Strength athletes can use lifting gloves for a variety of reasons, but more often than not, it’s for hand protection. For a beginner, certain types of athletes, and those worried about their hands, lifting gloves are somewhat similar to a belt for a powerlifter. They’re a useful tool to help support and enhance performance.
Typical athletes who reach for gloves are bodybuilders doing excessive volume, calisthenic athletes, and even those who compete in functional fitness. A torn up hand can derail progress when doing heavy volume. For this review, we analyzed and looked at the Trideer Ultralight Weight Lifting Glove.
In our gauntlet of five tests, we assessed how these gloves performed with: Grip, versatility, feeling & fit, construction, and price.
Grip
We tested these gloves in three grip tests we felt were most similar to athletes who’d reach for a pair. First, we used a rope test for functional athletes. Second, we did standard pull-ups for calisthenic driven folks. Third, we used a dumbbell row for the normal gym-goer and bodybuilder.
To start, we tried rope climbs. I liked how this glove felt with rope climbs because it has a rubber material covering the palm. Some gloves with padding slide a bit when performing the reaching motion, but I felt this glove did a good job at providing a natural gripping feel.
The pull-ups felt pretty good as well. It didn’t take a lot of effort to increase the stick between the rubber and metal when performing the movement, so I didn’t have to stress sliding off the bar. Also, I felt like the palm was able to lock in and avoid any forms of swaying due to a cloth material slipping.
Our last test was a dumbbell row, which offered a similar feeling to the pull-up. The only difference was the lack of rubber covering the thumb. This lack of rubber-esque material leaves the dumbbell a little more prone to wobbling, but it’s not a huge issue if the weight is manageable for you.
Versatility
In terms of versatility, this glove was one of the better ones I’ve tried in recent memory. I judge a lot of a gloves versatility on how it performs in rope climbs and pull-ups, as these are two completely different pulling movements. A lot of times gloves will slide on one or the other depending on their material and construction.
This glove performed exceptionally well in both of these tests, and I’d compare its feeling to a football’s wide receiver’s glove.
Feeling & Fit
These gloves are on the lighter side of gloves I’ve tried, but fit pretty well. Trideer states that a large is designed to fit a 7.5-8″ hand, and I have around a 8″ hand. The glove itself hugged my palm and meaty portion of the thumb decently tight. Additionally, the upper strap that covers the top of hand was a nice feature to promote palm tightness.
The only issue I had with how this glove felt was related to the lack of rubber material covering the thumb. It made the thumb feel a little more loose, and didn’t give it the full feeling of security I could see an athlete wanting from a glove. Also, there’s no additional wrist support, so if you need wrist stability, then this glove isn’t your best bet.
Construction
I liked the construction of this glove, but had some worries. First, I liked the rubber material that covered the palm and fingers. Second, the extra strap on top of the glove was a nice feature for promoting tightness. The downfall of this glove comes with my durability worries. I feel as though the lightweight material may not last as long as some of this glove’s heavier leather counterparts.
Price
The pricing for the Trideer Weight Lifting Gloves starts around $12.99, which I feel is pretty reasonable. It’s a versatile glove that will fill multiple athlete’s asks for performance in the gym, and $12.99 is on the lower end of lifting gloves. The only downside of this glove comes with the durability, but for its price I feel like it’s somewhat of a balanced concern.
Wrapping Up
All in all, I thought the Trideer Weight Lifting Glove did a fair job holding up to the tests we placed upon it. I liked the wide receiver feeling this glove provided and how it performed in our variety of lifting tests. My main worry with this glove comes with its long term durability, but the price isn’t incredibly high, so that’s only a minor concern.
For the athlete needing a lightweight versatile lifting glove, I feel as though the Trideer Weight Lifting Glove did a good job at filling this ask.
Trideer Weight Lifting Glove
$12.99
Pros
- Rubber Palm Grip
- Double Straps
- Lightweight
Cons
- Lack of Thumb Grip
