Armor for your hands, Gill’s Regatta Deckhand Gloves

Total Score: 8.08 - GREAT

Introduction: Gill’s Regatta Deckhand gloves are designed to deliver superior protection to anglers both from the elements and from hazards right on the boat and although originally designed for sailing these gloves help anglers get a grip on everything from the steering wheel of their bass boats to the lips of trophy fish.  

The Gill Regatta Deckhand gloves were designed for sailing but are now being used by anglers stateside

Impressions: Most anglers here in the U.S. probably haven’t heard of Gill before, unless you enjoy sailing. Gill is a brand from the U.K. that designs and manufactures highly technical foul weather gear that is designed to stand up to severe weather conditions that sailors experience when racing or partaking in recreational sailing. Over the years anglers from all over the world started trying Gill gear as they were looking for comfortable yet breathable apparel that could be used in fishing applications. Team Yamaha brought on Gill to make their gear and the company got a whole lot more serious about targeting U.S. anglers when they signed Elite Series angler Dean Rojas earlier this year.

These gloves have more structure than traditional fishing gloves are a whole lot harder to fold over

Gill clothing makes use of some very technical fabrics which are engineered to deal with the combination of abrasion and humidity, two elements that can bring lesser garments to their knees. Because their apparel can be worn in warmer environments Gill garments are well suited for bass anglers that are looking for protective clothing when running the boat but still need that breathability. While the company is probably best known for their waterproof jackets Gill makes a complete range of clothing products designed for on the water activities including smocks, shirts, shorts, drysuits, footwear and gloves.

The gloves are a little tighter fitting than most gloves which makes sense considering sailors don't want loose gloves when working ropes

We are currently field testing a number of Gill outerwear products including the Inshore Lite Jacket which is being marketed towards anglers. I decided to take a look at Gill’s glove offerings during this same period and my first stop was the Regatta Deckhand Gloves. The Deckhand Gloves are intended for working ropes and are available in both short finger and long finger configurations. For fishing the short finger design is more than adequate for most situations, including bassing.

The wrist closure is inside facing on this glove to prevent accidental watch starting when sailing

The Regatta Deckhand gloves feature a mesh back for comfort and a pre-shaped construction that is designed to fit the natural shape of your hand. The palm of this glove is a little thicker than most fishing gloves and is designed to offer more protection and even the open fingers feature extra reinforcement. The gloves bear Gill’s trademark styling and have a clean and elegant look to them.

The outside of the glove features stretch fabric for comfort

Real World Tests: To test the Gill Regatta Deckhand gloves I head to my favorite local fishing destinations including the California Delta and Clear Lake. I fished with the gloves during cold and hot weather days and used a variety of setups including baitcasting and spinning gear as well as a variety of tools including pliers and fish landing tools.

The Gill Regatta Deckhand gloves are layered with Amara reinforcement

Operation: The first thing I noticed about the Regatta Deckhand gloves is that they have a lot more structure than traditional fishing gloves. If you hold the bottom of the glove they will not fold over, instead they extend like a open palm. The gloves make use of a variety of materials including stretch fabric on the back and Amara on the palm and fingers. Amara® is a synthetic suede material made up of bundles of super fine fibers locked together with polyurethane resin. Because it has the same composition as natural leather, it closely resembles leather in its surface feeling, appearance, durability, and air permeability.

The gloves seem to naturally want to open

Next Section: The test cont'd and the gloves meet some fish