The 6 Best Drumming Gloves For Comfort and Smooth Playing
Drumming gloves can be great for protecting your hands while you play. But, like drumming without shoes, not everyone does it. So, not a lot of companies make good drumming gloves.
Whether you are a beginner or a veteran drummer, drumming gloves are handy. So if you need help finding the best ones, this article delves into the drumming gloves (and brands) you need to know about.
This will help you decide which pair would be best for you. We’ll look at the key features of each, as well as a few drawbacks, so you know exactly what you’re getting.
The 6 Best Drumming Gloves in 2023
1. ProMark Drumming Gloves – Our Top Choice
The ProMark drum gloves are made from thin-cut Cabretta leather featuring 8 specially-placed pads on the four fingers and three on the palm for vastly improved grip. Extra padding is used on the thumbprint area, fingertips, and knuckles to increase the glove lifespan by slowing down the wear-through process. Breathable mesh is used on the top of all of the fingers and backside of the hand to reduce perspiration. The hook and loop wrist strap does not interfere with wrist motion. The drum gloves are washable with warm water and a mild detergent, then air dried. Available in small, medium, large and extra large.
ProMark offers a wide variety of accessories to meet the needs of any drummer/percussionist. From stick/mallet storage solutions to ergonomic drum keys, ProMark has the tools to make your life as a musician easier.
For over 50 years, ProMark has been one of the world’s leading manufacturers of drumsticks, mallets, and percussion accessories. Owned and operated by D'Addario & Co., the Houston, Texas based ProMark produces products used globally by the greatest drummers and percussionists in the world, including Neal Peart, Phil Collins, Simon Phillips, Ringo Starr, and many more. ProMark – Make Your Mark.
- Made from thin-cut Cabretta leather
- Features 8 specially-placed pads on fingers and palm
- Breathable mesh is used on top to reduce perspiration
- Hook an loop wrist strap allows for appropriate tension to be easily set
ProMark is best known for its line of professional drumsticks. But any good pair of drumsticks have an equally good pair of hands behind them. So, you can use these drumming gloves to protect your hands.
The ProMark drum gloves are made from thin-cut Cabretta leather featuring 8 specially-placed pads on the four fingers and three on the palm for vastly improved grip. Extra padding is used on the thumbprint area, fingertips, and knuckles to increase the glove lifespan by slowing down the wear-through process. Breathable mesh is used on the top of all of the fingers and backside of the hand to reduce perspiration. The hook and loop wrist strap does not interfere with wrist motion. The drum gloves are washable with warm water and a mild detergent, then air dried. Available in small, medium, large and extra large.
ProMark offers a wide variety of accessories to meet the needs of any drummer/percussionist. From stick/mallet storage solutions to ergonomic drum keys, ProMark has the tools to make your life as a musician easier.
For over 50 years, ProMark has been one of the world’s leading manufacturers of drumsticks, mallets, and percussion accessories. Owned and operated by D’Addario & Co., the Houston, Texas based ProMark produces products used globally by the greatest drummers and percussionists in the world, including Neal Peart, Phil Collins, Simon Phillips, Ringo Starr, and many more. ProMark – Make Your Mark.
- Made from thin-cut Cabretta leather
- Features 8 specially-placed pads on fingers and palm
- Breathable mesh is used on top to reduce perspiration
- Hook an loop wrist strap allows for appropriate tension to be easily set
Product Highlights
The ProMark Drumming Gloves protect a drummer’s hands without making them hot and sweaty. They are thick enough to last, but comfortable, and will give you superb grip – thanks to the padding on the thumbs, fingertips, and knuckles.
Features
- Thin, high-quality leather
- Mesh to increase breathability
- Wrist strap for tension adjustments
- Additional padding on thumbs, fingertips, and knuckles for improved grip
What We Like About ProMark Drumming Gloves
These gloves are stylish, made of leather, and should last quite a while. High-quality leather is important for drumming gloves, as they tend to get a lot of wear and tear from the sticks.
The gloves look great and fit comfortably, especially with the adjustable wrist strap. The padding on the fingers ensures you can grip well, even though your fingers are completely covered. They feel great on your hands – as high-quality products should.
What We Don’t Like About ProMark Drumming Gloves
The biggest drawback of ProMark drumming gloves is probably the price. These gloves are pretty expensive, and that makes them a considered purchase. However, this makes sense when buying a premium product specifically designed for drumming.
