Buff Pro Series Angler Gloves Product Review

Apparel Review

A “Buff” Sport Glove for Watersports and Fishing (continued)

I’ve fished with wet gloves in the past, in fact I fished with wet gloves a great deal while in the Amazon when there were constant sudden downpours. Luckily it was so hot in the jungle that the moisture didn’t bother me. The California Delta is an entirely different case where fishing with wet gloves was a lot less pleasant on all but the hottest days. It gets cold out here and running the boat with wet gloves is no fun whatsoever. The good news for anglers and watersport aficionados is that these particular gloves dry quite quickly.

The gloves dry very quickly

When it comes to sun protection the Buff Sport Series delivers and I never once got burned on the hands or wrists when wearing these gloves. The Sport Series delivers the same 50+ UPF rating as the Pro Series gloves and one thing that I actually liked better about the Sport Series gloves is how long the wrist cuff is. It easily extends well beyond the wrist so that when long sleeve shirts creep up when fishing your still covered.

Even when wet the silicon palm provides a solid grip

The Sport Series Gloves may not offer as much protection from sharp objects or abrasive surfaces as the Pro Series but it provides more dexterity. These gloves are very easy to move in and feel slightly less restrictive when palming reels or making a fist than many competing gloves. This makes them excellent for fly fishing as these they will provide excellent grip and still allow anglers to strip line naturally.

The gloves provide excellent sun protection

Durability: The Buff Sport Gloves are definitely not as durable as the Pro Series as they do not feature layers of varying materials to add strength, and the upper thumb and finger portions were damaged by bass teeth during testing. The stitching on the gloves is good and while we noticed some fraying in the finger cut offs the gloves held up well over months of use and did not split at any of the seams.

Even when wet I was able to maintain a solid grip on baitcasters

Price & Applications: There are four sizes available (XS/S, S/M, M/L, L/XL) and the Sport Series gloves retail for $29.99 each. If I only could have one glove for fishing I would still opt for the more durable and hard wearing Buff Pro Series, but if you are looking for a glove that addresses watersports more-so than conventional fishing the Sport Series does offer a lot of benefits that go beyond just angling applications, for example if you are spending more time “in” the water than above the water then the Sport Series is the better choice. Compared to the Simms Sungloves we reviewed back in 2008 the Buff Sport Series offers more protection from the sun and scrapes due to a complete glove design versus the Simms offering which has an open palm design. Since our original review Simms has updated their SunGlove design but the new design still does feature a open palm configuration.

Ratings:

Buff Sport Series Glove Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality	The Pro Series gloves are armored with a combination of materials like Dupont® and Clarino™ and the Sport Series places greater emphasis on a more naturally contoured design with nylon/lycra material	8
Performance	When it comes to comfort and dexterity the new Sport Series Gloves are excellent but they are not as durable as the Pro Series and did take damage from abrasive surfaces including micro bass teeth	8
Price	A lot cheaper than the Pro Series these gloves are priced reasonably	8
Features	Great UPF protection, silicon grips, naturally contouring design, wrist and finger pulls for easy on and off	8
Design (Ergonomics)	Great fit and extremely comfortable. The fabric is breathable and dries quickly yet provides a solid grip at all times	8.5
Application	Best used for lighter angling applications and excellent for waterports requiring you to get wet	8
Total Score		8.08
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable! For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus	Minus
+ Breathable and comfortable even when wet	- Doesn't offer protection from sharp objects
+ Designed for watersports, dries quickly	- Better for lighter fishing applications and watersports
+ Silicon logo palm provides a solid grip on multiple surfaces even when wet
+ Excellent UPF protection all the way up the wrist
+ Reasonable price

The Sport Series Gloves takes some damage from bass teeth and is better used for fly fishing. This is a glove for watersports first and foremost and we love how comfortable it is

Conclusion: The Sport Series Gloves are a good addition to the Buff lineup and are designed primarily for watersport enthusiasts. These are not the best gloves for bass anglers as the material can be roughed up by either tools or bass themselves but they are excellent for fly fishing and any sports where you are in close contact with water like kayaking and water skiing. The Sport Series provides excellent protection from the sun and light abrasion and is able to dry quickly and still remain somewhat comfortable even when completely drenched. The Pro Series is still our choice for extreme angling like trips to the Amazon but when it comes to wading and fly fishing applications anglers now have another quality option with the Buff Sport Series.

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