New Hands-Free Lights… For Your Hands

Most hunters spend time in the woods when it’s dark. Often, we’re out there before dawn and don’t head back out until well after sundown. We also use our hands quite a bit — for gathering gear, holding our gun or bow, climbing trees, digging through our packs, and that sort of thing. Having to use one hand to hold a light during those times can be aggravating, and is almost always counterproductive.

You can stick a light in your teeth, which I’ve done many times. Heck, some lights are even made with that in mind, like this one. But that’s usually uncomfortable and tends to make one slobber. Un-cool.

There are also hands-free lights that strap onto your head, lights that clip onto your cap or hat brim, caps with built-in lights, and lights that strap onto your arm. These have been around for a while, but now someone has come up with another idea.

A “hands-free” hunting light that is attached to your, um, hand.

Huh?

Well, that’s what they’re calling it. The new Hunting Light Gloves from T&M Tactical feature a light attached to the back of one glove. The light goes on your non-dominant hand, so for right-handed folks the light would go on the left glove, and could then be shined to illuminate things that you are engaging with your right hand.

Here’s what they say about it:

Former law enforcement/tactical officers Tim Matheney and Justin Thompson have designed a pair of hunting gloves that provide hands-free use of a light source, warmth of fleece insulation and concealment with Mossy Oak Break-Up Infinity®.

The light includes four, 15-degree high-output, ultra bright LED lights and a rechargeable lithium ion battery that is easily charged with the USB cable provided. An easy three-button system on the housing allows the hunter to have light on demand with T&M Tactical’s exclusive built-in palm pressure feature with the options of continuous or strobe lighting.

Aside from the hunting version, non-camo versions of the gloves are aimed at the military and law enforcement market.

It sounds like a good-quality light, and it should be, since the gloves are priced at $69.99.

Um… okay, I gotta say it. Dear T&M: Wearing a light on your hand doesn’t make it hands-free. Finger-free, yes; hands-free, no.

While it’s a neat idea and I can see me feeling a little super-hero-esque when I fist my left hand and strike a pose (and hope nobody’s looking) while I direct light where it’s needed, I’m afraid this light may be of limited usefulness. If you’re doing something with both hands, the light isn’t going to shine on your work. That’s a bummer.

I haven’t tried these gloves yet, but somehow I don’t see them replacing other finger-free lights anytime soon. Aside from the whole one-hand thing, I suspect that most hunters already have a favorite pair of gloves or glomitts – and will use lighter gloves for warm-weather hunting.

What do you think? Are these glove lights a good idea, and will they catch on?

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.