Help me make my gloves grippy!

December 2, 2008 7:38 AM

Is there a product that will make gloves more grippy?

I have a great pair of wool gloves with leather palms. I wear these all winter long. But when I'm driving somewhere, the leather slips like crazy on the steering wheel. Obviously, I've dealt with this for a while, and can continue to do so, but if anyone knows of a product that could make my gloves more grippy, I'd greatly appreciate it. I know there are gloves that have the little grippy dots....can you get something like that in an aftermarket product?

Alternately, I'd be interested in a brand of gloves that are grippy, but warm enough to be worn on a 12 block walk in coldest February. :)

posted by specialnobodie to clothing, beauty, & fashion (10 answers total)

Rather than mess with the gloves, why not just a grippy steering wheel cover?
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 7:53 AM on December 2, 2008

I don't know how available these are where you live, but a lot of people love Sealskinz. This one in particular might be just right.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 8:11 AM on December 2, 2008

"Puff paint" - yes, the eighties staple- will do the trick, but you have to balance functionality vs. aesthetics.

You can get it in black at any craft store, and then apply it thinly in either dots or stripes. Allow it to dry fully. It should peel off pretty easily if you don't like it, but spot-test it first to see if it alters the leather underneath.
posted by charmcityblues at 8:21 AM on December 2, 2008

Can you not just buy a pair of cheap grippy gloves that you leave in the car and use the ones you already own the rest of the time? Some people do this anyway (driving gloves).
posted by mandal at 8:26 AM on December 2, 2008

Pine tar! Use sparingly. Smells like spring.
posted by vito90 at 8:57 AM on December 2, 2008 [1 favorite]

You could go to a sewing store and buy strips of velcro. Both sides usually have adhesive on the back. A few well-placed circles or narrow strips of even the fuzzy side of the velcro (not the rough, plastic-y side) ought to increase the friction enough to hold the steering wheel.
posted by salvia at 9:29 AM on December 2, 2008

I have not tried this on gloves, but a product called Tool-Dip might do the trick... I think you can find it at any hardware store. Its the rubber-like coating on pliers and other small hand tools. I think it only comes in primary colors and black and white...maybe you could customize the color, I'm not sure how it mixes.
You could just paint it on, if the puffy paint doesnt work for you.
posted by bdoop21 at 10:27 AM on December 2, 2008

People use the stuff bdoop21 suggests to paint dots on the bottom of handmade slippers, so it might work. (That's what I came in to suggest, actually - the product I'm familiar with is called Plasti-dip.)
posted by cabingirl at 10:32 AM on December 2, 2008

cabingirl and bdoop21, it looks like you've got something there. Actually, following cabingirl's link, there's a different product by the same company called SuperGrip. Doesn't seem to get much closer than that. Guess I'm stopping by the hardware shop on the way home from work. Thanks, all! I'll try and remember to post an update with results.
posted by specialnobodie at 2:54 PM on December 2, 2008

Apologies for the delay in answering.....
I did eventually find/buy SuperGrip. It made a dramatic difference over the short term, but seems to wear off rather quickly. I may try Plasti-dip or Tool-Dip as an alternative. If they're used for the bottoms of slippers, they might be a more durable product.
posted by specialnobodie at 10:00 AM on January 20, 2009