Roses are a timeless plant. They're known for their exquisite scents and beautiful blooms. They’re also notorious for their thorns. So, whether you’re dealing with petite bushes or large climbing varieties, you’re going to want a gardening glove that will protect your skin.

In this article, we’ll take a look at our favorite gardening gloves for handling roses.

The Top 5 Rose Gardening Gloves For Men and Women

Whether you’re just starting out with roses—or need a heavy-duty glove ready to tackle existing bushes—there’s a pair of gloves here to suit your needs.

Here are our top five picks for rose gardening gloves, listed in order, from good to best.

Best with Claws: HAODE Rose Pruning Gloves

If you’ve never tried gardening gloves with claws before, then you should check them out. These gloves with claws at the fingertips have a number of advantages.

For one, they remove the need for using additional gardening tools like small shovels or hori-hori knives. You can directly dig and rake at loose soil with these clawed gloves.

You can also make easy work of removing stubborn weed roots. They work especially well when the ground is damp and moist.

Lastly, they are very convenient for gardeners who want to keep their manicure or sensitive nails intact as the reinforced fingertip ends will keep your hands safe.

Pros

• Multi-purpose; can take the place of a mini-shovel or rake

• Great for digging or raking soft soil

• Good for gardeners looking for gloves that run large

• Good fit

Cons

• Should not be left outdoors or else the green latex material will become sticky and thin

• Fit should be exact or else the claws will not reach your fingertips and be used effectively

Best Long-Sleeved Gloves: Professional Thorn-Proof Gloves

These gloves are designed specifically for the unique needs of the rose gardener. The extended forearm helps keep not only your hands and wrists safe from thorny encounters, but also a large portion of your arm.

Even if you do your gardening wearing long sleeves, you’ll appreciate how the extra length of these gloves protects your clothing. Some varieties of rose have large thorns, which can easily puncture your skin, right through your clothing. These gloves will make all that a thing of the past.

The positive aspects of this glove don't begin and end with the forearm protection, though. Additional padding through the palm, and reinforced fingertips, make the gloves both comfortable and durable. These gloves are meant to work hard for you in the garden and are ready to be used season after season.

The synthetic leather on the palms and fingers is puncture-resistant and ready for whatever the rose bushes can throw at them. Meanwhile, the back of the glove is made of stretchy spandex. This can give you the fabulous and comfortable fit you’re looking for.

An additional knuckle guard will help protect the vulnerable back of your hands. Not only are these gloves great for use in the garden, but they’ll also withstand an occasional trip through the washing machine, and they’re back to as good as new.

Pros

• Low maintenance and easy to care for.

• Gauntlet-style for extra arm protection.

• Made from a combination of synthetic materials that allow for a great fit.

• Additional padding and reinforcing through the palm and fingers.

Cons

• Sizes are limited and they tend to run small.

• The spandex backs of these gloves make for a great fit but don’t completely protect the back of your hands from thorns.

Best for Women: RZletticc Garden Gloves

These RZletticc gloves can be a great choice if you’re looking for a lightweight glove that’s going to work for you while gardening with your roses. “One size fits most” sizing takes the complexity out of ordering your gloves.

Double stitched and reinforced seams—as well as padding through the palm and fingers—help create a glove that’s ready to work for you. The synthetic material is lightweight but still provides protection where you need it the most.

Garden with your phone? Whether you need to take phone calls or like to listen to podcasts, these gloves are equipped with touch capability. You won’t need to remove them to use your phone’s touchscreen.

Elastic wrists help create a custom fit. These gloves are flexible and won’t interfere with your hands while tackling your gardening duties. Affordable, and boasting a money-back guarantee, there’s little reason not to consider them for your next purchase.

Pros

• Touchscreen compatible.

• Durable with reinforced seams, palms, and fingertips.

• Padding through the palm and knuckle.

• A 100 percent satisfaction guarantee.

Cons

• Limited sizing options.

• Limited color options.

Best for Men: Handmaster Rose Pruning Gloves

If you’re looking for a rose gardening glove with an extended sleeve, the Handmaster model can be a great option.

Made predominantly of synthetic leather and canvas, these gloves are well-suited to working with thorny plants. The canvas sleeves help to protect your arms, while the thick synthetic leather of the hand portion keeps fingers and palms safe from thorns.

Well-constructed with double stitched seams and reinforced fingertips, these really are heavy-duty gloves. Padding through the palms and across the knuckles at the back of the hand helps further prevent thorns from penetrating the gloves and leaving their mark.

These gloves are available in multiple sizes. The spandex at the back of the hand helps create a close fit. Elastic at the wrist and textured fingertips leave these gloves comfortable and functional.

