Macwet Shooting Gloves

I’ve shot in many outdoor competitions over the years, and having the right kit really is a major part of the battle, certainly where comfort is concerned. There are of course, a plethora of shooting disciplines, often with their own dedicated products to satisfy the most demanding exponents. However, many common elements apply, irrespective, meaning a particular item can have a broader appeal, if it satisfies certain criteria.

Clever design

Take shooting gloves, for example. For many years, I just used the woollen/knitted variety, complete with exposed thumb and forefinger, and a Velcro fastened flap to transform them into mittens. Their design is pretty good, yet once dodgy weather arrives, they can end up rather soggy and unpleasant. Hardly conducive to good results! Damp against the gunstock can’t be good either. Neoprene types have proved pretty damn good of late, which are far more able to deal with an increasingly wet forecast (last season was the wettest for years). But on show here are the rather snazzy, not to mention high tech offerings from MacWet, a company that make bold claims for their products.

Plenty of research has gone into MacWet’s Shooting Gloves, and there are two main specifications on offer- the Aquatec Summer type, and a Climatec Winter option. Both include Aquatec material, which according to the manufacturers, takes the form of a three-layer fabric, which I’m reliably informed, is similar to neoprene. This sophisticated fabric feels like suede to the touch and has inherent wicking properties; keeping contact with moisture down to a minimum.

On test, are the Climatec variety, supplied as a size 9, although you measure your hand on a chart before ordering. Mine were Green, but both specs are also available in black, white, blue and brown. MacWets are also available in long or short cuff. Those shown are the latter. The ‘micromesh’ material used is precisely stitched, and the gloves are clearly very well made.

Only negative

I am genuinely impressed with them, but the one niggling omission for me, as an airgun shooter, is the option to have an exposed finger, to enable easy pellet handling. A simple slit design would overcome that. Nonetheless, the sheer sensitivity of the micro-breathable material, means that, fine trigger feel, and control is afforded- all with the gloves in place.

Much is made of maximum grip in the marketing blurb, and I can certainly vouch for the performance in this regard, even when I deliberately soaked the exterior. The manufacturers say that whilst water will eventually find its way in via the seams (as with most garments), it’s how the glove’s high tech material deals with the problem which impresses

Elasticated Velcro fastening wrist straps see that the gloves are held firmly in place, although the `second skin` feel means the MacWet`s are clearly going nowhere. Intended for a variety of outdoor activities, they really are worth consideration.; being as they are, extremely comfortable, cosy, and superbly made. In other words, the MacWet experience is one that I would highly recommend.