If you want the short list, these are my top wheelchair glove picks, and you’ll find the details on each one further down.
If you push a wheelchair, your hands do a lot of work, and they can use some protection. Wheelchair gloves shield your palms and help keep your grip steady.
This article covers gloves made for propelling manual wheelchairs, plus other types that can lower the risk of injury, like athletic gloves.
Why Do Wheelchair Users Wear Gloves?
Manual wheelchair users often develop blisters and calluses when pushing their wheelchairs around. The right gloves can protect that. In addition, they can reduce the amount of pressure that’s placed on nerves and joints.
Using a wheelchair regularly can cause a great deal of damage to your hands. It’s crucial for people who use wheelchairs to find protective gloves that are suitable for their medical needs.
You wanted the best wheelchair, so you should use the best accessories, right?
Buying Guide
Before you can purchase wheelchair gloves, you’ll need to know what to look for! Here are a few factors you should consider when shopping for the perfect pair.
Materials
Leather, lycra, neoprene, and spandex are all popular materials for wheelchair gloves. Materials like foam and cotton are also popular options.
Comfort
Since wheelchair gloves are often worn for an extended period, it’s important to select ones made from softer materials that are comfortable to wear.
Materials that cause itching and irritation should be avoided. Leather and lycra are terrific options for comfort.
Support
Wheelchair gloves should be made from durable materials that will protect hands. Products that include some sort of padding against the hand will give wearers more support.
Flexibility
It’s important to be able to move your hands freely while propelling a wheelchair. Materials like spandex and lycra, which provide plenty of stretch, are a great choice.
Durability and Maintenance
You won’t want to replace your gloves anytime soon, so sturdy materials like leather are a smart choice. Machine-washable materials are also an excellent option.
Breathability
If you wear gloves made from a material that isn’t breathable, your palms will sweat, which can be uncomfortable. Mesh or mesh-like materials like cotton work will let your hands breathe.
Padding and/or Gel Inserts
Not all wheelchair gloves include extra padding, but it can be a wonderful way to cushion your palms. But you should also remember that pads can make gloves bulkier. Weigh the pros and cons when selecting your gloves.
Adjustment Closure Straps Options
You’ll want to make sure your gloves stay in place when they’re being worn. Closure straps are an excellent way to keep gloves secure. Velcro closure straps are a popular option, but straps can also be made from other materials.
Sizing
It’s crucial to find gloves that fit properly. Find a product that is available in a range of sizes. Check to see if gloves run large or small before placing an order.
Types:
- Full Finger: These over the entire hand – fingers and all. They’re the best option if you want to protect fingers from calluses.
- Fingerless: Also known as cut-off or half gloves, these give you extra mobility and better control.
Wheelchair Glove Reviews
Looking for the best wheelchair gloves? Here are my top recommended products to protect and comfort the hands of wheelchair users.
Copper Compression Arthritis Gloves
Click Here and Use Code GWG20 to Save 20%
*Discount Off Regular Price
Are you tired of dealing with hand pain when propelling your wheelchair?
Then, the Copper Compression fingerless compression gloves may be exactly what you need. These gloves contain a high concentration of copper ions in a breathable fabric.
The FDA recognizes copper as a known antimicrobial agent and the compression fabric aids with inflammation and swelling by providing a gentle squeeze that promotes better circulation.
That’s why athletes use them for recovery from sports-related injuries and overuse.
Additionally, these gloves are extremely comfortable and provide great support and stability.
The fact that they are fingerless gloves will help you to easily wear them as long as you need to since you’ll be able to feel, touch, and use your hands as usual.
These gloves are also extremely well made with smart stitching, reducing irritation and making them more comfortable and durable.
To aid your grip when pushing your chair, rubber grips in the palm make it easier to hold onto those metal handrims.
My Personal Experience with Copper Compression Gloves
The folks at Copper Compression provided me with a few gloves to try out myself. While I don’t have a lot of hand pain, my hands will fatigue and ache after too much typing of blog posts or garden work.
I wore the gloves most of the day (8 hours+) for several days to get a feel for them, and I, surprisingly, liked them. They are extremely well-made and much more comfortable to wear than you might think.
I also used them to propel myself in several of the wheelchairs we have at the office in my day job as a custom wheelchair specialist. They made the aluminum handrims of standard wheelchairs much easier to grip.
I noticed an even better grip when using the gloves on a wheelchair fit with rubber-coated handrims. And, a better grip means less energy is needed to propel, which means you won’t tire as quickly either.
You can check them out on the Copper Compression site if you’d like to learn more – be sure to use my discount GWG20 to save 20% off of the regular price.
Lustraze Arthritis Compression Gloves
These are fingerless compression gloves made for arthritic hands. Because the fingers are open, you can still use a phone, hold a pen, or type while you wear them.
They pull on with no clasps or fasteners, which helps if your hands are stiff or sore. The fabric is breathable, so your hands should not get sweaty during the day.
Two pairs come in the box. You can wear one while the other is in the wash.
There are a few things to know. These gloves have no compression rating (mmHg) listed, so they are not a substitute for medical compression gloves that have been measured for you. They also have no padding for the palm, so they are not the pick for hard pushing on wheelchair rims.
Sizing guidance is limited, so measure your palm before you order.
