Question about Hatch and Galls gloves

[G.MatthewWebb]

Has anyone used the Hatch CRT 100 gloves or Galls Forced Entry for sparring? I know Aaron Pynnenberg has a pair. Here are two links for the Hatch gloves:

http://www.copsplus.com/prodnum4895.php
http://www.chiefsupply.com/riotgear.phtml#CRT100

And a link for the Galls Forced Entry gloves here:

http://www.galls.com/style.html?style=TE383&assort=general_catalog


Also, has anyone ever used the Hatch Centurion Upper Body and Shoulder Protection (CPX2000) which is also on the chiefsupply.com riot gear page?

Matthew Webb
Oklahoma City, OK
USA

[Jaron Bernstein]

I have used the Galls riot gloves for the last year or so. They provide great protection and still give you enough hand mobility.

[Aaron Pynenberg]

I have used them for about two years now, they are OK, but I would love a little more padding for the fingers, they have a new glove out, with leather and hard-shell protection, which look great for our use.

I do not have the catalog here now but I will get back to you with the name, etc soon-

[Allen Johnson]

I remember hearing somewhere that Kevlar was really bad for the stuff we do. Don't know why. Maybe someone was just blowing wind. It's been known to happen a time or two on the internet.

[SzabolcsWaldmann]

Well, I do not know it for sure, but as far as I heard kevlar melts when a high velocity item hits it's surface. You can still cut kevlar with a knife or whatever. Now, since swords are low-velocity in comparison to ballistic weapons, they probably - if what I've heard is true - cut through it. Or, fracture the bone beneath if hit with proper strength.

Szab

[Brad Patrick]

I have used the Hatch gloves for a few months now and they are great for thumb protection. There are a couple of unshielded areas along the thumb side of the index finger and the felt/cotton liner gets pulled out easily, but they have great palm gripping surface. Just make sure that if you order them from Chief that they actually have them in stock, or you'll be waiting ahwile.

[Tim Merritt]

I have the Galls; can't comment on Hatch.

Overall. I like them, good protection, and lightweight. Couple of quibbles. The palm texture slips a bit a hard surfaces (like the bare wood of the waster--I leather wrapped the handle of my waster so it wouldn't become a projectile, with or without gloves). The other thing, it seems to be abrasive on the inside at my knuckles. To make the gloves bend more at the knuckles, I pulled out the padding at the knuckles, scored the pads (cut through the top, not all the way, but about 2/3's through) and then reinserted. Did the trick.

[Mark Driggs]

In Arma Provo, we've had a number of recent injuries involving broken pinkies (Rob, Byron). I thought it would be a wise investment for the upcoming Prize Play to buy some Riot Gloves. I tested them extensively and they protected well against overhead strikes to my knuckles and hand. It also seemed to help my training partners because they weren't as concerned with injuring my hands.
Come the day of the Prize Play, a 'chink' was discovered in these gloves as it were. In my 2nd bout with Eli, he struck my right hand with a lateral blow where there was no padding at all. I took off the gloves and noticed my pinky finger was swelling up and pointing a few degrees more outward than it normally does. I was able to move it up and down completely (though painfully) and decided I will be scorekeeper for the remainder of the Prize Play. The next day during lunchbreak between NTP sessions, I got x-rayed at the Student Clinic to confirm my suspicions of a break. Then I had to wait a week to get it set by on ortho specialists because so many students were breaking bones this spring.
So, in retrospect, gloves will not make your fingers invincible. The bulk of padded gloves also make it more uncomfortable to perform certain moves. I am going to focus on improving my technique and reaction time so my fingers will not be in the way of future blows.
Also, any other ARMA members are welcome to join the Broken Right Pinkies Club since Rob and Byron won't let me join their 'Sinister' Broken Pinkies Club.

[Byron Doyle]

Mark, we still deliberate over your membership in the Sinister Pinkies Club. Anyone else who has broken their left little finger may apply for membership. <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

Back on topic: Those riot gloves (Mark was talking about the Galls Forced Entry gloves) are really quite good, except that they lack padding on the articulated portions of the gloves, as well as on the section between the primary and secondary knuckles on the index finger (both sides - this is to facilitate folding the finger back so that the trigger finger hole can be used). I think that with modification they could be a bit more protective. A flexible, yet supportive splint-like object (maybe stiff foam of some sort) could be inserted into the pinky on the side, to prevent breaks like Mark's, and of course some flexible padding could some how be added to the joints. Anyone have any ideas on this?

[Jake_Norwood]

I broke my sinister index finger back in '01...actually Rob did it. Can I join?

Jake

[Byron Doyle]

That kind of defeats the point of the name "Sinister Pinkies Club." Although I must say, the name "Sinister Finger Club" does have a distinct ring to it...

Your application will be considered. <img src="/forum/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

[Mark Driggs]

Maybe he could be the charter member of the Broken Sinister Fingers Club in Babylonia...
BTW Jake, have you find any good WMA enthusiast sparring partners or interested mooks over there yet?

[Matt Easton]

I've been using the Galls gloves for about 3 or 4 years - they are perfect as far as I'm concerned and still going strong, though I think I want a smaller tighter pair now as mine have stretched over time.
I don't like too much protection on the hands because at the end of the day people (me) have to learn not to get hit on the hands. I've seen people who use very bulky gloves like cricket and hockey gloves get overly complacent about getting hit on their hands because they don't feel it. Pain is a great teacher <img src="/forum/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" />.

Matt