When using a manual wheelchair it is important that it is both safe and comfortable. Not only can your fingers be at risk of getting trapped, but pushing it regularly will cause your hands to have cuts, calluses, or blisters over time.
Thankfully, there are specially designed wheelchair gloves available to help manual wheelchair users move around easier and protect their hands from injuries.
But with so many to choose from, which gloves should you buy? We’ve gathered and reviewed 6 of the best wheelchair gloves to make your choice easier. If you’re in a hurry, the is our top picks.
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What Are The Benefits Of Wearing Wheelchair Gloves?
The first and most important benefit of wearing wheelchair gloves is protection. If you’ve used a manual wheelchair for a long time already, then your hands are probably full of blisters and calluses, which can be pretty uncomfortable and painful.
Wheelchair gloves will provide padding between your hand and the wheelchair, prevent injuries on your hand, and reduce the pressure placed on your nerves and joints.
Another benefit of using wheelchair gloves is a better grip. Yes, you’ll have a much harder grip with gloves, as they’re specially designed to improve it. A better grip will also make your hands much more stable when pushing your wheelchair forward.
What To Look For When Buying Wheelchair Gloves?
Material
The material of wheelchair gloves is one of the most important things you need to consider. You need them to be strong, durable, breathable, yet flexible.
We would recommend getting leather gloves since leather is a solid and durable material and will not wear down as fast as some other gloves would. Natural leather is also breathable and flexible. If you live in a cold area, that’s would be a perfect choice.
Another suitable material of gloves for wheelchair users is neoprene which is the most common alternative to leather and is also highly breathable, lightweight, and flexible. That’s a better choice in hot weather.
Adjustable Straps
Wheelchair gloves should be flexible and adjustable as well. Think about it, and if you can’t properly fit the gloves around your hand, and they’re not flexible enough, you won’t get the full range of motion from your hands.
Thankfully most of the gloves for wheelchair users come with adjustable straps or zippers; however, don’t forget to check how flexible and adjustable the gloves are before buying them.
Durability
Getting gloves made out of durable materials is also essential since you’ll want your gloves to hold up all the pressure from repeated usage. Getting gloves made out of solid material that doesn’t tear or crack quickly is the best solution to avoid having to get a new pair every few months.
Correct Size
Although most of the wheelchair gloves come with straps that can tighten around your arm, you’ll not feel comfortable in them if the gloves are too big or too small.
To know your size when ordering online, you can quickly measure your hand size by wrapping a measuring tape around the widest part of your hand — around your knuckles area and write the measurements on a piece of paper.
Look at the size guidelines available from the manufacturer to get your best fit. If you’re in between, round the number up to the nearest inch.
Type
You can choose between full-finger and half-finger gloves ( also known as fingerless gloves). Both of them have their advantages and disadvantages.
We would recommend that you get a whole finger type of wheelchair gloves if you live in colder areas or in the winter, as they’ll protect your fingers from the cold, but they’re less flexible, unfortunately.
If you don’t have a problem with cold weather, opt for half-finger type instead, as giving the top portion of your fingers free means more flexibility and control over the wheelchair.
Padding
Look for gloves that have padding in the palms area of your hand, as the palm of your hand is what suffers the most when pushing a wheelchair. Paddings made out of gel will offer you more protection and comfort, and the rubber ones will allow you to have a better grip.
Reviews Of Best Wheelchair Gloves
1. Care+Wear Wheelchair Gloves For Men And Women — Best Overall
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The Care+Wear wheelchair gloves are our best pick since they’re specially designed for wheelchair users and are designed for both genders, coming in 5 different sizes, ranging from XS to XL.
They’re easy to take on and off and have adjustable hook and loop closures and zippers across the top of each glove. They’re made out of neoprene and spandex, making them highly comfortable and flexible at the same time.
Another great thing about these, since they’re full-finger gloves, is that they feature touch screen conductive materials. So, you’ll not need to take them off when using your mobile devices. They also have anti-slip palm padding and micro-dot thumb grips to protect your hands and offer you a better grip when pushing yourself forward.
These gloves are perfect accessories to use in winter.
Pros
- Adjustable closures and zippers across the top of the glove.
- Comes in 5 different sizes, suitable for both men and women.
- Feature touch screen conductive materials.
- Have anti-slip palm padding and micro dot thumb grips for better grip and protection.
Cons
- Quite pricey.
- The gloves run smaller than actual sizes, so it’s better to size up.
- These gloves were too hot for the summer months.
2. Kango Fitness Soft Leather Padded Fingerless Gloves — Close Second
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These Kango Fitness fingerless wheelchair gloves are available in four sizes, ranging from S to L. They are made of mesh, making them ideal for various activities, including cycling, weight lifting, and wheelchair use.
This stylish, brown and white design makes this glove an excellent match for different outfits, and the mesh that’s on the back of the gloves will keep your hands cool even during hot summer days.
They’re lightweight, easy to put on, and have a double padded palm area, making them comfortable even for those pushing a wheelchair for long periods.
