Except perhaps for that lump of gray matter that resides between your ears, your hands are likely your most valuable natural tool. Those fingers and opposable thumbs allow you to create and use any number of things. We often take our hands for granted, though, and fail to protect them properly. While a splinter or scrape might not be a big deal while working in the backyard, any injury, no matter how small, could turn into a major issue during a bug out or other true survival situation.

Gloves are but one component of an overall Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) loadout that should be part of your Get Home Bag or Bug Out Bag.

Mechanix Wear has been around since the early 1990s. They first made a name for themselves making gloves for NASCAR mechanics. Since then, they’ve expanded their line quite a bit and have a glove for just about any need you can imagine. I’ve long been a fan of their products and own several pair of different styles. In this review, we’re going to look at two of them – M-Pact and Original 0.5mm.

M-Pact

The M-Pact glove is designed for tactical use. You can see here that it has a hard rubber knuckle and finger guard. The rubber is flexible enough to allow you to bend your fingers without any resistance, yet thick and hard enough to provide substantial protection.

There is also padding along the palm that protects from impacts. Overall, this style of glove works great to keep your hands safe from routine injuries. The index finger and thumb do not have the rubber guard, allowing you to fire a handgun or rifle without trouble.

The fingertips are reinforced, too, which is a great feature. This is often a quick-wearing point on gloves. There is a nylon pull loop at the wrist on each glove. This is used not only for pulling the gloves on but to attach to a pack or belt using a carabiner or similar tool.

The wrists have hook and loop closures, allowing you to give yourself breathing room as needed.

One drawback to the M-Pact glove is they can feel a little awkward until you get used to them. They are a thick glove, due to the hard rubber, but the feel isn’t like wearing a bulky winter glove. It isn’t a deal breaker, just know going in that it might take a little time to get used to wearing this style of glove.

With the reinforced palm and fingertips, this glove works well when clearing brush and during other outdoor tasks, too. You might look a little “tacticool” if you’re wearing them while pulling weeds in Suburbia, USA, but that might not be an issue for you.

The M-Pact gloves are available here on Amazon for under $30.

Original 0.5mm

These are my go-to gloves unless I’m needing something truly heavy duty. The 0.5mm style is thin, hence the name. They are made from what they call TekDry material, which is cool and comfortable even after long periods of use.

The palms and fingers are suede, though admittedly a very thin layer of it. This provides excellent traction when gripping and holding with the gloves. As with the M-Pact gloves, the fingers are reinforced, too.

The wrists have hook and loop closures and also have the nylon loops for pulling the gloves on as well as hanging them from your pack.

The 0.5mm style is great for those wanting to protect their hands from scrapes and such without resorting to heavy leather gloves. Keep in mind, though, these gloves aren’t going to provide protection against knives or really sharp thorns. Instead, rely on these for routine chores and day-to-day stuff, then move to a heavier glove if the situation warrants. I’ve worn the 0.5mm gloves for hours on end without any issues at all. They are exceptionally comfortable.

The Original 0.5mm gloves are here on Amazon for a bit over $20.