BUFF Solar Glove

BUFF Solar Glove

By Katja Hurt

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Just the Facts:

FEATURES

At home on a kayak, paddleboard, wave runner, or a fishing boat, our lightest-weight gloves are so comfortable you might forget you’re wearing them. The breathable fabric offers UPF 40+ sun protection* and dries amazingly fast. And the seamless, bonded-cuff finish prevents chafing, even if you wear them all day. The BUFF® Solar Glove™ is approved and recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation.

SPECIFICATIONS

• UPF 40+ sun protection*
• Recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation**
• Half-finger length provides protection while leaving fingertips free
• Partial silicone palm for improved grip
• ​Pull tab for easy removal, even when wet Bonded cuff prevents chafing

*UPF 40+ : (UPF) measures the amount of UV radiation that penetrates a fabric and reaches your skin. A fabric rated with a UPF of 40 will allow only 1/40th of the sun’s UV rays to pass through. Samples of fabrics have been tested for UV protection at Bureau Veritas Consumer Product Services in accordance with the standard AATCC 183:200 “Ultraviolet Protection Properties for Fabric.”

**The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends this fabric as an effective UV protectant only for covered areas.

My Story:

In my earlier post (see it here: Women’s BUFF Multifunctional Headwear), I shared a confession about a sunrise hike-in wedding where yours truly committed the cardinal sin of forgetting to bring proper sun protection. In addition to the wonderful BUFF CoolNet UV+ saving my skin from frying, I also had a surprising addition tucked away in my backpack: the BUFF Solar Glove. Intended for use on the water for activities from fishing to kayaking, the presence of these gloves at over 6000 feet of elevation on the flanks of Mount Rainier did appear to be a little out of place. However, in the searing sunlight without shade or adequate sun protection, these gloves became an unexpected source of protection and relief.

Here is what I liked: the loose fit was comfortable and never felt like it constricted my hands. The individual finger sleeves covered my primary knuckles but left the ends of my fingers clear and able to manipulate any of my backpack’s buckles/snaps.

Here is what I loved: the material is very smooth and the designers took this into account when they added the texture/silicone to the primary grip areas of the hand (upper palm, the base of the thumb and the base of the index finger). This allowed me to grip my trekking poles, cell phone, and water bottle comfortably without excessive squeezing or manipulating them through the fabric. I don’t know how many of you know the frustration of putting on gloves or mittens that gain you warmth or protection but cost you functionality and grip, but it is a huge inconvenience in the outdoors and when on trails where a dropped item can be gone in moments. The design of the textured palms prevents this issue beautifully.

The BUFF Solar Glove may be intended for lakes and rivers, but it has a definite place on the rugged mountainside of Mount Rainier National Park and beyond. I can easily see the appeal of this glove for water sports and fishing, especially in areas with high sun exposure and limited shade/protection from harmful rays. It has been a lot of fun taking the BUFF Solar Gloves outside of their usual environment and finding out what else they can do!

Find it Here:

https://www.amazon.com/Buff-Solar-Glove/dp/B08228GF1W/ref=pd_cp_468_1/135-6734197-7786640?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B08228GF1W&pd_rd_r=5ccd2a1e-f7a5-447d-a411-e8fa90997f15&pd_rd_w=FEWWv&pd_rd_wg=mQ2zp&pf_rd_p=0e5324e1-c848-4872-bbd5-5be6baedf80e&pf_rd_r=FFF4NMPA6MXJVF4FT54V&refRID=FFF4NMPA6MXJVF4FT54V

https://buffusa.com/buff-products/women/gloves/solar-glove%E2%84%A2/key-west#details

What can be done better?

The material feels very thin and I am worried about the longevity of these gloves with more regular use. Aside from my general concern about their durability, I have no complaints!

Also, a special request for BUFF: please design a similar set of gloves intended for the mountaineering and greater outdoor world as sun protection is a serious issue and these gloves were life-savers for me in the mountains!

I am also curious if the pull tab can be as effective on the palm and/or backside of the glove rather than at the base of the middle finger (I can see the appeal for removing these using this tab when the gloves are wet. I wonder if other locations would work as well, especially for those of us who are used to removing gloves from the base or middle of the palm rather than at the finger).