When choosing a glove, one of the biggest factors is the grip. There’s much to consider – starting with the application. Are you working in an oily, wet, or dry environment? What kind of hazards are present? What kind of equipment will you be handling?
Not having a proper grip on the job can have ramifications on a gloves’ effectiveness and can make or break a worker’s productivity. The more control, dexterity, and durability a grip provides the more benefits it has – including a decrease in hand-related injuries from slipping, dropping, or mishandling equipment.
How do you know which grip is the best for your job? Let’s walk through the options.
Aqua-polymer foam
Solvent-free and derma safe, this water-based coating offers excellent dexterity and forms the glove to the sharp of your hand for maximum comfort.
Xtra Grip (XG) aqua-polymer
Solvent-free and derma safe, the Xtra Grip water-based coating offers excellent dexterity for an exceptional grip in wet or oily situations.
Flat nitrile (NBR)
Flat Nitrile (NBR) also known as a solid coat, this coating provides excellent abrasion resistance and extends the gloves life in service in tasks such as manual handling, paving/block work and general housekeeping applications. Flat nitrile can become very slippery in wet applications.
Hydro-Grip polymer
Unique to uvex, our innovative hydro-grip HG polymer provides the wearer with all the advantages of a NBR flat coat but eliminates the soapy nature of NBR when used in wet conditions. Ideal for wet applications when perfect grip is essential.
Micro foam nitrile
Formulated to be thinner than a nitrile foam coating, micro nitrile coatings can have a slightly tacky finish and feature good breathability and flexibility.
Sandy nitrile
Sandy nitrile is, of course, known for its high abrasion resistance. It’s also more elastic and form fitting compared to other nitrile coatings. It’s excellent in oily situations and very good in wet environments.
Foam nitrile
Gloves with a sponge coating (chemically foamed) are softer and more flexible than flat nitrile and perform well in dry and oily applications.
Polyurethane
Polyurethane, or PU, is a lightweight, flexible, durable grip coating that features good abrasion and puncture resistance. This coating is incredibly popular and sufficient for a wide range of applications. However, with PU you will always get “strike through” which is the PU impregnating into the interior of the glove so that the PU is always in direct contact with the skin.
Natural rubber latex
Natural rubber latex is flexible, more resistant to abrasion compared to PU and nitrile, but has minimal tackiness. Natural rubber latex features an excellent dry grip.
With so many choices for grip options, many workers find their favourite through trial and error. While some grips are superior to others in certain applications, choosing a grip ultimately comes down to personal preference.
From the mine site to the warehouse, to the sawmill – uvex’s breadth of grip options provides workers with the high flexibility, durability, and breathability needed to stay productive. Contact us now to discuss your coating requirements with uvex hand protection specialist.