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Ethel Gardening Gloves for Women: Product Review

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Ethel Gardening GlovesI’ve talked about women’s gardening gloves before so you know that I’m not easily swayed by a pretty design, woman-focused marketing, or a good price. But I have to say that the new Ethel gardening gloves are a very welcome addition to my gardening ‘attire’ – AND they’re pretty, built for women, and well-priced.

I know many gardeners prefer to get their hands dirty, to dig bare-handed and feel the soil between their fingers.  But, after several unanticipated and most unpleasant encounters with broken glass, rusty nails, and a wasp nest, I am forever committed to gardening with gloves on!  Which means that I have spent years in a quest for the most comfortable, durable, flexible, and well-priced women’s gardening gloves available.  I’ve tried everything – from cow hide to cotton, nitrile, synthetic ‘leather’, and everything in-between.  I’ve found some good gloves, even some that I’ve strongly recommended.  But, until now, I hadn’t found that perfect combination of comfort, fit, style and price.

Then Ethel came into my life.  I picked up a pair of very stylish, red houndstooth-patterned gloves in February at New England Grows, started using them in early March, and haven’t worn any other gloves since.  Here’s why I like them so much:

  • They FIT!!  Perfectly!  The gloves were built specifically to fit a woman’s hand – and it shows.
  • They’re flexible. The synthetic leather palm and fingertips are soft and pliable, making it easy to pick things up and hold delicate plants without crushing things.
  • Did I already say they’re flexible?  The two-way stretch fabric on the back of the gloves doesn’t wrinkle or sag.  It stays put against your hand without feeling too tight or clammy, it breathes well, and you hardly know you’re wearing a glove.
  • The cuff comes up high enough to prevent dirt from falling into your gloves, and the elasticized grip finishes the job – without cutting off circulation to your hands.
  • Just throw them in the washing machine, hang them to dry, and they look (and feel) just like new.
  • There’s a very handy reinforced tab on the inside of the wrist to help you pull on (and off) your gloves.
  • There are lots of cool designs and colors – not your typical floral cotton or hot pink “Woman’s Leather Gloves”.
  • They’re reasonably priced (only $20) – considering that I lose gloves on a regular basis (I think there’s a Glove Gremlin hiding in my gardening shed), I wouldn’t want to spend much more than that on a pair of gloves.

Now, to be fair, I do have to say that I will be using some of my other gloves for more heavy-duty gardening work. The Ethel gardening gloves are sturdy and well-built but the leather palms and fingertips are thinner than on some other work gloves and I’ve already had a few nasty thorn pricks from my roses while wearing these gloves.  I also wouldn’t use them for working with rocks, or anything else with a rough surface – they might hold up to the rough treatment but I’d rather risk some of my other gloves instead of beating up the Ethels.

Overall, these are the most comfortable, well-designed gardening gloves I’ve ever worn.  Since New England Grows, I’ve bought three more pairs to be sure that I never run out!

Ethel Jubilee Gloves
  • Two way stretch spandex
  • Extended cuff
  • Reinforced fingertips
  • Rubberized grip
  • Machine washable
Ethel Snakeskin Taupe Gloves
  • Two-way stetch Spandex
  • Extended cuff
  • Durable synthetic material with Reinforced fingertips
  • Rubberized Grip
  • Machine washable

 

 

Last update on 2024-03-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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7 Comments on Ethel Gardening Gloves for Women: Product Review

  1. Pingback: Product Review: Ethel Gardening Gloves | Garden Junkie's Blog

    • BA Bonetti

      These are the best gardening gloves I have ever owned. I’ have had mine for years. When they are all covered with mud, I just hose them off, wring them out and let them dry in the sun. They are great for planting because they are flexible, yet the leather palm and fingers keep your hands dry, unlike fabric gardening gloves. I highly recommend–they are worth the money.

  2. Pingback: Garden Gloves Review: Ethel Gloves | Country Bucket

  3. Margaret Mitchell

    I bought these fabulous Ethel gardening gloves at the Chelsea Flower Show last year and I would like to purchase more for my friends. Are they available in Australia or can I buy them on the net?Sincerely Margaret

    • They are wonderful gloves, aren’t they? But they’re very hard to find these days. It seems that Ethel gloves were bought (or licensed?) by Mechanix Wear gloves and are now only available in a couple of muted colors with the Mechanix logo on them. It’s not clear if these are exactly the same (they don’t look like it). I haven’t been able to get any response from the company about where to buy the gloves or what their plans are for future releases. I will keep this page updated as I find more information. In the meantime, I know that you can still find some limited sizes and styles on Amazon. Good luck Margaret and do let us know if you find them!

  4. Glenda Schwem

    May 2017 I can’t find these gloves anywhere in the USA. I didn’t find a few random pairs in the UK. I wonder if the manufacturer has gone out of business?

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