Additionally, although the material is good quality, it could be better, as a few months results in visible wear on the gloves. This is a tricky balance, as thicker leather would make drumming less comfortable and reduce your grip.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Gloves fit well | Gloves are expensive |
| They feel good on your hands | They wear out quite quickly with heavy use |
| They have excellent grips | The white fabric gets dirty quickly |
| They protect your skin from blisters |
2. Meinl Full Finger Drummer Gloves
- Protect your hands from blisters
- Provide a natural feel
- Prevent the sticks from slipping
- Padded areas provide more durability
Meini is the cost-effective cousin of the ProMark gloves. Much like the ProMark, they are made using breathable, synthetic leather. The “full finger” version protects your hands from other harsh elements (like colder weather)
- Protect your hands from blisters
- Provide a natural feel
- Prevent the sticks from slipping
- Padded areas provide more durability
Product Highlights
Well-fitting and well-designed, these gloves will protect your hands from blisters and improve your ability to grip the sticks. The fabric is thin enough to give you a good sense of how the sticks move while protecting your skin. They also look excellent, with their plain black fabric.
Features
- Flexible and comfortable to wear, even for a long drumming session
- Easy to slip on and off
- Non-slip fabric to ensure a good grip
What We Like About Meinl Drummer Gloves
The thin fabric is perfect for giving you feedback from your sticks, so these offer plenty of control. They are good quality and allow you to drum for much longer because they’ll stop blisters from forming on your palms and fingers. There is also padding on the fingers for improved grip and comfort.
What We Don’t Like About Meinl Drummer Gloves
One of the biggest problems associated with these gloves is that they run small. You should go up a size if you are going to buy a pair, as they won’t fit otherwise. There’s also no way to adjust the wrist fit, making the gloves less comfortable and adjustable on your hands overall.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Lightweight and durable | No wrist fastening |
| Easy to slip on and off | Sizes are not accurate |
| Good appearance | |
| Non-slip fabric |
3. Meinl Half-Finger Drummer Gloves
- Protect your hands from blisters
- Provide a natural feel
- Prevent the sticks from slipping
- Padded areas provide more durability
For those who want more control over their fingertips, Meini also creates a line of half-finger gloves. The exposed fingertip gives you more control over your drum gloves, making them sort of look like the cool version of golf gloves.
- Protect your hands from blisters
- Provide a natural feel
- Prevent the sticks from slipping
- Padded areas provide more durability
Product Highlights
If you’re somebody who suffers from hot hands when you’re drumming, you’ll find these gloves preferable to the options that cover your fingers completely. These protect the base of your fingers and the palms of your hands, but give you more freedom and reduce sweatiness. By covering only half of the fingers, these gloves improve your control and how your sticks feel.
Features
- Half-fingers for improved control and feedback from the sticks
- Padded areas for increased durability
- Adjustable wrist strap for improved fit
What We Like About Meinl Half-Finger Drummer Gloves
These gloves are much more breathable because they don’t cover your fingers. You’ll feel freer when wearing them and get more feedback from the sticks and drums. They also help prevent the sticks from slipping around in your hands and offer some protection from blisters.
What We Don’t Like About Meinl Half-Finger Drummer Gloves
Although the half-fingers are an advantage to some, they will leave a lot of drummers still needing to protect their fingers. You might find you have to tape your hands, which defeats the object of the gloves.
These also feel cheaper, and not as comfortable on your hands. They can be very difficult to get off after a tough drumming session.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Comfortable and lightweight | Cheap material |
| Not as sweaty as full-finger gloves | No protection for your fingers |
| Adjustable wrist strap for a better fit | Hard to remove when they are sweaty |
| Free fingers for better control |
4. Zildjian Touchscreen Drummers’ Gloves
- Drumming Gloves with Touchscreen-compatible Thumb Pointer Finger
- Vented Back - Medium
- Leather Palm Grip
Zildjian is another company known more for its drumming equipment. Specifically, they are known for creating high-quality cymbals and hi-hats. If you strike these things hard enough, they can vibrate your wrists. So, Zildjian made gloves to account for this.
- Drumming Gloves with Touchscreen-compatible Thumb Pointer Finger
- Vented Back – Large
- Leather Palm Grip
Product Highlights
These gloves will let you use a touchscreen without removing the glove first. The thumb and the pointer finger are compatible with a touchscreen, so you can use your phone mid-session if needed.
