Harbor Freight Is Selling These Icon Work Gloves For 37% Less Than Similar Ones From Mechanix

A pair of heavy-duty, impact-resistant work gloves is the newest addition to Harbor Freight's Icon series of tools. Harbor Freight compares its $24.99 Icon Master Technician Premium Gloves to a similar pair from Mechanix Wear sold at Lowe's for $39.98, a savings of 37%.

Both pairs of gloves boast impact protection provided by shock-absorbing rubber ribs along the backside from the back of the hand extending to the fingernail area. In the palm area, foam padding helps to reduce impact and vibration. Overall, the appearance of either pair of gloves wouldn't be out of place if worn by mechanics working on the cars used for a Mad Max movie.

The Mechanix Wear gloves, model 792191, feature DuraHide leather construction that promises "extreme abrasion resistance." Inside, the gloves are lined with a material designed to keep hands "cool and comfortable while you work." A hook and loop closure at the wrist keeps them in place, and they are machine washable.

For comparison, the Harbor Freight Icon work gloves feature synthetic leather construction with "breathable spandex finger gussets for all-day comfort and maneuverability." While the Icon gloves also feature a hook loop wrist closure and add a "terry cloth brow wipe," they are not washable according to Harbor Freight.

On the r/harborfreight subreddit multiple users report that the gloves feel comfortable and allow good dexterity. One user indicated that the gloves tend to skew toward smaller sizes. They indicated that they normally wear medium-sized gloves, but the large size offered by Harbor Freight feel snug. For now, the Icon gloves are only offered in large and XL sizes.

It's important to choose the right pair of Harbor Freight gloves for the job at hand. The downside to wearing these Icon impact-protection gloves, or those from other brands, while performing auto repairs requiring manipulating small nuts, bolts, wire connections, or other fine tasks is the padding used for protection. They can be bulky as a result.

Harbor Freight says the Icon gloves are designed with "impact absorption for complete hand protection during the toughest jobs." More specifically, those jobs are listed as "all types of heavy work," including engine work and metal fabrication.