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Drum gloves are a thing not really mentioned by most players in the drumming community. If you have stumbled upon this post, you no doubt have an interest in drumming gloves.
Drum gloves serve a couple of purposes. They prevent annoying blisters, absorb shock from the impact of your sticks, improve your grip, and some argue that they look cool. Another use for drum gloves is for those with dry skin that cracks easily. Playing the drums with this type of pain can be very difficult.
Best Drum Gloves – A Quick Glance
Who Uses Drum Gloves?
Some drummers that use drumming gloves include Stewart Copland, Carter Beauford, Phil Rudd, Dave Grohl, Mario Duplantier, and Tommy Lee.
For me, I look at drum gloves a little differently. A lot of people criticize the use of drum gloves, but they actually do work in a lot of situations.
When I am on tour, my hands dry out a lot. This results in my calluses breaking open and causing a lot of pain. I then reach for the gaffers tape or some sort of bandage to get through the show. Drumming gloves will absolutely alleviate this issue.
Drum gloves are generally not very expensive. However, the quality does differ between brands. We hope this list helps you pick out the perfect pair of drumming gloves.
For the average drummer, finding the best drumming gloves on the market can be a bit confusing, considering how many different brands are out there and how little information there is about them on the internet.
To address that issue, we will be talking in detail about each pair of drum gloves below. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at all the best drum gloves of 2022.
1) Promark DGM Drum Gloves
Made from thin-cut Cabretta leather.
Promark is well-known for their quality drum sticks. Many drummers swear by this company. Their drum gloves are no different. We have chosen this pair of gloves as our Editor’s Pick for best drum gloves.
We have found that a lot of drum gloves will wear out easily. That is not the case with the Promark DG. These are the longest lasting ones that we tested.
The Promark DG gloves are made from thin-cut Cabretta leather.
They feature eight specially-placed pads on fingers and the palm. Your hands won’t sweat as much with these due to the breathable mesh on the top.
You can wear these as tight as you like by using the hook and loop wrist strap.
2) Vic Firth Drum Gloves
Drumming Gloves with Synthetic Grip Thumb and Forefinger, Leather Palm Grip, and Synthetic Mesh Palm Ventilation.
Vic Firth is another drumstick company that makes a fantastic drumming glove.
I have always loved and used sticks from Vic Firth, so it’s a no-brainer to give their drum gloves a try.
These drum gloves are also made from premium Cabretta leather (so in a sense, they are kind of like a golf glove) and have a ventilated synthetic mesh palm.
The thumbs and forefingers offer a unique synthetic rubber grip. If you’re looking for gloves that will keep you warm when loading in the winter, these aren’t your gloves.
They will keep your hands cool during the show, just like the Promark pair.
One thing to note: some users have experienced the rubber grip dots coming off of the drum gloves after only a few uses.
I didn’t have this problem myself, so maybe Vic Firth has already addressed this issue with their drum gloves.
3) Zildjian Drum Gloves
Drumming Gloves with Touchscreen-compatible Thumb and Pointer Finger, Leather Palm Grip, and Vented Back
Zidljian Drum Gloves are a user favorite. These are the cheapest of the bunch and are made from soft lamb-skin.
These drumming gloves also feature a vented back to help keep you cool on stage. If you’re a fan of Zildjian and love to endorse them, these will show your love for them.
The velcro on the Zildjian drum gloves is very sticky and stays together nicely. The sticks just feel good in your hands when wearing these gloves. The wrist support bands are an added bonus.
Some users have noted that after a few months of playing, some of the stitching begins to come out of the gloves. While unfortunate, I think all gloves stitched with a threading will begin to deteriorate over time.
Other users have claimed that their hands had black marks on them after wearing the Zildjian drum gloves. I personally have not seen this happen, but it’s worth noting.
4) Meinl Half Finger Drum Gloves
Protects your hands from blisters and provides a natural feel.
Finally! A drum glove with half fingers! Meinl has stepped up the plate and nailed it with these drum gloves.
I love the half design; it really allows for more technical movement while playing to make those quick and complex fills and grooves happen.
Just like all the others on the list, the Meinl drumming gloves will protect your hands from blisters and other drumming injuries, as well as prevent existing ones from cracking open.
If you have ever thought, “I know, I’ll just cut my existing glove fingers off to get the same design,” you’ll quickly realize that this doesn’t work.
The fingers of your freshly cut drum gloves will quickly begin to roll up your fingers toward your palm as you begin playing. This is not only annoying but also will irritate any current blisters or cuts.
As with any product, there will be critical reviews. I read online many people who have experienced their Meinl drum gloves ripping by the wrist horizontally.
5) Ahead Drum Gloves
Protects your wrists from repetitive strain injuries. Backed by a 30-day warranty. Built to last twice as long as other drumming gloves.
Ahead is famously known for their metal drumsticks. I personally have never been a fan of these sticks. I remember asking my parents to buy me a pair of these when I was younger.
It made sense, right?
A pair of sticks that lasts way longer! It turns out, for me, that these sticks just don’t cut it, even though they are endorsed by many big-name players.
The Ahead drum gloves designed specifically for drummers and “not golfers” as their website explains. These gloves feature “hot spot” pads that make for a longer life and added wrist support.
Ahead claims that these drum gloves are used by more professional drummers than any other brand on the market.
I thought these gloves were a little too thick when I used them. The wrist strap seems very poorly made like it wouldn’t last for very long.
Some users have reported the drum gloves ripping in the exact same spot as we saw with the Meinl gloves, as well as between the fingers. That being said, the wrist support that these drum gloves give you is fantastic.
6) Vater Percussion Drum Gloves
Vater Percussion is a well-known brand of drumsticks, practice pads, mallets, and accessories. I used to like their sticks, but I found many inconsistencies with matched pairs of drumsticks.
My test would be to lay the sticks on a flat surface and roll them. A lot of times, one of the sticks would roll in a circle, indicating the stick is not straight.
Since this is about their drum gloves, we won’t give them too much slack about my prior experiences.
The Vater drum gloves are made from synthetic leather. Again, these drum gloves have a breathable mesh, as well as backing and elasticated panels on the sides of the fingers. They allow for great flexibility, fit, and ventilation.
I noticed right away that this pair of drum gloves felt exactly like a golf glove. It’s missing padding in key places where the sticks make contact with the hands.
The sizing on these drum gloves is a little strange too. If you plan on purchasing this pair, go one size up as they tend to run small.
Conclusion
The drum gloves that stood out to us were the Promark DG Drum Gloves.
The build-quality, thickness, and durability were all factors that led us to our decision. If you feel like we left out your favorite pair, please leave us a comment below and we will update the post!
