I’m looking for something very thin and lightweight to keep the sun off my hands, as applying sunscreen to the back of your hands is very difficult.

In my search, I have found very few of them that don’t have some sort of faux leather/suede or silicone grip on the palm/fingers that makes the gloves extremely cumbersome to fish and tie knots in.

Why do they do this? It’s very frustrating, I have now tried two or three different pairs from Amazon that I’ve had to return, I just want ultrathin and full dexterity, like I should barely be able to feel that they’re there. I know they make them for fly fishing, I’m just trying to find a good one.

44 minutes ago, ohioguy25 said:

applying sunscreen to the back of your hands is very difficult.

How so?

I think aftco makes gloves with an open palm. The hookup tackle was advertising some osp gloves ultra thin with no palm this week, but they're $60.

I just use cheap kast king gloves and love them, they have the pleather palm but it's never bothered me.

I can't get myself to fish with gloves on solely due to the lack of feel I need when holding the rod and reel.

I used to wear gloves, but recently picked up a Simms hooded shirt. It has thumb holes and a ring finger loop that makes it almost like wearing gloves, protecting the back of the hand from the sun. Only fingers are exposed. Haven’t put on gloves since…

I use AFTCO gloves: https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Aftco_Solago_Sun_Gloves_Silver_Storm_Camo/descpage-ASSG.html?from=basres

Yes, they have some of that "grip" material, but it's very thin and flexible. I don't notice it at all, and have no problem tying knots with them on. In fact, they're so comfortable I often get home and realize I still have them on. LOL!

I wear fingerless, so no knot obstruction or dexterity issue of any kind.

Any quality sun shirt will have thumb holes...which is cover a good part of the hand. See image.

Barring that, expand your search away from "fishing gloves" to include "spf gloves", "sun gloves" "cycling gloves" or "trekking/hiking gloves". These ones typically won't have micro suede. Instead, they have micro printed silicone dots or shapes. As near to zero additional thickness as possible while retaining grip. Otherwise these sun gloves would be slippery.

My favorite is Outdoor Research Active Ice gloves. A bit expensive but bear in mind Outdoor Research gear is guaranteed for LIFE. So it might be the last gloves you buy.

HUK has their fishing Pursuit glove with micro silicone throughout.

Barring that, there are cheapo Amazon versions with the micro silicone. See image.

Outdoor Research

ActiveIce Sun Gloves | Outdoor Research

The ActiveIce™ Sun Glove blends ActiveIce technology and UPF 50 materials to keep hands cool and protected from the sun while hiking, trail running, cycling, or paddling.

@ohioguy25 Thanks for this post. I have the same issues. Thank you to all who have replied. Once again, BR has made my fishing better.

I have been wearing golf rain gloves for 20 years. They are synthetic and thin.

On 4/22/2026 at 9:00 PM, PhishLI said:

How so?

Because you have to wash the sunscreen off the palms of your hand afterwards, unless you want the smell of chemicals all over your lures. Have you figured out a way to wash your palms without getting the back of your hands wet? Let me know when you do.

2 minutes ago, ohioguy25 said:

Have you figured out a way to wash your palms without getting the back of your hands wet? Let me know when you do.

Yup. I keep a small spray bottle of alcohol with me and some paper towels. Always. Spray the alcohol on the paper towel, then wipe your palms clean only. Simple. Also, consider an oil free sunscreen like Neutrogena Clear Face Oil-Free sunscreen broad spectrum SPF 50. It'll change your opinion on sunscreen.

I fished without my Fish Monkey gloves today and it felt weird without them. I prefer the Free Style custom fit gloves that you can cut the fingers to any length you want. I cut 9 back but leave the left thumb in tact so I avoid getting "bass thumb."

I’ve been using the Aftco gloves for a number of years and usually buy a new pair every couple years. But I see that they are now making them with PFA’s which gives me some pause. I was going to look at trying Simms gloves instead for this reason. Anyone have experience with the Simms Solarflex gloves?

