The 5.11 Station Grip Gloves are a medium grade glove designed to fulfill a variety of tasks. One such task was making my avatar in Far Cry 5 look cool. I’ve had the take the chance to take a look at the real-life Station Grip gloves and give them a spin. As a medium weight glove, they combine a high level of protection with a sufficient amount of dexterity. They are well suited for both outdoor and tactical activities. The idea and name refer to Police Stations. They are designed for searching and dealing with prisoners. However, like most gear, we can repurpose for a variety of tasks.
Specs
The Station Grip Gloves are made from heavy-duty nylon and ruggedized leather material. They sport four-way stretch back panels and an elasticized wrist for comfort and a good seal. The gloves range from small to 2XL and retail for $26.99.
Fit and Feel
The underside of the hand sports the ruggedized leather which serves two purposes. First, it’s sturdy and resistant to slashes, tears, and even some light heat resistance. Second, it provides an excellent solid grip on anything you grab. The ruggedized leather extends over the fingertip and stops right where your fingernail begins.
The top side of the gloves is made from heavy-duty nylon and feature light padding for knuckle protection. It’s nothing like actual hard knuckle gloves, but its great for resisting slight impacts. These are perfect when it comes to turning a wrench and it slips. They aren’t going to protect your hands very well if you say, punch someone in the face.
The gloves do run a little small. Normally I’m an XL glove, but went with the 2XL and they fit perfectly. The inside is comfortable to the hand, and you’re well protected from hot spots.
Wearing the Station Grip Gloves
I’ve used the Station Grip Gloves for a few different things to get an idea of what they can do outside of the police station. First, I hit the ground running with a machete in hand to deal with some pesky brush that’s been sprouting up. The gloves gave me an outstanding degree of grip over the machete. They protected my hands from thorns and debris as I ripped and tore through weeds, vines and palmetto bushes like I was Doom guy.
Of course, I had to take them shooting. The Station Grip Gloves are somewhat thick, and the use of leather on the grip does reduce finger sensitivity and dexterity for trigger control. I never had issues using your standard duty sized handguns like the Glock 17, or CZ P09. Smaller guns were a different beast though. The thicker fingers made it somewhat challenging to get my finger in the trigger guard. I loved them when firing my TAC 14 equipped with the DSF 870 light. With full powered buckshot the light would thump my finger when shooting rapidly. The glove’s little bit of padding reduced that bite I’d get from the light. Plus, since it’s a shotgun trigger control isn’t a significant consideration. It also adds a good bit of grip to these PGO shotguns, which can be a pain to hold onto.
Lastly, I took the Station Grip Gloves to the gym for a quick workout. I usually make fun of manlets wearing gloves at the gym, but I joined their ranks for testing purposes only. Again the grip was fantastic, and my grip never slipped through bench press, curls, deadlifts, or swinging my mace into a tire. These gloves aren’t cold weather gloves but are a little heavy, so my hands sweated like an ISIS member at a goat auction. I did notice shortly after my workouts the gloves would be completely dry, so they do dry fast.
For you?
If you work corrections, these gloves are certainly for you. The Station Grip gloves give you enough dexterity to search, and enough protection to do it safely. If you need a general purpose protective glove, then the Station Grip glove has you covered as well. They are comfortable, durable, and provide an extensive amount of protection.