Pros

• The durable synthetic leather is machine washable.

• The extended gauntlet cuffs provide great protection from thorns.

• The synthetic materials allow for greater flexibility and maneuverability than natural leather.

Cons

• Limited size options that run small.

• The spandex portions of the glove provide minimal protection from thorns.

Best Overall: Hense Leather Rose Pruning Gloves

These gardening gloves by Hense boast extra long sleeves. Reaching up the arm beyond the elbow, they’re the perfect companion when the time comes to work with your rose bushes.

These gardening gloves were made with the established rose garden in mind. When it’s time for seasonal pruning, you won’t need to worry about the thorns. Simply reach in, clip back, and shape as needed—without risking the scratches, gouges, and pain that so frequently accompanies working with roses.

The hand of this glove is constructed from quality goatskin leather. Exceptionally heavy-duty, thorns won’t be able to penetrate the leather. The extended sleeves are also made from natural leather. Instead of goatskin, however, they are made from a finer, softer, leather that won’t impede your movement.

Great care has been paid to how the palms and fingers are constructed, allowing wearers to easily handle their equipment while working in the garden.

While the natural leather is not safe for machine washing, surface washing with a stiff-bristled brush can be a great way to spruce up your gloves as needed.

Pros

• Extremely heavy-duty and durable.

• Extended arms provide great coverage and protection.

• Shaping and padding through the palm of the glove make it ideal for use with gardening equipment.

• Supple, quality leather and construction.

Cons

• Limited sizing.

• The thick leather may inhibit gardening ability.

Our Top Choice

Any one of these gardening gloves could easily help you tackle the most ambitious rose gardens. That being said, if we could select only one pair of gloves to have in our gardening shed, it would be the Hense Leather Rose Pruning Gloves.

While the other gardening gloves discussed here have great features and attributes, we love how heavy duty the materials are in these Hense gloves. If you’ve spent time with overgrown rose bushes, you know how valuable thick gloves can be. The top quality goatskin leather can’t be beaten when it comes to protecting delicate skin.

The flexible gauntlet arms are also made from quality natural leather. Lighter-weight and with plenty of give, they’ll protect you without compromising on your ability to navigate your garden chores.

If you’ve been looking for a great gardening glove that’s substantial enough to get you through gardening your rose bushes, look no further. These comfortable and functional rose gardening gloves will remind you why you wanted to garden in the first place—and how rewarding growing roses can be.

How to Choose Rose Gardening Gloves

Whatever you have in mind for your rose gardening gloves, there are some qualities you’ll probably want your gloves to have. They’ll ensure your gloves (and you) are properly equipped to work with any kind of rose bush.

Tough Exterior

While there has been a push to create thornless rose bushes or bushes with more harmless thorns, the majority still sport thorns. These can be quite substantial and may even have barbs.

While a lightweight material may be cool and comfortable, a thinner exterior may allow those rose thorns to rip straight through the glove and to your skin. The skin on your hands and forearms is delicate and easily torn—when you’re working with roses it’s important to protect yourself from their thorns.

If you don’t have a glove with an exterior that can handle your rose bush thorns, you may as well skip the gloves altogether.

A glove with a thick exterior can help protect that skin and make tending your rose bushes a breeze. So, whenever possible, you’ll want to opt for gloves made from thicker material.

There are a few options you can choose from for glove material—both synthetic and natural—that can work well for rose gardening gloves.

Synthetic Materials

Synthetic leather can be a great option for your rose gardening gloves. It is usually more affordable than natural leather, and many have spandex-like additives for a closer, more comfortable fit. That close fit will allow for easy gardening and great dexterity.

This material is usually quite thick and can provide great protection. Additional padding and reinforcement through the fingers and palms can make gardening more comfortable with synthetic leather gloves—no matter where you’re working.

Natural Materials

Natural leather is an obvious choice for rose gardening gloves. A thick hide will prove the protection you’re looking for. Natural leather gloves will last you a long time, though they may cost more up front.

The more you wear your leather gloves, the softer they’ll become. Like any natural leather product, it will take time to break in the gloves. The less stiff they become, the easier they’ll be able to work with.

Natural leather is great for wicking away moisture from perspiration. Over time, your gloves will become custom to the wearer, until they fit—well—like a glove!

Types of leather you may come across while shopping for gardening gloves, include goatskin, pigskin, and split cowhide. Each leather will have its own unique qualities. Goatskin is usually quite thick, while pigskin is known for being flexible. For a better understanding of leather types and what suits you, plan on trying gloves on in person.

