Crack Gloves
Description
We set out with one goal: to create the best fitting, highest performance crack gloves on the market. And now, we’re proud to introduce our very own Black Diamond Crack Gloves. Utilizing 3D patterning that gives an articulated fit and featuring a synthetic Suede for maximum abrasion resistance and breathability, the BD Crack Gloves are swanky. The 0.6mm rubber adhesive film is set into a molded depression making a seamless surface transition from suede to rubber—resulting in the overall glove thickness of less than 1mm and which provides the perfect balance of protection, dexterity, and grip. The Hypalon strap provides a thin, low-profile closure that’s strong and secure for jamming, and the flat-stitched patterning reduces bulk and increases comfort. The BD Crack Gloves’ white color reduces heat uptake during mega pitches in the desert sun, and also mimic the classic tape glove construction for superior fit.
Retail price
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| Weight (g) | 33 g |
Closure location Closure locationInside or OutsideCrack gloves close around the wrist typically with a velcro-like strap which lays either on the inside of the wrist (the palm side) or the outside of the wrist (the back of the hand). Most gloves close on the inside of the wrist where the closure is more protected from coming undone while jamming, though some manufacturers choose to close on the back for a lower profile closure that is more comfortable against the softer inner arm. |
Inside wrist |
Thumb CoverageThumb CoverageYes/No/Partial
Crack gloves are made with different types of cracks and rock in mind. Some manufacturers have begun building greater thumb protection into their designs which can be beneficial if you are climbing wider cracks where fist-jamming is common. We consider thumb coverage to completely cover the knuckle and at least part of the first digit of the thumb. If only part of the knuckle is covered it is considered partial. | Yes, mostly or totally covers thumb knuckle |
FeaturesFeaturesStrap CoverageStrap coverage refers to the wrist closure strap having a built-in place to stow once it is closed. This feature is included on some gloves to help avoid the strap being opened when you don’t want it to be. VeganIf the manufacturer claims no animal products were used in the production of the product. | Not applicable |
| Sizing | XS
18.4 - 19.7 cm / 7.25 - 7.75" S 19.7 - 21 cm / 7.75 - 8.25" M
21.5 - 23 cm / 8.5 - 9" L 23 - 24 cm / 9 - 9.5" XL
24 - 25.4 cm / 9.5 - 10" WeighMyRack Tips: Runs Small. We find that a majority of users find better fit and less breakage by sizing up one size from Black Diamond's sizing recommendation. Those with large/bulbous thumbs may find these particulalry difficult to impossible to fit correctly. Commonly cited as being fragile and tearing out around fingers and thumbs. We find find that most of the breakage we've seen have resulted in an undersized glove being pulled on rather than as a protection from abrasion. |
MaterialGlove MaterialsMain GloveThis refers to the material or materials that make up the main body of a crack glove. This is usually either a form of natural or synthetic suede, synthetic material or combination of both. This may include the materials used to make holes or loops for fingers but should not be confused with the Backing material that is added on the back of the glove for contact with the rock.
BackingThis is the material that crack glove manufacturers adhere to the back of the glove to add friction and padding between your hand and the rock. This is usually some form of rubber or synthetic rubber compound and can be in very thin to relatively thick, although not all crack gloves have backing material. | Main Glove: Synthetic suede
Backing: Rubber |
| Thickness | Brand Thickness: 0.6mm |
| WeighMyRack Says | Great for splitters and sandstone. The closest feeling thing to a tape glove that we've tried. Best in cracks with parallel sides. Lots of wrist coverage for deep cracks, but struggles a bit on flaring cracks due to thin rubber not being able to deform for maximum friction. Textured rubber helps with friction a bit on slippery rock compared to flat rubber on other models. Very thin, their lack of padding makes some jams painful, especially for the beginner who isn't used to pressure on the back of the hand. |
No reviews yet.
There have suddenly been a lot of gloves to choose from in the past few years, which we think is great for climbers. Because they are all around the same price, the options that most people tend to go for are the gloves that are the easiest to find from brands they see the most in the wild. For those who have already tried a particular glove, we find the most wanted gloves are the ones that either iterate on something they’ve already used like the Ocún Lite, or that are pointed at more specific uses with more wrist and thumb coverage which are found in both the Wide Boyz and Black Diamond models.
Overall the performance of the BD glove on various rock was fairly consistent with what we found for most of the gloves we’ve tested. The key takeaways with where this glove performed best had to do with the consistency of the inside of the crack and its shape. They have felt the most secure and natural on softer sandstone and in splitter, even cracks. Once the shape of the crack starts to flare out (where the crack is wider on the outside than the inside) their thinner materials lack the structure to feel quite as secure. Though the textured rubber helps a bit on smoother, glassy rock, their low amount of padding makes them a bit more painful to squeeze the back of the hand in rock types that break with sharp corners or crystals.
I've used these gloves in Yosemite, Black Canyon and the Utah desert, and also crammed them into some sharp, crumbly choss cracks near my home on Colorado's Western Slope, and they're holding up well, much better than I predicted based on how thin they felt when I first tried them on. The synthetic suede has stretched a little, which is both good and bad in respective terms of comfort and performance; the thin rubber coating is starting to delaminate a wee bit from all the desperate thin-hand jamming; and the plastic-reinforced slot that the wrist strap connects to is beginning to tear (see photos). I thought the finger loops might be one of the first things to break, but those are fine so far. Considering that I've used these light, thin gloves on thousands of feet of rock and they are still holding up, I'd say they are worth the money.