They have leather on the palms and the insides of the fingers for improved grip.
Features
- Touchscreen fabric in the thumb and pointer finger
- Ventilation to reduce sweating
- High-quality leather touchpoints
What We Like About Zildjian Touchscreen Drummers’ Gloves
Because you can use a touchscreen while wearing these gloves, they’re perfect if you use your phone or tablet for music during a practice session. You won’t need to keep taking the gloves on and off to control the screen, which sets these apart from the competition.
They are easy to remove when you want to, making them ideal if you tend to get a little too warm mid-session.
What We Don’t Like About Zildjian Touchscreen Drummers’ Gloves
Although the gloves have some venting in the fingers, they are closed around the wrists, which means you’ll likely find them uncomfortably hot if you play indoors. They also look cheaper and less stylish than some of the other options.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Leather on the palms and fingers to improve grip | A bit warm for indoor drumming |
| Touchscreen capacity | Cheaper appearance |
| Vents | No wrist strap |
5. Wujiapo Dragon Breathable Fitness Gloves
- Our Cycling Gloves Fabric:great elasticity breathable mesh fabric,it’s lightweight and breathable
- Our Running gloves:have adjustable Velcro wristband protect your wrist
- Our Outdoor sports Gloves have anti-skidding on palm protect your hands bruise
- Our Gloves for kinds of sports like cycling,hiking,jogging,fitness,running and so on
- Our Gloves Size: Width of palm(M:2.95-3.35”,L:3.35-3.94”,XL:3.94-4.33”) ,Please Check CAREFULLY before order it.
Wujiapo doesn’t have the recognition of any of these other companies. Instead, they provide an inexpensive alternative as an Amazon-focused brand. The gloves are surprisingly decent for drumming (even if they are advertised for the practice).
- Our Cycling Gloves Fabric:great elasticity breathable mesh fabric,it’s lightweight and breathable
- Our Running gloves:have adjustable Velcro wristband protect your wrist
- Our Outdoor sports Gloves have anti-skidding on palm protect your hands bruise
- Our Gloves for kinds of sports like cycling,hiking,jogging,fitness,running and so on
- Our Gloves Size: Width of palm(M:2.95-3.35”,L:3.35-3.94”,XL:3.94-4.33”) ,Please Check CAREFULLY before order it.
Product Highlights
These are ideal for drummers who want minimal covering but some hand protection. They are breathable and soft, and they leave your fingers free. They have a Velcro wrist strap to create a good fit.
Features
- Excellent breathability
- Comfortable fit
- Free fingers for increased stick control
- Wrist strap
What We Like About Wujiapo Dragon Breathable Fitness Gloves
These represent an excellent balance of protectiveness and breathability, and they’re perfect if you find other gloves too hot. The wrist strap means you can easily adjust their fit, and they won’t slip around on your hands.
They are also moisture-wicking, so they should pull sweat away from your hands and make you feel more comfortable. They are well-made, lightweight, and reasonably comfortable, even after a long drumming session.
What We Don’t Like About Wujiapo Dragon Breathable Fitness Gloves
These gloves aren’t specifically designed for drumming, so although they will work, they don’t have grip pads and leave your fingers bare. That means you’re at a greater risk of blisters and sore hands, although your palms will be protected. Overall, they offer minimal protection, which may work for some drummers, but not everybody.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Extremely breathable | No pads for your fingers |
| Free fingers for improved drumming control | Very thin and may not last well |
| Velcro wrist strap to ensure a good fit |
6: Aneco Winter Touchscreen Gloves
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Aneco, another relatively unknown brand, is known more for creating winter gear. So, if you need to be warm and don’t need to vent, you’ll find this set of gloves pretty solid.