17 minutes ago, Jerkbait22 said:

I’ve been using the Aftco gloves for a number of years and usually buy a new pair every couple years. But I see that they are now making them with PFA’s which gives me some pause. I was going to look at trying Simms gloves instead for this reason. Anyone have experience with the Simms Solarflex gloves?

Yes that is exactly what I’m currently using. Great gloves, extremely lightweight and cooling, my only issues are:

The “open palm” is basically a hole that constantly catches on your cork butt.

The cuffs are not long enough and leave a gap between your wrist and long sleeve sun shirt giving you a weird band of sun exposure.

The worst is probably the overall fit, I got the right size but it over time (not long) they have become very loose and shift around.

40 minutes ago, Jerkbait22 said:

Anyone have experience with the Simms Solarflex gloves?

I use them in conjunction with sunscreen and have had zero issues with them myself.

I didn’t start wearing fingerless fishing gloves until 5 or 6 years ago when I decided to up my sun protection program as a whole. I wear Cuda brand and they have the dots for grip that I wore off in 3 months of use. I don’t notice any reduction in sensitivity or ability to tie but I do have a problem with the fabric where it goes partly up the fingers being exactly where I grip my spinning rods. At the end of the day I can have a pretty sore finger where the material ends if it’s been a lot more casting than catching. In cold weather they are warmer than bare hands.

13 hours ago, ohioguy25 said:

Because you have to wash the sunscreen off the palms of your hand afterwards, unless you want the smell of chemicals all over your lures. Have you figured out a way to wash your palms without getting the back of your hands wet? Let me know when you do.

I have hearing aids so I keep alcohol wipes. We also adopted a feral "spicy" cat. They're cheap and you'll find other uses for them.

52 minutes ago, the reel ess said:

I have hearing aids so I keep alcohol wipes.

I carry rubbing alcohol 'cause I can't imagine eating samiches with bass juice or any other cooties I might've picked up in the water all over my digits. God only knows. Duck poop, whatever. Happens to clean off sunscreen too that I also don't want touching my food either.

14 hours ago, ohioguy25 said:

Because you have to wash the sunscreen off the palms of your hand afterwards, unless you want the smell of chemicals all over your lures. Have you figured out a way to wash your palms without getting the back of your hands wet? Let me know when you do.

I use foam make up application wedges for that.

I also find I get more uniform coverage on my body and use less product using these. And no chemicals ever touch the palm of your hands/fingers.

I like the faux leather because it saves my palms a little bit from getting stabbed by flopping fish on the measuring board.

I guess I don't really understand how having that on your palm effects your ability to tie knots or your sensitivity? They're fingerless gloves correct? I've never felt my palm was a big part of my ability to tie knots or feel bites.

I like my patagonia sun gloves. Also when I do go with sunscreen iso gloves I only use my pointer finger to smear on back of hand. Less to wash. Or if I'm going out in shorts/t-shirt and sunscreen my arms/legs I'll do a good a full hand wash and finish back of hands with pointer finger. Also @PhishLI touched on Neutrogena, it's a superior product.

Finally, recently saw a news story in which they talked about sunscreen messing with coral reefs. Something about it being a no, no in CA and FL. I believe it was the kind with oxybenzone. I recall a couple threads about sunscreen on BR where some alluded to sunscreen being pretty bad for people. I mean if CA and FL are agreeing on something....

All things considered... we're all probably better off covering up versus using chemicals.

25 minutes ago, Kev-mo said:

... we're all probably better off covering up versus using chemicals.

I agree 1,000%.

I cover up as much as possible but the face still needs sunscreen no matter what. Sun reflection off the water will burn you just as quick as direct exposure.

Check out the World Wide Sportsman sun gloves at BPS. I believe they are very light weight.

1 hour ago, Peacedivision said:

I cover up as much as possible but the face still needs sunscreen no matter what. Sun reflection off the water will burn you just as quick as direct exposure.

Exactly