Earlier this year we reviewed the MacWet rain gloves and realized our only question was: “why does anyone NOT have a pair”. However, our testing was limited to rain and cold so now that we are in the middle of a humid summer we wanted to see how they did in terms of dealing with slippery sweaty hands.
We actually never planned on this review but one day when I was in the middle of a round in which the humidity was crazy high, I decided to break out the MacWet gloves to see if they would help with my grip. As you know, leather golf gloves can become very slick after just a few holes if you tend to sweat a lot.
Now, I am here to tell you– as much as I liked these gloves in the winter/early spring, I am stunned with how much I like MacWet for summer golf. First off, the more I sweat, the better they performed – the grip just get better with more sweat. Not only was the grip rock solid, but they were actually bone dry after 18 holes.
Here’s the kicker– they are machine washable, so I can either rinse them out in the sink, or toss them in the washer at the end of the round so they look brand new and ready to go. Both of the pictures are of my gloves that I have worn for about 20 rounds.
The bonus, of course, is that if it actually does rain you will not think twice about grabbing any club in your bag and giving it a full rip. NOTE: although they come in pairs I typically just wear one in the summer but two when it is raining. They also come in a couple of different variations so you can get a pair that has a mesh back which breaths well.
As for durability, I find that I am gripping the club the lightest I have ever gripped it during summer weather which means that my MacWet gloves are lasting longer than any other gloves I’ve used, period. So, if you’re willing to take a look on Amazon, or Amazon UK, and get a product that the Scots (true masters of foul weather golf) are already all over, you will not be sorry!
More information about MacWet can be found on their website.
Every once in a while a product comes along that begs the question, “Seriously, why doesn’t every golfer own these?” Over the past two years, we have had the chance to review some really fine golf gloves, but when it comes to dealing with rain, we have been absolutely blown away by the performance of the MacWet gloves by Glenmuir.
Adam was introduced to these gloves at the 2012 PGA trade show, where he learned that the design origins came from horse jockeys. If you can imagine being 90 lb on a 1200 lb animal going 40 mph through the rain, you can understand why they have been manufactured to have Spider Man-like grip.
So after the tales of superhero grip, I was anxious to see how they would work in my mortal hands. My first outing with the MacWet gloves came on a 45 degree, overcast day in North Carolina. Yeah, I know we don’t have anything to complain about; but 45 degrees, and muddy with wind and a chance of rain will keep a lot of Baptists and golfers at home. The pair I received was the Micromesh which has a mesh back to aid on circulation on warmer days but you can also get the Climatec gloves which are fleece-lined, water-resistant and windproof.
Since the gloves come in a pair, I started off playing several holes with them on both hands, and left them on for chipping and putting. Right off, I noticed that my feel and touch were not bothered by the gloves. Since it was not raining this day, grip was also not an issue, but I had other plans in mind to test that aspect of the gloves.
After several holes, I realized that it was time to ‘take the plunge’ and try out this ‘Aquatec’ fabric that does all the magic for all-weather grip and wicking. Forget waiting for rain, I just walked up and buried my hands in a pond that sits in front of an uphill par three. Dry no more, the gloves were totally soaked – game on!
Fortunately, I had hit the green with my tee ball, so I walked up and looked over the 20-foot putt and drained it with soaking wet hands… no slip on the putter, and still plenty of feel. I was slightly nervous when I walked over to the tee box with my driver since I was about to swing at full speed with soaking wet gloves. To my delight I proceeded to blast a drive down the middle with zero slippage or hint of losing control of the club.
Anyone who has played golf in the rain knows the mental toll it can take on you. Trying to keep your clubs, grip and gloves dry can occupy a ton of your brain, leading you to lose focus. What I love about the MacWet gloves is that I never for one second had to worry about losing grip. I did not even need to dry off a grip or attempt to keep the gloves dry. I suspect they actually grip better when they are wet. Which leads me to back to my initial question: “why would you NOT have a pair of these in your bag?”
The gloves are machine-washable, and come with a 30-day, money-back guarantee. You’ll need to measure the part of your hand just below where your fingers split from the rest of your hand, in cm. This will give you your size, and they’re available via MacWet.com, Amazon UK, and other online outlets for around $40 including shipping. Do yourself a favor, and put a pair of these in your bag. The day you need them, you’ll realize it was a no-brainer.
You can learn more about MacWet golf gloves on the Glenmuir website.
