Bushwalking Gloves for Scrambling?

Ever come home from a bushwalk with broken finger nails, splinters from and cuts to your hands caused by vegetation? What is the solution?

My walk in the Vulkathunha-Gammons National Park last weekend was the third time I have taken a pair of lightweight cotton gloves with me when bushwalking in Australia.

Many of our bushwalking tracks in Australia require fighting through thick prickly undergrowth, scambling up loose scree, or clinging to steep slopes where every bit of support can be lifesaving. We all know that 3 point contact with the ground, using both hands and feet, is well advised in steep terrain.

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Gloves are invaluable in preventing injury and more importantly allowing you to make better use of your environment to improve your safety. While gloves could be a disadvantage in rock climbing, when scrambling they are a definite advantage.

What sort of gloves should I get?

Gloves for use when scrambling in Australia should be cool, lightweight and cheap. Cotton thread or string is the ideal material although leather reinforcement at wear points can be useful. Want to go high tech, then try Dyneema reinforced gloves which are cut resistant and very lightweight? Need something more grippy, then  buy a pair with PVC dots? If you need something warmer, then try a pair of polypropylene inserts

Where do you get such gloves?

Well you could use the types of gloves used by cyclists or skiers, but they are unnecessarily expensive. Why not try your supermarket or hardware shop in the garden section? Here cotton gloves cost only a few dollars.

Acknowledgement


Thanks to Lester for convincing me of the necessity of gloves when bushwalking in the harsh Australian environment.

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