This article was originally run last year, but with the current Dead Bird shenanigans going on over at US Elite Gear (50% for f@<&’s sake) right now, we figure we’d remind ya. Read on to find out why the Dead Bird Assault Glove FR is the ACOG of gloves. Mad Duo

Review: Arc’teryx Assault Glove FR

DFM

These last few months I’ve been using Dead Bird Assault Gloves FR for any situation that requires gloves. On the range, performing yardwork, colder weather (did you know it snows in Utah… in May? I didn’t.) And in fact, I’m wearing them as I type up this review right now. The time spent with my hands inside these gloves has given me a good feel for their usefulness.

Click the image buy some Dead Bird – and be advised, we get a commission from any Arc’teryx purchase you make. It’ll help us keep the lights on.

LEAF describes the gloves as “Precision Instruments,” thusly:

“Ergonomically shaped, the Assault Glove provides a rare and exceptional level of dexterity. Flame resistant materials protect the hand, while reinforced finger and web construction increases durability and reliable performance. An integral tool for direct action tasks, the Assault Glove FR also has touch sensor capability.”

These LEAF Line Assault Gloves are constructed of 10oz interlock with leather palms and goat leather knuckles. While they’re brown (technically “Crocodile”) and strongly resemble flight gloves, they aren’t so tactical as to be conspicuous for everyday wear. No hard knuckle BudK mall ninja gloves here.

These assault gloves have loops at the base of the palm side that can aid in donning them, hanging them up, or dummy cording–though you’ll look like a kid from A Christmas Story if you do the latter.

Like many such gloves, there are accommodations for cutting off the tip of the index finger without making the gloves completely fall apart.

As you may have already surmised, the ‘FR’ stands for Fire Resistant. I haven’t tested this myself, but I have taken many a hot silencer off of a rifle and inadvertently touched machine gun barrels while wearing them without burning the shit out of myself. I wouldn’t weld with them, though.

A feature I always like seeing is compatibility with touch sensors. No need to peel the gloves off to answer your phone or use other touchscreens. And indeed, the Arc’teryx Assault Gloves have it.

As I’ve come to expect from Arc’Teryx, the gloves’ construction is top-notch. Firm stitching throughout and double stitched where needed.

I’ve always had a had time finding gloves that fit properly, to the point that the idiom “fits like a glove” seems like something that only applies to other people. My hands are notoriously small and if the flanges fit, the thumb doesn’t. Or the reverse. Let’s just say that ordering gloves through the mail has never been a success. With Arc’teryx, well shit. It’s Dead Bird, so worth a try. And indeed, while the fit isn’t absolutely perfect, they are still entirely usable. To be fair, I am an outlier regarding glove fit.

Ultimately I find the Arc’teryx Assault Gloves to be the ACOG of gloves. That is, while they don’t specialize in any one singular area they are acceptable in nearly every category. If I were buying gloves solely for shooting, I’m picking SKD PIG gloves. For reasonably cold weather, I’m picking North Face. Yardwork? Duluth Trading. Wound packing? Latex. The advantage of the Acr’Teryx is that they’ll be AOK in all of those categories (okay, okay, maybe not the best choice for wound packing).

The versatility, in conjunction with the construction itself, is what makes these gloves an excellent choice. After all, actions during “assaulting” aren’t always exactly monolithic: pulling triggers, negotiating obstacles, swiping broken glass out of the way, and generally ensuring that you can do what you need to do without needlessly dicking up your hands.

Is excelling in mediocrity a thing? If it isn’t, it should be.

-DFM

Arc’teryx Assault Glove FR Specs

Features

•Leather palm and knuckle reinforcements provide long term durability

•Touch sensor capability

•Precision fit

•Utility loops for easy, secure storage

•Index finger cut-off option

Materials

•TenCate Defender™ M 10 oz. interlock

•Touch Sensor Tsunami leather (palm)

•Washable goat leather (knuckle)

•Care

•Surface clean only.

Here’s the Dead Bird video.

Mad Duo, Breach-Bang& CLEAR!

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About the Author: A combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Dave “Mad Duo Merrill” is a former urban warfare and foreign weapons instructor for Coalition fighting men. An occasional competitive shooter, he has a strange Kalashnikov fetish the rest of the minions try to ignore. Merrill, who has superb taste in hats, has been published in a number of places, the most awesome of which is, of course, here at Breach-Bang-Clear. He loves tacos, is kind of a dick and married way, way above his pay grade. You can contact him at Merrill(at)BreachBangClear.com and follow him on Instagram here (@dave_fm).