I Tried 4 of the Best Selling Drum Gloves… Which Won?

Vic Firth Drumming Gloves: Overview

Vic Firth’s drummers’ Gloves are made from premium Cabretta leather (so in a sense, they are kind of like a golf glove) and have a ventilated synthetic mesh palm. The thumbs and forefingers offer a unique synthetic rubber grip. If you’re looking for gloves that will keep you warm when loading in the winter, these aren’t the gloves you’re looking for.

Performance

They will keep your hands cool during the show. I felt the gloves grip the stick quite nice. My hands feel good and I don’t have any pain in my wrist, which is something I struggle with normally. You cannot use an iPhone or Android device while they’re on (something the next pair boasts), and they are fit very snug. If I could go back in time, I’d order one size up. The packaging was okay—nothing impressive.

Zildjian Touchscreen Drummers’ Gloves: Overview

The Zildjian Touchscreen Drummers' Gloves, designed for both protection and functionality, feature a construction that prioritizes usability for drummers. The gloves are made with soft lambskin palms, which provide a sturdy grip on drumsticks, while the synthetic mesh backs promote ventilation, ensuring comfort during extended use.

These gloves are many drummer’s favorites, due to the fact that they’re touchscreen friendly. They come in at just under $30 and are made from soft lamb-skin. They also feature a vented back to help keep you cool on stage. If you’re a fan of Zildjian and love to endorse them, these will show your love for them.

Performance

The velcro on the Zildjian drum gloves is very sticky and stays together nicely. They’re very thin feeling, and while I feel more connected to the stick, they just don’t feel quite as nice as the Vic Firth pair.

The touchscreen function works, though you have to be very deliberate with your presses. I wasn’t able to use my thumbs for operation, due to the fact of there being extra material at the end of my thumbs. I also noticed my wrist pain while using these gloves—so there’s a downside. I felt these gloves didn’t grip as well as the Vic Firth’s to the sticks.

Build Quality & Design

Some users have noted that after a few months of playing, some of the stitching begins to come out of the gloves. While unfortunate, I think all gloves stitched with a threading will begin to deteriorate over time. Other users have claimed that their hands had black marks on them after wearing the Zildjian drum gloves.

Meinl Half Finger Drummer Gloves: Overview

The Meinl Half Finger Drummer Gloves are designed to provide drummers with a blend of protection and comfort during performances. Constructed from durable materials, these gloves are reported to be well-made, offering a sturdy design that holds up well over time. After a month of use, many users have noted no signs of wear, which speaks to the longevity of the product.

Performance

First off, I do love the design of a half-finger glove. They should allow for more technical movement while playing to make those quick and complex fills and grooves happen. However, in practice, it wasn’t the case. I really should have picked up these gloves one size higher, as they were quite tight. It was nice that I could actually feel my drum sticks with my fingers, but I still felt disconnected from the sticks near my palms.

These gloves are really a pain to take off. Just like all the others on the list, the Meinl drumming gloves will protect your hands from blisters and other drumming injuries, as well as prevent existing ones from cracking open.

If you have ever thought, “I know, I’ll just cut my existing glove fingers off to get the same design,” you’ll quickly realize that this doesn’t work. The fingers of your freshly cut drum gloves will quickly begin to roll up your fingers toward your palm as you begin playing, along with fraying. This is not only annoying but also will irritate any current blisters or cuts.

As with any product, there will be critical reviews. I read online many people who have experienced their Meinl drum gloves ripping by the wrist horizontally.

Ahead Drummer Gloves: Overview

The Ahead Drummer Gloves in Extra Large provide a tailored fit specifically for drummers, emphasizing protection and durability where it's most needed. The gloves feature "Hot Spot Pads," strategically placed to enhance comfort and longevity. This design aims to reduce wear on high-impact areas.

Ahead is famously known for their metal drumsticks. I personally have never been a fan of these sticks. I remember asking my parents to buy me a pair of these when I was younger.

It made sense, right? A pair of sticks that lasts way longer! It turns out, for me, that these sticks just don’t cut it, even though they are endorsed by many big-name players.

The Ahead drum gloves designed specifically for drummers and “not golfers” as their website explains. These gloves feature “hot spot” pads that make for a longer life and added wrist support.

Ahead claims that these drum gloves are used by more professional drummers than any other brand on the market.

Performance

Out of all the drumming gloves I tested, these performed by far the worst. They are much thicker than regular golf gloves and playing the drums felt terrible. Fast rudiments are almost impossible and I had zero control over my sticks while playing. Because of the synthetic leather material, I really felt like I had no grip on the sticks. They’re also very stiff, but I assume they will break in over time.

Some users have reported the drum gloves ripping in the exact same spot as we saw with the Meinl gloves, as well as between the fingers. That being said, the wrist support that these drum gloves give you is fantastic.