Okay, so I’ve been needing some new gardening gloves for a while. My old ones were, well, old. Holes, ripped seams, the whole nine yards. I did some digging around and kept seeing the name “Smith & Hawken” pop up. They seemed to have a good rep, so I figured I’d give them a shot.
Finding the Right Pair
First, I checked out what styles they had. They’ve got a bunch – leather ones, cloth ones, ones with long cuffs, short cuffs… you name it. I knew I wanted something durable, but also not too stiff, you know? I like to feel what I’m doing in the garden.

I ended up going with a pair of their leather gloves with the longer cuffs. Figured the extra protection up the arm would be good for dealing with rose bushes and anything else prickly.
Putting Them to the Test
The gloves arrived, and I was pretty happy with how they looked. The leather felt nice and soft, but still strong. The stitching looked solid, too. Of course, the real test was actually using them.
- First up: I tackled some weeding. The gloves were great for this. I could grab those pesky weeds without getting poked, and the leather kept my hands from getting all scratched up.
- Next: I moved on to pruning some bushes. The long cuffs really came in handy here. No scratches on my forearms!
- Finally: I did some digging and planting. The gloves were flexible enough that I could still handle the small plants and seeds without feeling like I was wearing oven mitts.
The Verdict?
So far, so good! These Smith & Hawken gloves are definitely a step up from my old ones. They’re comfortable, they offer good protection, and they seem like they’ll hold up well. I’ve used them for a few weeks now, through all sorts of gardening tasks, and I’m really happy with them. They feel like they will last. Time to throw the old pair away for sure!