Working with cold fingers is frustrating and unproductive at best, and painful and dangerous at worst. Especially when the temps are in the single digits, and you’re working with tools and materials that are trying to slice and dice YOUR digits. Having lived most of my life in areas where it gets COLD in winter, I’ve had plenty of experience with cold – and even frostbitten – fingers. Since apparently the weather in Milwaukee also gets nippy in winter, the folks in red were motivated to come up with something that would keep working hands warm AND protected. The result was Milwaukee Cut Resistant Insulated Gloves, and they sent some along for this hands-on review.
Milwaukee Cut Resistant Insulated Gloves are available in two ANSI/ISEA-rated levels of protection: Cut Level 1 and Cut Level 3. Level 1 gloves are intended to serve as general-purpose gloves, for material handling and normal remodeling usage. The Level 3 gloves are beefier, offering more protection – and warmth – for users doing demo work, pipe threading, running with scissors, or other jobs involving sharp materials. Here are some handy specs to get us started:
Cut level 1:
• ANSI 1
• EN 511: 01X
• EN 388: 1141A
• ½ double dipped latex microfinish for water resistance and warmth
• Sandy latex finish for grip performance
• Warm 10 GA inner terry liner; dual liners prevent separating
• High-dexterity 15 GA nylon outer liner; ANSI Cut Level 1
• Breathable and comfortable glove design
• Ideal use for material handling and general purpose remodeling applications
Cut level 3:
• ANSI 3
• EN511: 02X
• EN 388: 2442C
• High dexterity 15-Gauge nylon and high performance polyethylene outer liner for protection
• Sandy latex finish for grip performance
• 7-Gauge inner liner for warmth
• Breathable and comfortable glove design
• Ideal use for demolition, wire-stripping, and pipe threading applications
The Ins And Outs Of Milwaukee Cut Resistant Insulated Gloves
We’ll start with the inside of the Milwaukee Cut Resistant Insulated Gloves, since that’s where you’ll be parking your fingers. Both versions have a dual acrylic terry liner, to help keep users’ hands warm. The lining is very soft and comfortable, and it’s securely attached to the gloves, to keep it from pulling out. It stayed firmly put during all my testing, even with frequent use.
Both C1 and C3 gloves had very grippy fingers and palms, which made it easy to pick things up. Both versions are constructed with a durable 15-gauge nylon outer liner. The Level 3 gloves also have a high-performance polyethylene outer liner, which offers quite a bit more protection. Both versions also have elasticized cuffs that fit snugly around the wrist, helping keep the cold, wet wintry crap on the outside.
Both levels of gloves also take a dip before they ship. The Level 1 gloves get a ½ double-dipped latex micro finish, covering the palm side of the gloves. The Level 3 gloves get a ¾ double-dip, which actually covers the entire palm side and most of the back of the hand. The dipping provides both gloves with improved water resistance and warmth.
The Milwaukee Cut Resistant Insulated Gloves Go Out To Play
I tried out the Level 1 Milwaukee cut resistant insulated gloves in temps ranging from around 30° to the upper 40s. I used them while working with metal siding, structural aluminum greenhouse components, cleaning up a shattered glass panel, with coiled steel, steel strapping, and ductwork.
The gloves did a decent job keeping my hands warm, although when the temp was closer to 30°, I did start to feel the cold a bit during periods of inactivity. Thankfully, those periods were rare.
The gloves were very flexible and comfortable, and provided good protection while working with the various sharp-edged materials. They were also flexible enough to be able to easily operate the mini excavator. The grippy and flexible fingertips made it easy to pick up even small bolts and screws, although actually manipulating small screws and fasteners required occasionally removing a glove.
For their first workout, the Level C3 Milwaukee cut resistant insulated gloves headed straight for the gutter. My Mom’s house is surrounded by trees, mostly humongous pines, and some slacker – OK, me – hadn’t gotten around to cleaning them out before the snow flew.
In early December, temps warmed up enough to melt most of the snow on the roof, exposing almost 160’ of gutters packed with a semi-frozen mixture of leaves and pine needles. The job was made even more enjoyable by the icy water sitting in the gutters, and completely soaking everything.
I dragged the stepladder out and started scooping frozen muck. The Level C3 Milwaukee cut resistant insulated gloves actually kept my hands perfectly warm during the entire job. The Level 3 gloves also have more protection on the back of the hand, which was very helpful when dipping them repeatedly into the packed gutter, with the occasional jagged drip edge trying to make the job even more fun. It would have been a much more miserable job without them.
On a recent cold January day, I also used the Level 3 Milwaukee Cut Resistant Insulated Gloves while moving some two-foot square concrete stepping stones. Those suckers are heavy, and the edges can tear your hands up pretty good. The gloves kept my hands plenty warm, and the extra thickness provided good protection from the stones’ edges. I also used them while moving some rocks of various sizes from a recently-demolished foundation wall.
Milwaukee Cut Resistant Insulated Gloves Fit Like A Glove – Unless…
Milwaukee offers both the C1 and C3 gloves in five sizes, ranging from Small to XXL. Since I have large hands, I got both sets of Milwaukee cut resistant insulated gloves in size XXL. The C1 gloves fit pretty well, had plenty of give, and were easy to get on and off.
The Level C3 Milwaukee cut resistant insulated gloves fit, but were pretty snug, and with less give, due to the thickness of the material. Once I tugged them on, I could use them for tasks that don’t require a lot of dexterity, like schlepping the pavers, or picking up construction debris. I couldn’t close my fist all the way, which made it even tougher than normal for me to do jobs that require a bit of finesse. Your best bet is to try them on, but if you’re ordering them, I’d order a size larger than normal, at least for the C3 gloves.
If you work in the trades, or you’re a serial DIYer who tackles outdoor projects in cold weather, give the Milwaukee cut resistant insulated gloves a try. You can pick up a pair of the Level 1 gloves for around eight bucks, or the Level 3 gloves for around $11. They’re returnable for 90 days, giving you a risk-free chance to keep the cuts and abrasions – and the frostbite – away from your paws.
Buy Level 1 Milwaukee Cut Resistant Insulated Gloves from the Home Depot:
Buy Level 3 Milwaukee Cut Resistant Insulated Gloves from the Home Depot:
