The Gill Championship sailing glove has been a staple element of Tech Editor, Fox Morgan's sail kitbag for the past 13 years. They give their frank review on this essential bit of kit.
Gill Championship Sailing Gloves – long finger & short finger Review
Gill Championship Sailing glove long finger
I’ve worn the Gill Championship sailing glove to death, quite literally for the past 13 years.
Obviously these are not the same gloves all those years and in fact, let’s get right down to it, these gloves really don’t last very long before they fall apart.
But don’t stop reading there, these are by far the best gloves I have ever worn, bar none.
That’s a bold statement isn’t it.
I liken these gloves to soft tyres on a racing car or motorbike. Whilst you know that they don’t last as long as a hard compound tyre, indeed, you only need to look at my review of the Gill Pro glove to see the difference in longevity for a harder wearing glove, What these gloves give me, despite their short lives, is grip!
They are also very compliant and fit the shape of my hand really well. They are pre-curved, so whilst laid flat they look a bit odd, this shape makes sense when you slip them on.
The pre-curved shape means there’s less bunching in the palm area and along the fingers. This allows a comfortable and more grippy grip.
Gill Championship sailing glove short finger
I love the short finger version of the gloves too and keep at least one of each type of the Gill Championshiop sailing glove in my kit bag at all times.
I have the women’s specific version of these gloves too which have a far superior fit for my hands, though not all stockists sell those. so if you are like me with a woman’s hands, they’re work seeking out.
The gloves, whichever model you prefer, always wear out on the soft fabric along the thumb. I generally get a season and a half out of a pair before they’re getting ready to fall off. (for reference: I sail most weeks during the peak season and every other week or so off season and spend roughly 3 months of the year collectively sailing)
The Gill deckhand sailing gloves come in sizes XS to XXL.
The neoprene cuff and closure are comfortable and don’t get in the way of outer wear or jacket sleeves.
for more gloves, read our buyers guide: Best sailing gloves: 10 top pairs to protect your hands and keep them warm