Gauntlet ( glove ) Gauntlet is a name for several different styles of glove , particularly those with an extended cuff covering part of the forearm . Gauntlets exist in many forms , ranging from flexible fabric and leather gloves , to mail and fully articulated plate armour . Types . Armour . Historically , gauntlets were used by soldiers and knights . It was considered an important piece of armour , since the hands and arms were particularly vulnerable in hand - to - hand combat . With the rise of easily reloadable and effective firearm s , hand - to - hand combat fell into decline along with personal armour , including gauntlets . Some medieval gauntlets had a built - in knuckle duster . When the hand was bunched into a fist the backhand protection becomes pronounced from the fist just above the knuckles , this allowed the user to utilize the gauntlet as a melee weapon while still protecting the hand from damage when punching . However , against an armed combatant the use of this feature would have been risky so it was very unlikely that a gauntlet would have been used in this way when a more suitable weapon was within reach . But if the user had no other means to defend themselves the tactics they would have employed would be to attempt to surprise the opponent with this inconspicuous attack , possibly by dodging and countering , aiming for exposed areas of flesh such as the face or weak areas of armour , such as under the arm or the groin . A " Demi - gauntlet " ( also called a " demi - gaunt " for short ) is a type of plate armour gauntlet that only protects the back of the hand and the wrist ; demi - gaunts are worn with gloves made from mail or padded leather . The advantages of the demi - gaunt are that it allows better dexterity and is lighter than a full gauntlet , but the disadvantage is that the fingers are not as well protected . Sport , industry and science . Today , gauntlets are mostly used as armour in contact sports , such as fencing , swordfighting reenactments ( such as the Society for Creative Anachronisms ) and falconry . In industry , gauntlets are commonly used to protect workers from sparks when welding or grinding metal or when handling potentially harmful substances . Protective gauntlets are also sometimes worn when defusing a bomb and by butcher s . Furthermore , they are an integral part of pressure suit s and spacesuits , usually made of kevlar or other materials that combine toughness , environmental protection and flexibility . Gauntlets are also provided on some motorcyclist ' s leather gloves and on snowmobile driver ' s nylon mittens . Drum corps and marching band . Marching band and drum corps uniforms often include an item called a " gauntlet " which includes no glove for the hand , but is just a flared cuff . Some versions are closer to bracer s or vambrace s in style . Fashion . In the clothing industry gauntlet can refer to a fashion accessory which is just an extended cuff with little or no hand covering . Religious . In the Roman Catholic Church the gloves traditionally worn by the Pope or other bishops are also known as gauntlets , or Episcopal gloves , though their use had largely been relaxed since Paul VI . Idioms . " Throw down the gauntlet " . To " throw down the gauntlet " is to issue a challenge . A gauntlet - wearing knight would challenge a fellow knight or enemy to a duel by throwing one of his gauntlets on the ground . The opponent would pick up the gauntlet to accept the challenge . The phrase is associated particularly with the action of the King ' s Champion , which officer ' s role was from mediæval times to act as champion for the King at his coronation , in the unlikely event that someone challenged the new King ' s title to the throne . " Run the gauntlet " . " Running the gauntlet " was a military punishment in which a soldier or sailor had to pass between a double row of comrades armed with cudgel s . The expression is now generally used metaphorically . " Gauntlet " in this context is unrelated to the " " protective glove " " meaning , but is instead derived from the Swedish " gatlopp " ( " street run " ) . Because of this difference in the derivation of the word , the expression is sometimes written " running the gantlet . " In the American West , when an opponent , whether a white person or a Native American from an enemy tribe was captured , the prisoner was given the option of ' running the gauntlet ' , not unlike the military punishment mentioned above . Supposedly , if the prisoner could successfully navigate the gauntlet , he was allowed to go free . Usually , however , prisoners had to run for their lives .