Line of Fire Pointman Gloves with TEGS System review by Booligan
Discuss this review HERE
Introduction
Ordering/Packaging
Glove Information
TEGS Information
Proper Use
Pros/Cons
Overall
Introduction
SHOT Show is a treasure trove of potential new products for the airsoft market, and I'm happy to bring a first look of a new product found there, the Line of Fire Pointman Gloves, which feature their unique TEGS system for enhanced grip strength. These really are top of the line gloves, featuring great build materials, and new technology to do their job, and do it damn well. Most gloves are designed either to protect your hands, or to give you enhanced grip, but these are designed to do both things, using patented technology, which I'll discuss a little later on. I'll cover all of the various aspects of these gloves in this review!
Ordering/Packaging:
As I mentioned before, I discovered these gloves at SHOT Show 2010, where I was able to test out their enhanced gripping abilities myself. I was very impressed with the results of the demonstration, as well as the overall tactical design of the gloves, and I knew that this would be a product that airsofters would be interested in! Line of Fire was kind enough to send off a pair of the Pointman gloves, in order to have them reviewed here on Airsoft Retreat. LOF has several different models of gloves, from these, the entry level Pointman model to the top of the line Stryker model. The Pointman gloves are available in two flavors, standard and LE, with the standard model being reviewed today, and the LE model having ribbed nylon instead of Nomex. The Pointman gloves are available HERE, priced at $75.95, including a 90 day warranty against manufacturer defects. Additional rolls of TEGS tape and sheets are also available on the site.
Line of Fire has generously offered a 20% off discount for Airsoft Retreat members on these gloves! When checking out, use the coupon code "AR10" and receive 20% off your order!
The gloves are shipped in a retail ready hanging package, containing one pair of gloves and a 36" roll of TEGS tape, which is what makes this whole system really work. The package has information about the materials used in the gloves, as well as details about the TEGS material that gives these their increased grip.
From this point on, click all thumbnails to enlarge the pictures.
Gloves in packaging
TEGS info
Cleaning and warranty info
Glove Information:
All of Line of Fire's products are designed for real world use, by real world operators, and the materials and construction methods really show that. These are made to be used in war, plain and simple. The gloves are made of a combination of materials, including Nomex, cowhide, digital goatskin leather, polyurethane, and of course, the TEGS material.
The back of the glove is made predominantly of Nomex, which is fire resistant and flexible. The Nomex extends to the lower portion of the glove, as well as the top of the thumb and fingers. A leather tab, backed in velcro, allows you to tighten the glove to fit your hand. The knuckles have a polyurethane molded guard, with additional protective ridges being located forward of the knuckle. These guards are surrounded by dyed cowhide, with the middle finger through pinkie having stitched ridges for increased flexibility and dexterity. A rubber LOF logo can be found on the back of the hand, letting the world know who makes these gloves!
Back of the glove
Nomex construction
Molded knuckle guard
Finger guards
Fingers, note the ridges for flexibility
LOF logo
The palm is where all the magic happens with these gloves, as that's where the TEGS material is located. Aside from the TEGS, the palm side of the glove is also made from digital goatskin leather, which gives it comfortable flexibility, as well as additional gripping surfaces. The wrist cuff is elasticized, without being too tight, and a TEGS covered tab makes it easy to pull the glove down over your hand. The TEGS material is arranged in a way that when gripping, you have the most TEGS covered surface area possible, without binding up the material of the glove. It has a pre-curved design that helps with this as well.
Palm
Digital goatskin
Overall, the build quality is fantastic, with durable materials chosen in the construction, and strong stitching used to hold it all together. They are extremely comfortable to wear, without binding or restricting movement as much as other gloves that I've used. These were designed specifically with tactical applications in mind, and the overall fit and feel really reflects that. Wearing the gloves for extended periods of time doesn't get bothersome, as they are very breathable, and tend to remove moisture from your hand quite well. After removing them, you don't have too many stitching impressions left in your hand, unlike other brands that I have tried.
Back of the glove while being worn
Palm while being worn
TEGS Information:
So, what is it that makes these gloves better than other ones on the market? It's really all about the TEGS material located on the palms and fingers of the gloves, as well as on the included tape. It has thousands of tiny, flexible nubs that mesh with other TEGS materials, such as the tape, to make an incredibly high friction, but non locking grip. The material works fantastically, both wet and dry, and has countless applications, especially in airsoft.
TEGS material on the palm
The included tape can be used to put high friction strips on your gun or gear, in order to allows the best possible surface for you to grip. The possibilities are endless, from grips to tools, magazines to bolt handles. Basically, if you need to use your hand to contact it, and you don't want your hand slipping off, throw some TEGS tape on it, and you will be good to go. The tape is quite thin, meaning that it can be applied most anywhere and it will be flexible enough to bend where needed. One thing that was suggested to me by players was to put some around the base of a 40mm grenade, to allow easy removal from your launcher. This makes it a little thicker than expected, and makes it quite snug in my tested launchers, making it hard to get in the dang thing, so I wouldn't really recommend that application. The nice part about the material is that it's not abrasive on your hands, meaning that you can still use it without the gloves and not be uncomfortable.
Tape
Close-up of TEGS surface
The placement of the material on the palm of the glove was really well thought out, as it gives you almost total coverage when gripping an object. The placement of the material on the inside of the fingers is properly spaced, to allow it to come together when gripping. A real plus of the gloves in general is that even without the tape being installed on the object that you're gripping, you will have higher grip than with regular gloves.
TEGS on the inside of the fingers
When gripping, the material comes together, giving you almost total coverage
Proper Use:
So, what did I install my TEGS tape on? I put a strip on the front strap of my main pistols, to obviously increase the friction when firing and help keep the gun on target. In this regard, it worked extremely well. I also put some small strips on the slide, to assist with consistent slide pull without the risk of it slipping forward prematurely. I also put a small strip on one of my M4's MIAD grip, just to give it a little extra friction. You don't need a lot of tape on your desired item, just enough in key areas will do.
Installed on a USP-Compact
Close-up of TEGS tape
Small strip on MIAD grip, just enough to give a little extra stick
Installed on a SIG P226
Applied to the decocker and slide release
Pros:
TEGS material increases grip drastically
Fantastic choice of materials in construction
Polyurethane knuckle guards protect while looking badass
Includes 36" of TEGS tape
Available in a variety of colors and sizes
Line of Fire is currently offering a 20% off discount for Airsoft Retreat readers, using the coupon code "AR10"
Cons:
At $75, they're a little pricy for some players, but fall well within the range of other high end gloves
Popular sizes and colors tend to sell out quickly
Can't use touchscreen devices while wearing them, which is a normal complaint with almost all gloves
Overall:
Gloves are something that pretty much everyone uses in airsoft, and people frequently make compromises with comfort, design, protection, or gripping ability when choosing which ones they will purchase. Frankly, these gloves do everything quite well, as they are very comfortable, give you great protection, and have unmatched gripping ability, especially when utilized with the TEGS tape. I have officially fallen in love with these things, and I think that as more users discover these gloves, and get a chance to try them for themselves, they will fall in love with them too.
Many thanks again to Line of Fire, and of course, Airsoft Retreat!