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Gorilla Grip Bushwhacking Gloves

Gorilla Grip Gloves - Grippy Surface
Gorilla Grip Gloves – Grippy Surface

My hands get pretty torn up on 3 season bushwhacks – so much so that it looks like I’ve been in a fight with a spruce tree, which is the case more often than not! I won’t try to defend bushwhacking, which most trail hikers probably think is insane, but I like it because it gives me a deeper connection to the wilderness than trail hiking. Bushwhacking is like time travel back to the days before there were trails.

But finding comfortable hand protection has been problematic, insofar as the leather handgloves I use for trail work, are too hot for summer bushwhacking and dry too slowly when it’s wet. I’ve since switched to Grease Monkey Gorilla Grip Gloves which have proven remarkably comfortable for hot weather bushwhacking and only cost about ten dollars per pair.

Breathable Backing
Breathable Backing

The best things about these gloves is the dexterity they provide.  One side is completely waterproof and coated with a shiny surface, while the other side is a breathable fabric that keeps my hands from sweating out, even in very hot weather. The material is thin enough that there is no loss of feeling in my fingers: for example, I can tie my shoes while wearing the gloves and even operate a smart phone or gps device.

The durability of the Gorilla Gloves is also excellent. I haven’t snagged or torn them on any foliage, despite several very long bushwhacks, and they provide complete protection for my hands. Weighing less than one ounce per pair, I will probably carry them from now on in my pack since they are so light and I’m often tempted to explore off-trail on hikes which are primarily trail-bound.

While good for warm weather, I will probably switch back to a regular cold weather glove when it snows again, but for spring, summer, and autumn when temperatures are warm enough, these are the perfect bushwhacking gloves for me.

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8 comments

  1. They have these same gloves at Home Depot for $5/pair. Check availability online though, not every store has them. Also, they do make an insulated version for colder weather which I’ve also seen there for $5. Good to know they’ve worked so well–I took a look at them after reading Will’s article but there were several ripped ones in the store so I didn’t buy them. But if they’ve survived the kind of bushwhacks you do, that’s definitely durable enough!

  2. Thanks Greg for the info on Home Depot. HD actually had a 3 pack for $9.99 at a separate display.

  3. I’ve been using the Home Depot version for a couple of years and leave them in my tent/tarp sack for setting up and taking down camp, breaking firewood and they really grip small cordage when hanging the bear bag.

    • Good idea – I’ve already switched to my Ursack bear-proof bear bag so I don’t have to spend time hanging a bag at night. Less daylight already…

      • Philip are you not just egging the bear by leaving it in his/her sent path by not hanging the bag anyway? Yes the ursack is strong and the bear won’t for the most part get it open, but it will associate an area with the smell of food as the design is for strentgh not odor. Plus it it will be on the ground. I am sure you will start be debating the reason behind putting it up in the air in the first place or that you use some special bags. Bears are better than dogs by I think something like 25 times… You sound like a gear snob.

        • No, I tie it to a tree above my head and seal the contents in a smell proof plastic bag. My ursack has never been disturbed to my knowledge and always appears untouched the next morning. Bears only get acclimated if they are successful or hang out in areas where people frequently camp and don’t store their food safely at night. I think your outrage is misplaced. I have no desire to teach or convey bad habits to other hikers or campers. I use an Ursack when there is daylight so I can hike for as long as I like without having to spend 45 minutes hanging a bear bag at night. I still walk it far away from my campsite though.

  4. boy, I could have used these on the cables on Half Dome!

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