ORGE Gardening Gloves: FirstLook
Comfort, protection, and ease of use!!!
Gardening can be pursued by anyone, anywhere, at any age. It is more than just a way to pass the time. It is relaxing and therapeutic. Even weeding can be a zen experience.
There is something special about tending to a garden, seeing things grow, and enjoying the fruits of that labor. For those fortunate enough to have the space to grow things in the ground, the rewards are even greater. Is it a wonder why it is a lifelong passion for so many?
So while we were mulling that over, we came up with a question: what is the most important piece of gardening gear?
Many experts and master gardeners would argue that bare hands, used for sensing soil moisture, root health, and other things, are the way to go.
For us, we want protection against splinters, blisters, and sharp things. While gloves may not be the most important piece of gardening gear, we would rank them right up there at the top.
Gardening Gloves
Most gardeners prefer bare hands for dexterity when sowing seeds or transplanting seedlings, but gloves are a must-have when pruning thorny plants or turning compost to avoid scrapes and cuts.
The RainyDayGardeners (RDGs) have an extensive collection of gardening gloves. They have recently added gardening sleeves to the mix after a few incidents of skin rash from contact with various plants.
There is a huge variety of gardening gloves out there, but good gardening gloves are surprisingly hard to find. Balancing the trade-off between durability, functionality, and comfort can be challenging. Also, as one ages, what worked in the past might not work with your current strength and bending/kneeling abilities.
Our toughest and most durable pair of gloves is made out of buffalo hide. It took us a year to break them in, but after six years of use, they hardly show any signs of wear, unlike the Gold Leaf glovers, which were super comfortable but had to be reinforced with some duct tape after a couple of years.
ORGE
When readers pointed us to the OGRE ‘gardening gloves,’ we knew we had to check them out. Although the Orges were originally designed for gardeners dealing with stiff or swollen joints, after having seen a pair firsthand, we think they’ll be loved by everyone.
When we select gardening gloves, we look for a good grip, a breathable design, and the use of comfortable materials. The OGRE gardening gloves tick all those boxes.
Yes…there are lots of gardening gloves with a gauntlet, but OGREs is the only one with a zipper. The long sleeves offer protection for everyday gardening, yard work, and similar tasks. The thorn-resistant gardening gauntlets are designed with a unique front zipper, which makes all the difference…making them airy and very easy to don or doff.
The OGRE gloves are made using high-quality and thorn-resistant leather (45% cow grain, 55% pig split) with reinforced pieces in the palm and fingertips.
Cow grain leather is the durable, natural outer layer of a cowhide. It contains the original, tight animal hide fibers, offering superior tensile strength and water resistance.
Pig split leather is created by separating the lower, fibrous section of a pig hide after the top grain has been removed. It offers flexibility and breathability. While it is not as strong as top-grain leather, chrome-tanned pig split is incredibly supple.
Note that the reinforced pieces are patterned such that the joint of the fingers and the hand can easily flex. The leather is gathered at the wrist. The Velcro tabs keep the flap down and dirt from getting onto the zipper. The lining on the inside of the gloves keeps the zipper away from the skin. Nice.
We think these gloves should be quite comfortable and durable in normal garden work like pruning and trimming. We are eager to see how they fare in actual use and after a few seasons.
The gauntlet portion is made using soft and flexible leather. The extra-long gauntlet helps protect hands and forearms when working around anything thorny, has sharp pointy bits (yes, those are actual horticultural terms), and/or irritating oils.
We found the gauntlet surprisingly comfortable on the forearm. While we love our Farmer’s Defense sleeves, those sleeves are thin enough that we still get poked and pricked. The gauntlet should prevent any of that from happening.
FirstThoughts
We believe ORGE is on to something. The design of the gloves is thoughtfully considered, well-made, and very reasonably priced. While designed for users who may have issues with arthritis/sore joints/swollen hands, or those needing protection over a hand brace, these gloves are actually an excellent choice for all gardeners!
The RainyDayGardeners will be using them over the summer, and we are sure they will have more to say about them in the Fall.
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