When searching the web regarding "what to wear" to a Tough Mudder or Mud Run obstacle course, the debate of whether to wear gloves is usually front and center. It is actually quite funny because much like politics people are very opinionated on this matter and there is very little middle ground. At this point in time I have run two mud races. One with gloves and one without. In my 'opinion,' it really depends on a few factors.
1. If you are planning to wear a traditional gym work out glove that is leather or suede the answer is a resounding NO! These gloves do not work for a variety of reasons. They are not designed to dry quickly, they hold water, they do not drain and they have absolutely no grip once they get muddy or wet. When people say that they 'got rid of their gloves' in the middle of the race, this is usually what they are referring to, and they are right.
Bare hands: 1 Gloves: 0
2. On the other hand (see what I did there!) a very popular choice for glove are Mad Grips Gloves. These are relatively inexpensive on Amazon (anywhere from $8.00 to $14.00) and with a few at home adjustments provide some great benefits on the course. To allow for proper drainage you will need to cut the finger tips off of these gloves, otherwise they will drain poorly when submerged in mud or water. The front of these gloves are coated in textured rubber which actually stick to surfaces. These gloves protect your hands from cuts and scrapes while providing grip on obstacles like Berlin Walls, Funky Monkey, and Hangin' Tough. My suggestion would be to make sure you train in these gloves before wearing them to any event as they tend to stick to things. If you are not used to this it may be more of a hindrance than help.
Bare hands: 1 Gloves: 1
Final Verdict:
There is no right or wrong answer as it is all personal preference. I can say from experience that when I did not wear gloves my hands were more cut up then when I did. The Mad Grips with the fingers cut provided me with grip for 95% of the Tough Mudder Mid Atlantic race (The other 5% was so muddy that it doesn't matter if you are bare handed or gloved there will be no grip regardless). So make your decision after doing a monkey bars at a local playground in the rain with and without gloves. Get your hands muddy and see what you prefer. I will say that if you have gloves on the course and feel you do not need them you can simply throw them away. If you have no gloves and find yourself wishing you had them, well good luck with that.
If you have trouble finding Mad Grips in the size or color you want (I'm not a big fan of the pink) Carhartt makes an identical glove in the same price range. Follow the link to Amazon HERE.
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