Aegend Wheelchair Gloves
If your hands are on the larger side, the Aegend Wheelchair Gloves in Large are worth a look. They are half-finger gloves, so your fingertips stay free for phones, zippers and buttons.
The spot where your thumb meets your palm takes a beating from pushing the rims. These gloves have a Kevlar-reinforced patch right there, meant to guard against blisters, friction burns and skin tears.
The palm has a 4mm pad made of SBR foam and Kevlar. It is meant to soak up the vibration that comes from rolling over brick sidewalks or braking down a ramp, which can leave hands sore or numb.
There is also a ring of reflective trim around the glove. If you are out after dark, it helps drivers see your hands and chair.
The trade-off is the half-finger design. If you want your fingers fully covered, or protected from cold, this is not the style for you. The gloves also come in black only in this listing, so check the size against your hand before you order.
Prime Sports Fingerless Weight Lifting Gloves
Many of the gloves on this list were designed for other purposes, but these are specifically made for propels who use a wheelchair all day long. The palms are made from real leather, which makes them durable, comfortable, and easy to remove.
They have a strong strap for great support on the wrist, so they won’t ride up when worn. The backs of the gloves are made from a moisture-wicking fabric that can keep your hands from getting overly sweaty.
Kango Fitness Fingerless Driving Gloves
These gloves, made from 100% real leather, may look like a fashion statement. However, they’re also incredibly functional!
They are soft enough to wear all day long, and the breathable crocheted mesh around the back makes them perfect for people in warmer climates.
Even though these gloves won’t make your hands sweat, they do provide plenty of padding. The double-padded palms can help to prevent rubbing and other injuries.
Although these gloves were designed with bikers in mind, they’re a great choice for people who use wheelchairs as well.
ATERCEL Weight Lifting Gloves
The ATERCEL Weight Lifting Gloves are made for the gym, but the features suit pushing a wheelchair too. The palm has full padding using a high density sponge, which cushions your hands and helps guard against calluses and rubbing.
The palm is also made to be anti-slip, which helps when you grip the wheel rims.
The back of the glove is made from lightweight, stretchy, breathable material. That gives your fingers room to move and lets air in if you wear them for a longer stretch.
One trade-off: these are sport gloves, not a wheelchair-specific design. If you need heavy protection from cold or from rough pavement, you may want something sturdier. They also come in sizes, so measure your hand before ordering.
HTZPLOO Cycling Gloves
These are half-finger bike gloves, and many wheelchair users wear that style for pushing. The palm has shock-absorbing padding meant to ease hand fatigue and cut down on vibration.
The palm also has anti-slip silicone gel. That gives your hands more grip on the wheel rims, so you can push and steer with a bit more control.
The surface is soft, smooth Lycra, which lets your hands move freely. There is towel cloth on the thumb for wiping away sweat, and two small loops on the little fingers help you pull the gloves off without turning them inside out.
Sizing goes by palm width, from small (2.95 to 3.11 inches) up to extra large (3.74 to 4.13 inches). The large covers 3.34 to 3.74 inches, so measure across your palm before you order.
One trade-off: these are made for cycling, not wheelchair use. Half-finger gloves leave your fingertips bare, so they won’t protect them from dirt or cold. They also suit you best if padding and grip are your main concerns, rather than heavy protection.
ATERCEL Workout Gloves
The ATERCEL Workout Gloves were made for the gym, but the same things that help a lifter can help a wheelchair user pushing all day.
The palm is shaped to protect your hands from calluses and rubbing while you keep a strong grip on the wheel rims. The material is lightweight, breathable, and stretchy, so your hands should not feel boxed in.
They are a snug-fit glove, so sizing matters. They come in five sizes, from extra small (hand measurement of 6.3 to 6.9 inches) up to extra large (8.9 to 9.6 inches). Measure your hand before you order.
The trade-off is that this is a simple workout glove. If you want extra padding, wrist straps, or heavy protection for rough pavement, look at a more built-up pair.
If you’d rather keep things minimal, these are worth a look.
Rebz Wheelchair Gloves
These are fingerless gloves with a full leather palm. Your fingertips stay bare, so you can still feel what you are doing, whether that is a phone screen, a zipper, or the rim of a wheel.
The back is a four-way stretch material that moves with your hand. It is made to breathe and wick away moisture, which helps when your hands get warm from pushing.
The palm is reinforced, with a shock-absorbing design and dense stitching. That gives you some cushioning and a firmer hold on the wheel, and it helps the gloves last.
They pull on, and a strap at the wrist closes to give a snug fit. They are made for both men and women.
The trade-off is the open fingers. If your main trouble is cold hands, or you want your fingers covered while you push, a full-finger glove is the better pick.
Summary and Final Recommendations
With such a wide range of wheelchair gloves on the market, you will surely find a product that will work for you. It’s important to consider what matters to you when choosing wheelchair gloves.
Are you looking for gloves that you can wear in the summer? Are full-finger or fingerless gloves a better choice for you?
While the best wheelchair gloves will vary based on your preferences, my top recommendation is the Liquicell Wheelchair Gloves.
They’re made from various quality materials, provide comfort, durability, and flexibility, and are even available in multiple colors. These athletic gloves deliver all of the qualities you need in wheelchair gloves at an affordable price.