Your hands will not get tired or hurt in these gloves.
Pros
- Made out of mesh and leather.
- Stylish design.
- Lightweight and easy to put on.
- Double padded palm area for more comfort.
- Affordable price.
Cons
- The brown leather stains the skin for the first few uses.
3. Prime Sports All-Purpose Padded Leather Gloves — Best On a Budget
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The Prime gloves are multi-purpose fingerless leather wheelchair gloves that can be used for the gym or cycling as well. They are available in five different sizes and can be worn by both men and women.
Unfortunately, they are only available in black, but you may still use them with various outfits. The permeable backing allows hands to air and sweat, and the palms are padded with gel.
These are the right pair of gloves for you if you’re seeking classic black, fingerless leather gloves with good padding for protection at a reasonable price.
However, the fabric seems not as durable as other wheelchair gloves we mentioned above, making it not a good choice for regular use.
Pros
- Affordable price.
- Made out of genuine, soft leather.
- Breathable and flexible.
- Come in 5 different sizes.
Cons
- The gloves are not very durable and wear out quite quickly.
4. Rebo Wheelchair Gloves — Most Durable
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The Rebo wheelchair gloves are available in four sizes, ranging from S to XL, and are unisex in design, making them suitable for both male and female users.
They’re composed of a high-quality 4-way stretch fabric that’s both breathable and moisture-wicking, as well as being more flexible.
Full leather palms provide a greater grip, and the gloves are also shock-absorbing, so you won’t experience pain from the added pressure on your nerves and joints when pushing a wheelchair.
The fingerless design gives you more control over your wheelchair, and the robust wrist closure strap makes the gloves more comfortable to use and fits you better. What we like is the full thumb design that helps to prevent the formation of calluses.
Pros
- Made out of breathable and moisture-wicking high-quality 4-way stretch material.
- Shock absorbing.
- Full leather palm for a better grip.
- Adjustable wrist closure strap.
Cons
- Some users don’t like the “wheelchair” logo on it.
5. Trideer Workout Gloves — Best Wheelchair Gloves For Women
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The Trideer workout gloves are stylish-looking multi-purpose gloves made for ladies. Although advertised as workout gloves, they’re also a good choice for wheelchair users since they offer complete palm protection with strong foam pads, and the anti-skid silica gel will significantly improve your grip as well.
These gloves are made out of light, thin, and elastic mesh fiber on the back, making them more comfortable and breathable. So, you don’t need to worry about sweaty hands during hot summer days.
Pros
- Covered with foam pad on the palm for extra protection.
- Anti-skid silica gell dramatically improves your grip,
- Made out of comfortable and breathable materials.
- Adjustable straps for a better fit.
Cons
- The gloves come only in 3 different sizes, from S to L.
6. PSS Barefinger Leather Padded Wheelchair Gloves — Most Comfortable
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The PSS leather gloves were created with wheelchair users in mind and were meant to boost your push and protect you from blisters while preserving your hand flexibility.
There are two rough grip pads on the palm with a gap between them that creates a hinge-like effect. This increases the flexibility and comfort of the gloves.
These open-finger gloves are constructed of high-quality, long-lasting leather that resists tearing and cracking. They’re pretty easy to put on and take off because the wrist opens completely, which is cushioned for enhanced safety and comfort.
If you’re looking for a cheap pair of leather wheelchair gloves that were created with you in mind, look no further.
Pros
- Two textured grip pads on the palm.
- Made out of high-quality, durable leather.
- Open up entirely at the writs so that you can adjust them completely by the size of your arm.
- Affordable price.
Cons
- The palm grip material is relatively thin and may wear out pretty fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Neoprene Or Leather Wheelchair Gloves: Which Is Best?
For sure, leather is the first and best choice when it comes to the best material for wheelchair gloves. It’s solid and durable yet breathable and flexible enough to have reasonable control in your palms.
You can opt for neoprene too, which is more affordable, and the first alternative to leather.
However, neoprene is not as strong and durable as leather, but it is much more breathable, so if you live in a scorching climate, it would be a better choice to avoid sweaty hands.
How To Properly Care For Your Wheelchair Gloves?
The most important thing is to wash them now and then since you’ll probably be sweating when wearing them for more extended periods, plus they’ll last longer when you do wash them regularly.
Although you can wash some gloves in the washing machine, it’s better to soak them in warm water with a bit of detergent for 30 to 40 minutes, then washing and rinsing them with clean water and letting them air dry.
The Winner
Our winner for the best gloves for wheelchair users is the because they’re specially designed for wheelchair users and suitable for both men and women. They have anti-slip palm padding and micro dot thumb grips for better grip and protection, so you don’t need to worry about getting blisters or calluses and can push your manual wheelchair pain-free.
Being flexible and adjustable, you can have a snug fit by tightening the two straps and a zipper to fit your hand perfectly. Since the gloves cover your fingers, they still feature touch screen conductive materials, so you don’t need to take them off when you want to use your phone or tablet.
