"To glove, or not to glove, that is the question".
With the number of people starting to CrossFit growing, more people are finding out first hand (no pun intended) some of the painful and less desirous aspects of the sport. Ripped and torn hands are things that every crossfitter will have to deal with sooner or later. The repetitive and high intensity movements common in CrossFit, mixed with the copious amounts of sweat our bodies secrete, oftentimes leave our hands a bloody mess.
One of my coaches always says torn hands mean you can't train as hard or at all. With this in mind the use of gloves during WODs are a great way to protect your hands and still train at as high a level as you want.
The folks over at The RX Review have put the RTG Gloves to the test and offer their insight through this detailed review:
"Ever had that moment during a WOD where you are just staring down at your hands? They are ripped, torn and bloodied. The chalk has mixed with your sweat and it isn’t doing you any favours? And that was only round one! Well, like most functional fitness athletes, I certainly have.
Yearning for the magical ‘knight in shining armour,’ I have experimented with multiple brands of gloves, grips and athletic tape. But still, I am yet to settle on a staple that remains in my gym bag. That’s why I was excited to put the latest RTG Glove from StrongerRx to the test.
StrongerRx’s range of gloves have been quite popular in the functional fitness community for a while now, and they were one of the first brands to specifically target current and aspiring CrossFit Games athletes.
They claim their gloves are “hands down, the best you will find to improve your WOD”. According to their website:
“The StrongerRx RTG Gloves provides a natural grip with superior comfort. These gloves has been embraced by the CrossFit Community as the glove of choice. Special material has been constructed to ensure a natural grip and prevent fatigue.
The RTG Glove will enable athletes to last longer in Pull-ups, Climbs and Olympic lifts. Gloves for your WOD? Look no further.”
Staring down the barrel of a week of solid workouts including high repetition pull-ups, kettle bell swings and Olympic Lifts, there was no better time to determine whether these gloves were worthy of earning a full-time position in my gym bag.
I wore my pair of StrongerRx RTG Gloves religiously over the past few weeks and here is what I thought of them:
The Good
Hand Care: StrongerRx Gloves do what they say on the package. Throughout the week of use, these gloves aided to prevent blisters, calluses and bloodied hands. For many, if this is this is primary draw card for wearing gloves then look no further.
Ventilation: These gloves are well designed with functional fitness workouts in mind. Where many gloves fall down is that they fail to provide adequate ventilation for your sweaty palms during your workout. Featuring ventilation holes on the palm of the glove, at no point during the testing period did the RTG Gloves feel wet, slippery or unmanageable.
Fit & Comfort: When selecting a glove, you want to ensure it fits like a glove, and isn’t loose or saggy in some areas. The RTG Glove does just that. After reviewing the size chart, I selected a medium. As soon as it arrived, I put them on and they fit perfectly. Limited wiggle room meaning they didn’t slip off or move around during a WOD ensuring optimal comfort.
Range: StrongerRx provide customers with the ability to select from a color range including pink, yellow and black. Offering both men’s and women’s sizing, plus a fingerless option, there is even more opportunity to select the most appropriate glove of your preference.
The Bad
Price: This glove is definitely at the higher end of the price range. However, if you are willing to make the investment, StrongerRx provides a quality glove that is tried and tested, so you know you are still getting a decent product.
Grip: While the grip of the RTG Glove does provide more friction than other alternatives, if you are turning to a glove to solely provided additional grip I am not sure you will find it. The RTG Glove did at times compromise my grip when compared with my natural, bare hands. The gloves also made maintaining a hook grip for heavier Olympic Lifts more challenging.
Look: Ever heard the comment, “if you’re going to wear gloves, make sure they match your purse”? Often the subject of much banter in the pre-game, one must decide whether they want to be part of ‘Team Glove’ or ‘No Glove’. Be aware you will have to put up with more than a few jovial comments from the other members of your CrossFit affiliate for the benefit of your hand health.
Conclusion
StrongerRx has presented a quality all round glove suitable for functional fitness workouts and a good purchase for anyone aspiring CrossFit Games athlete. If you constantly suffer from blistered or bloodied hands from high repetition workouts or skin-ripping movements the StrongerRx RTG Glove is a worthy and solid investment."
If you have decided gloves are for you be sure to order your pair at http://www.shopboxbasics.com/collections/gloves
Written by Andy Lee: Andy is an avid CrossFitter from Melbourne, Australia and trains out of CrossFit South Yarra. He is a contributing writer for the CrossFit Games website and one of founders of The WOD Life.
For more great reviews and articles relating to fitness and health be sure to check out http://therxreview.com
