Mechanix Precision Pro Shooting Gloves: A Hands-On Review

As time goes on, I find myself wearing gloves more and more when I head to the range. They help protect your hands and improve the grip on the gun; at least, that’s the idea. Some gloves I’ve tried out work great at this, and others look cool, but I can’t say they work that well. We wear protection on our feet, head, eyes, and the rest of our body, so why not our hands too? If you’re looking for some new gloves, check out the new Mechanix Precision Pro high-dexterity grip glove.

Made specifically for military, police, and sports shooters, they would work great for anyone handling firearms. Some grips on handguns are smooth and slick, which makes it hard to hang on to the gun when firing. To improve this, many gun manufacturers put some type of texturing on their grip and front strap. But I find some of them are too aggressive and will tear your hands up when you’re on the range all day.

The right pair of gloves will help protect your hands and improve your grip. But don’t think they only help with handguns because shooting some rifles presents the same issues. Sliding your hand over a handguard, changing mags, and racking on the charging handle is easier with gloves on.

About the Precision Pro gloves

Mechanix designed the precision Pro gloves with shooting in mind, and they really do improve your grip on the gun. It starts with the Padlock non-slip palm, which looks different from any other gloves I’ve used so far. The design looks like a bunch of little pentagon shapes across the palm and up the fingers of the glove. When they say “high dexterity” grip glove, they aren’t joking. These things make the gun feel like it’s glued to your hand.

The top side of the glove has some nice features as well, which include:

• Eyelet Knuckles: The knuckles have a slit to help your fingers bend. A soft, thin material is attached under the slit so your knuckles are not exposed. This material also acts as an expansion area so the finger can move without pulling on the rest of the glove.
• Rollover fingertips: This is when the material is pulled over the top of the finger and stitched further down the finger. Because of this, there isn’t a seam at the end of your finger, which is a stress point on gloves.
• Touchscreen capabilities: Many companies are adding this feature to their gloves because who doesn’t have a cell phone these days? I tried this part out with mine and could unlock my screen, answer calls, and do basic tasks. I couldn’t type messages or do more detailed tasks because the finger was too bulky, but that’s not surprising for a pair of gloves.
• Sweat wipe: This is not something you see on many pairs of gloves. A small leather patch over the back of the thumb acts as a sweat wipe for those hot summer days.

On the range with the Precision Pro gloves

I like the looks of the Precision Pro gloves, but like anything else, they are no good if they don’t work. I loaded up several guns, including my 10mm Sig Sauer XTen, and headed to the range. One of the first things I noticed about this pair of gloves was the thickness. They are not as thick as cold weather gloves but thick enough to protect your hands. I have some ultra-thin pairs that are handy in some cases, but they don’t feel like they protect your hands as well.

A Velcro strap allows you to get them as tight as needed, and it’s easy to adjust. There is a small loop on the back of the gloves to help pull them on if they are a little snug. Part of testing the gloves is not just shooting the gun but operating your equipment with them on. I wore a holster and vest carrier and used a gun with a light and optic to make sure I could manipulate each thing. Drawing the Glock 49 from my Safariland 6354 military/tactical holster was extremely easy.

Next, I used the light on the gun and then changed the brightness setting on the red dot. Mag changes with my rifle were next, and then shooting some rounds from my 10mm Sig Sauer. Because the Sig XTen doesn’t have an aggressive grip, there is a noticeable difference when shooting it with the gloves on. I also tried loading some ammo in my magazines with the gloves on and did get an AR-15 mag loaded. The thumb of the glove got caught on the feed lip several times, so take them off when loading the mags.

Durability factor

Because the silicone material on the palm feels so soft, I wonder how long it will last. I will continue wearing the gloves to see how they hold up as time goes on. Mechanix has been in the business of making gloves for a long time, so I’m guessing they will hold up. From my time with them on the range, I can’t see any wear on the grip portion of the glove. I threw them in the dryer for about 30 minutes to see if the heat would make the silicone crack, but it didn’t.

Need a pair of shooting gloves?

When compared to other brands I’ve used, the Mechanix Precision Pro gloves appear to be top-notch. What makes them stand apart, however, is the price, which is well below “top-notch” standards. I found my pair on sale for $26.99, and so far, they work as well as gloves that sell for more than twice that amount. They have a snug fit without restricting the movement of your phalanges.

I don’t think they are too thick to wear in the summer, but they would also provide some warmth in the cooler months. I plan to keep this pair with my tactical gear and use them at work as well. Down the road, I’ll post an update on how they are holding up. But for now, the Precision Pro High-Dexterity gloves appear to be a great quality product at a price that’s too low to pass on.