Reinforced Fingertips

The fingertips of your gloves will take the brunt of the wear and tear they experience. Reinforced fingertips can help extend the life of the gloves and will also offer additional protection to the area most likely to encounter thorns.

Reinforced fingertips aren’t all good, though. They will decrease your dexterity and ability to feel. For jobs that need more finesse—like planting new seedlings—you’ll want to opt for another glove. But for maintenance and care of an established rose bush, reinforced fingertips are a great feature.

Sturdy Seams

Your rose gardening gloves won’t last very long if they aren’t heavily reinforced. Look for gloves that sport seams which are double stitched. This is another feature that can add longevity to the life of your gloves.

Not only do the seams work together to evenly distribute and absorb the pressure placed on them during use, losing a seam won’t mean your gloves are ruined. You’ll have a backup seam to help keep your gloves functional.

You’ll love the practicality of sturdy seams, but you’ll also want to make sure they’re done right. Take a good look at the seams to make sure they’re not adding unnecessary bulk to the glove. If they aren’t lying flat, they may also chafe or cause discomfort during long periods of wear.

Flexibility

When you’re wearing gardening gloves, you need them to be functional. Otherwise, you’ll be pulling them off to do your work—and that’s a recipe for disaster when working with rose bushes.

Flexibility will greatly contribute to comfort during wear and ease of use. Gloves will get some of their flexibility from the material they’re made out of, but you can also expect the fit of the glove to matter.

To make sure your gloves are flexible enough, put them on and test your range of motion. You should be able to easily make a fist and fully extend your fingertips.

Remember, you’re likely to operate gardening equipment while wearing your gloves and it’s important they don’t interfere with that capability.

Extra Padding

A little extra padding can go a long way when it comes to your gardening gloves. You’ll love how the padding provides extra protection for your hands, but too much padding may restrict your ability to effectively complete your tasks.

For padding that won’t interfere with your gardening, look for gloves that have swaths of padding across the top of the palm and the base of the thumb. These should afford you the comfort you’re looking for without causing too much bulk.

Other Factors to Consider

When shopping for your rose gardening gloves, you’ll want to consider more than just the features and style. Following are some factors to keep in mind when looking for your next pair of gloves.

A Blend of Comfort and Functionality

Everyone wants a comfortable pair of gloves. You do need them to be ready to work for you, though. Be prepared to compromise on one or the other. If having a comfortable glove is paramount to you, you may need to settle for something that’s a little less hardy.

Likewise, a very strong and durable glove may be a little less comfortable. Decide what’s important to you and how well you need your gloves to perform—then begin to sort through the options available to you.

Glove Fit

It’s crucial that your rose gardening glove fits you. A glove that doesn’t fit well just won’t be doing you any favors. Not only will a poorly fitting glove make your gardening experience unpleasant and your time less efficiently used, but it may also lead to chafing and sores.

You’ll want to make sure you’re wearing gloves that are the right size for you. For best fit, look for gloves that come in a wide range of sizes. Look for brands that offer XS and XL, or even youth sizes if you have petite hands. The more sizes a glove offers, the easier it will be for you to find a truly great fitting glove.

You may find manufacturer’s that provide detailed guides on what size glove you’ll need, especially if you’re buying your gloves online. A quick measurement of your hand and you’ll know just what you need for a good fit.

If you don’t have a guide and you have the ability to try the gloves on, there are some things you can look for that indicate the glove is a good fit. You want a glove that will be on the snug side. Avoid anything that’s too tight, though, because that will interfere with your hands’ movement.

If you’re wearing wrist-length gloves, the glove should extend beyond the wrist. Don’t settle for a glove that barely covers your palm. You’ll likely snag the delicate skin there, it will be exposed to bugs, and may find dirt makes its way into the glove.

Remember, it’s possible your glove will stretch with use and wear. It could also be that you’ll have some shrinkage—especially if the gloves are exposed to water. If you’re in between sizes, you’ll need to decide whether a slightly larger or slightly smaller size works best for you.

As a general rule, if the gloves are man-made and machine washable, they are more likely to shrink when washed. However, leather or similar materials will probably expand slightly with wear.

Glove Wrist

If you have a shorter glove, look for one with a good closure. This will help protect your wrist and keep dirt out of the glove.

While there are different kinds of wrist closures, you’ll find the best customization comes with a hook and loop closure. While elastic may work, elastics are prone to slacken or perish with age and use, and may not be comfortable to wear.

Wrist-length gloves aren’t the only option, though. Longer gloves may suit you and your gardening needs, especially for intensive pruning or clipping of live flowers. Whether you need gloves that extend to the forearm, or all the way to the elbow, there are gloves available that will be the ideal length for you.

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