.

So, do I need gloves for an obstacle race?

In my opinion, it's better to come prepared for an obstacle race. If you need your gloves, you'll have them, if not just keep them in your pocket.

The reasons why so many peoples are using gloves or not as a lot to do with there day job. For example, if you work as a mechanic or a nurse, you probably have more robust hands then mine, and you'll probably do fine without gloves.

But, I would still recommend bringing a pair of gloves. After a few races, you'll figure if you still need them.

P.S. If you're searching for the best hands protection for a race and hoping to get genuine advice from a real runner. You should check out this list I created of the top OCR gloves.

I have picked these gloves because I'd used them in different obstacle races and mud runs. Plus, I'd confirmed my selection with my fellow OCR runners. With all their insights and my own experience, I've built this list of the top gloves for obstacle racing.

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