When selecting gloves there are three main materials you can choose from. Each different material has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Let’s break down each material and discuss the strengths and weaknesses:
Woven Aramid Fabric: Aramid fibres are a class of heat resistant and extremely strong synthetic fibres. Aramid fibres are primarily used in the firefighting world for the construction of firefighters gear. It is also used in various military applications and in the aerospace industry.These fibres are also used in the construction of ballistic rated body armor, Kevlar and can even be used as a substitute for asbestos. Aramid fibres have an extremely high resistance to heat and abrasions. For these two main reasons, in my eyes, gloves constructed out of woven aramid fibres are the best choice when it comes to heat resistant gloves.The only downside to aramid fibre is that it is not water resistant and it has a higher production price tag. But at the end of the day, you pay for a more superior, heat resistant product. The bottom line is that wouldn’t use a suit constructed head to toe of aramid fibres if it wasn’t the best.
Silicone: Silicone is a material very similar to rubber. Silicone is very diverse and can be used in everything from computers to wetsuits. Its density & thickness plays a huge roll in how heat resistant it can be. Silicone is relatively cheap, 100% waterproof, very easy to clean and even dishwasher safe. This makes silicone a very popular choice. Silicone is a perfect choice for those who are carrying trays, pots and grill plates.Gloves made from silicone do have a couple of downsides. The first is that silicone gloves are often quite bulky, making it hard to carry smaller objects or performing tasks that require smaller pieces of equipment. Secondly, silicone gloves can be quite loose around the wrist/ arms. This means that radiant heat can find its way into the gloves and can cause some discomfort, and in some cases defeats the purpose of wearing them in the first place.Lastly, if silicone gets greasy it can become quite slippery. This makes it very difficult to keep a grip on things such as trays, racks, and utensils. This can make for some tense moments when carrying a hot rack with a perfectly cooked brisket on board!
Treated leather: You can also get gloves that are made up of treated leather, this is not a material that I personally would not recommend. This is for a couple of main reasons.While treated leather is heat resistant it is not as resistant as the other materials, and some brands even advise to stay away from hot coals, logs, grills or cast iron. To me, that does not sound like a pair of gloves I want to be spending money on.Treated leather is a ‘living material’ and requires quite a bit of attention and care. This means you can not clean them in the dishwasher or in with the rest of the bbq dished for clean up. I have never experienced myself but I have heard rumours of leather gloves shrinking from exposure to heat. Not a huge problem but if true might require a purchase of new gloves.While they are fine for most barbecue or grilling tasks, you need to be careful not to hold onto a cast iron grill for too long, or when moving around hot coals or logs.