With its thinner profile and lightweight materials, the OPERATUS™ by Viktos gives the wearer a minimalist glove for regular range or daily use.
With a top chassis made from Viktos’ proprietary stitching and sublimated mesh, the OPERATUS™ provides dynamic flexibility for the shooter to reach, grab, or hold items in any position.
The palm of the OPERATUS™ comprises a 0.7mm” Coolskin™ material specifically designed to resist direct thermal contact while maintaining positive grip and breathability.
Between the thumb and forefinger, the valley comprises of DigiHide™ goatskin that will protect the hand web and material from compromise, be it through abrasion or impact. This is especially good for handgun users of compact and sub-compact handguns due to risk of contact with the slide.
Across the top knuckles is an open-cell foam pad to reduce impact. In addition, the trigger finger and thumb include touch-screen compatible segments for use on iPhones or other devices.
The OPERATUS™ glove features a hook-and-loop enclosure around the top of the wrist that secures the glove, with a paracord pull loop stitched into the bottom of the wrist that aids in donning the glove.
The OPERATUS™ is available in Spartan (featured), Nightfall, and Ranger with sizing between Small and 4XL.
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Excellent (5/5): With a list price of $25, the OPERATUS™ is one of the many gloves in the Viktos line, and one of the more inexpensive. The thin Coolskin material gives maximum breathability and tactile sensation for the wearer, while offering a modest degree of coverage for the overall hands and padding to the knuckles. Some notable market comparators to the OPERATUS™ would be the Specialty Vent Covert ($27.99) by Mechanix, the TAC A3 ($29.99) by 5.11, or the PIG Delta Glove ($29.95) by SKD. This gives the OPERATUS™ an excellent score in terms of its inexpensive cost.
- Comfort – Good (4/5): The extremely lightweight and breathable material of the OPERATUS™ enabled the glove to be very comfortable, with a large degree of tactile sensation for weapon controls, loading ammunition, or in general use. It could almost be described as wearing no gloves at all. Users demanding the greatest sense of direct contact to surfaces would be best fitted with the OPERATUS™, but consumers should be aware that such thin material has a very limited lifespan in daily or hard use.
- Durability – Fair (2/5): Much like the Duty Glove, the OPERATUS™ appeared to have a single line of stitching throughout much of the product. Some bartack re-enforcement was noted on the hook-and-loop (female) enclosure tab, as well as anchoring the nylon loop on the inner wrist to strengthen its use. Otherwise the
- Functionality – Average (3/5): As a glove, the OPERATUS™ struck a very narrow balance, and provided a fair level of durability and protection to the hand, while giving the maximum level of context to the fire controls, while loading ammo, or just in general use. This gave the OPERATUS™ an appropriate (or average) scoring for overall function. The foam padding to the knuckles was an added measure of safety. Placing the hook-and-loop enclosure on the top of the wrist placed it in a position where it occasionally snagged on contact surfaces, accessories, or other items causing it to sometimes release. The integrated touch-screen aspect of the gloves was functional and easily manipulated an iPhone during evaluations (except for the thumbprint recognition aspect of the Home button). Because of the thin and breathable material, the OPERATUS™ would be better suited for warmer environments, and did not offer any notable level of warmth or cold weather mitigation.
- Weight – Good (4/5): Weighing a mere 1.8 ounces for the pair, the OPERATUS™ was an extremely lightweight inclusion to the day’s range gear. Its thin materials and size did not contribute to the glove’s overall bulk, and the OPERATUS™ was otherwise comfortable with an excellent sense of touch to almost all objects. While the Specialty Vent Covert (1.6 ounces) by Mechanix, and the PIG Delta Glove (1.94 ounces) by SKD demonstrate the average market weight for such accessories, the TAC A3 (2.46 ounces) by 5.11 represent the upper weight scale of gloves using this type of highly tactile design. Beyond that, gloves begin integrating forms of rigid protection to the knuckles, backhand, and fingers or thicker materials and have greater mass to them. As such, for its materials and design, the OPERATUS™ had a good overall weight amid similar competitors.
Overall Rating – Above Average (18/25)
Product Link: https://www.viktos.com/collections/gloves/products/operatus
I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via STL Shooting Enthusiasts, 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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