The Range Tactical Glove by Helikon-Tex is a flexible, lightweight range/duty glove, which grants the end-user a moderate tactile feel to weapon control systems, while providing added protection to fingers and palm.
The Range Tactical Glove was designed to bring a breathable elastic fabric on the top, with a synthetic leather on the palm to give the gloves themselves an improved level of durability, feel, and fit.
A microfiber lining along the spine of the thumb, from forefinger to wrist, gives the gloves a soft contact material when touching skin or other sensitive surfaces.
The finger joints have a slit design that gives the Range Tactical Glove improved flexibility and dexterity over other traditional designs that would otherwise stretch the material when the fingers are articulated. The Range Tactical Gloves differ from other tactical gloves in that it has a touch-screen compatible material at the middle-finger.
The gloves are anchored just above the wrist bone with an adjustable hook-and-loop cuff, attached to which is a paracord loop to aid in donning or to hang on a clip with other gear.
The Range Tactical Glove is available in Black/Shadow Grey (featured) or Coyote/Adaptive Green, Multicam, or Petncott. It is also available in sizes that range from Small to 2XL.
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Excellent (5/5): At $33.90 the Range Tactical Gloves are at a good price point as a short-use, tactical glove that will likely give the wearer roughly six months of moderate/heavy field use given its overall materials and design. Market alternatives to the Range Tactical Glove would be the Full Dexterity Tactical Glove (FDT) ($42.95) from SKD, the Operator Contact Glove ($35.40) by First Spear, the Hard Glove ($37.90) by Direct Action, or the Duty Glove ($35) by Viktos. Some of these alternatives however, may lack some specific design aspects the Range Tactical Glove has (specifically the split finger joint). As a result, the Range Tactical Gloves are at an excellent cost in comparison to the market of current alternatives.
- Comfort – Good (4/5): The materials involved had a fair amount of flex and breathability when used, in return that material also gave the end-user a good level of comfort. The materials between the palm and thumb, where the greatest amount of stress took place, held notable double line stitching for added strength. The split finger design along the knuckles provided additional comfort during finger articulation and at no point did the materials inhibit or restrict movement. It should be noted this type of glove was/is good for temperate or moderately cold weather, but not temperatures near the freezing point as its lightweight and breathable material is not intended to serve as a winter or outdoor glove.
- Durability – Average (3/5): The materials in the Range Tactical Gloves offered maximum, full-hand protection while retaining the greatest degree of tactile sense possible. The tradeoff being that those materials will be unable to hold up over time given moderate/heavy field use. Despite 30 days of regular use, some instances of loose threading were noted inside the finger joints and reflect the continual articulation those areas go through. Consumers need to understand that there is the tradeoff in these type of gloves, and a design shared among the market alternatives noted above. The more protective and durable the glove, the less tactile sense is provided. During the 30-day evaluation period the only negative aspect to the Range Tactical Glove’s durability was some curling of the leather on the hook-and-loop tab (that is consistent with wear), but could become problematic over the glove’s expected lifespan. A recommended area of improvement for Helikon-Tex would be to consider an elastic wrist band here or perhaps double stitching along the hook-and-loop tap to minimize separation.
- Functionality – Good (4/5): The Range Tactical Gloves functioned well as intended for a pair of light/moderate shooter gloves. Positive tactile sensation was maintained to the trigger despite the thickness of the leather, and dexterity during magazine changes and function drills was not impaired. The slit finger joints gave the gloves a good level of flexibility over a number of market alternatives that use a solid approach. The only negative note would be the touchscreen pad on the middle finger, and a notable inconsistent compatibility to smart screen devices.
- Weight – Good (4/5): At 2.4 ounces (for the pair) the Range Tactical Gloves were very lightweight and gave a near “naked” feel that provided very good tactile sense to the trigger control group and magazines. The Range Tactical Gloves were lighter than either the FDT Gloves (3.04 ounces) or the Duty Glove (3.42 ounces) which alludes to the Range Tactical Glove’s lightweight materials and design. Obviously the more protective materials and features included on any glove, the more weight is added and for a lightweight field/duty glove the Range Tactical Gloves stride the line between weight and function.
Overall Rating – Good (20/25)
Product Link: https://www.helikon-tex.com/en_usd/rk-rng-po-range-tactical-gloves.html
I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via High Ground Media, LLC, so that I can evaluate it and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give positive reviews. All views are my own, and based off my personal experience with the product.
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