- Touchscreen design: the 2 fingers of the gloves are designed for touching screen, which can flexibly operate the mobile phone in both work and study; there is no need to take off the gloves when using the smart devices; the gloves can keep your hands warm while moving your fingers flexibly
- Soft and comfortable material: the gloves are made of soft acrylic material; the thick and warm lining of the gloves can provide you with warmth for a long time and protect you from cold weather and cold wind; the gloves provide a comfortable wearing experience and are the ideal thermal insulation accessories in winter
- Package includes: we provide gloves in black, black and white, and dark grey, which are available in a variety of colors and quantities and can be selected according to the wearing requirements; the length of the glove is 21 cm/8.3 inches, suitable for people of all ages
- Versatile knit gloves: this knit glove has a thick lining that keeps you warm for long periods of time and allows you to answer phone calls and send text messages timely; it can be used both indoors and outdoors, warm and practical
- Ideal winter accessories: warm knitted gloves can be used for many occasions, such as outdoor sports and outdoor work, which are suitable for skiing, snowboarding, skating, sledding, snowshoes, camping, hiking, etc., they also can be sent as gifts to your family or friends to keep them warm
Product Highlights
These are the perfect option if you want some warm gloves for outdoor sessions. They have touchscreen capacity on the pointer finger and thumb and are very warm but not restrictive. That makes them perfect for any outdoor event.
Features
- Snug fit and comfortable, stretchy fabric
- Touchscreen capability
- Soft fabric
What We Like About Aneco Winter Touchscreen Gloves
These gloves are very cozy- their biggest selling point – they’re good for outdoor gigs or practicing in a cold basement. They are very inexpensive, and they come in a range of colors. They’re also super flexible, so your hands will not feel restricted while playing.
The gloves look good and come in sets of three, meaning you’ll always have a spare pair available.
What We Don’t Like About Aneco Winter Touchscreen Gloves
These gloves aren’t specifically designed for drumming, so although they will work, they don’t have grip pads, and you may find the sticks slipping around. You are also at greater risk of blisters because the padding is uniform, and doesn’t particularly protect touchpoints.
Because they are so warm, these gloves aren’t useful if you want to drum indoors, as you’ll quickly get too hot. Therefore, they are a little more specialized and will probably only be useful if you’re an outdoor drummer.
The touchscreen capacity isn’t the most sensitive, and you sometimes have to press pretty hard to make it register.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Very warm for outdoor drumming sessions | It may not be tough enough for long-term drumming |
| Excellent, snug fit | Too hot for indoor drumming sessions |
| Touchscreen capability |
What To Look For When Buying Drumming Gloves
Now that you’ve got a short list of gloves, what makes them good? Below, you’ll see a list of things to look for in good drumming gloves.
Durability And Protection
The whole point of drumming gloves is to protect your hands from damage – so your gloves must do this. Proper padding is key to ensuring your hands are not blistered and you can drum for as long as you choose.
The best drumming gloves are made using thin, durable materials. This ensures you can feel the drumstick, giving you ample control. This is why you can’t use any old durable pair of working gloves, as you won’t be able to control the sticks.
Breathability
You don’t want your gloves to soak up buckets of sweat, so having gloves that breathe is also important. A mesh wrist strap or ventilation in the fingers can make a big difference to your comfort levels while drumming.
Breathable gloves also have a drawback: they are unsuitable for outdoor use. So, when considering breathability, know that you’ll sacrifice some warmth.
Snug Fit
Your gloves must fit well, or they’ll always slip around on your hands. It’s important to get a pair with adjustable wrist straps if possible. This generally makes them fit better, although it can make them more annoying to take on and off.
Verdict – What are the Best Drumming Gloves?
ProMark Drumming Gloves
With their tough material, stylish appearance, and snug fit, the ProMark Drumming Gloves are the best option. The additional padding in the fingers and thumbs means these gloves will give you superb control and a much better playing experience. These gloves feel great on your hands, and unquestionably have an edge in quality and comfort, even if you wear them for long playing sessions.
FAQ
Q: Do you get a pair when you buy the ProMark Drumming Gloves?
A: The ProMark Drumming Gloves come in pairs, not single gloves. This makes them ideal for drummers, who need to protect both hands.
Q: Do gloves slow down your drumming?
A: You may play more slowly when you first start wearing drumming gloves, but once you have adjusted to the gloves, you should find your playing speed is unchanged. Good drumming gloves don’t restrict your hand movements.
Q: Can you wash the ProMark Drumming Gloves?
A: You can hand-wash these gloves, but they cannot be put through a washing machine or dryer, as this will ruin both the shape and the material.
Q: Will wearing gloves make your hands hotter?
A: Yes, gloves will warm your hands, even if you choose mesh and breathable gloves. This is inevitable, but you can minimize it by selecting gloves with open wrists and mesh fabric.
