In environments where workers regularly encounter intense radiant heat, open flame, molten splash, or hot objects, high temperature hand protection becomes a critical part of operational safety. Industrial users often choose between two primary forms - high-temperature gloves or high-temperature mittens. While both are engineered to withstand extreme conditions, they offer distinctly different advantages in terms of dexterity, insulation, comfort, and temperature performance.
This guide breaks down how each design functions, the differences between gloves and mittens in thermal environments, and how to select the most suitable option for your application.
What Are Heat-Resistant Mittens?
Heat-resistant mittens are specialized thermal protective hand coverings featuring a single-cavity design where all four fingers share one compartment while the thumb remains separate, and are the preferred choice for applications where thermal protection matters, not grip.
This simplified structure is highly effective in high-heat environments because it reduces the number of seams - thereby minimizing heat conduction pathways - and creates a larger insulating air pocket inside the mitten. With all fingers sharing one compartment, the mitten traps a greater volume of air, which acts as a natural insulator and significantly lowers heat transfer to the user’s hand, resulting in superior sustained thermal performance.
A significant added advantage is that mittens can be designed to be reversible. Once the palm is worn, the operator can switch hands and the back of one becomes the palm on the other side, creating 2x the value.
What Are High-Temperature Gloves?
High-temperature gloves, unlike mittens, use a five-finger design that gives the wearer full hand articulation and enhanced grip, making them ideal for tasks requiring dexterity and control while still offering strong resistance to heat, abrasion, molten splash, and sparks. Their individual finger structure allows workers to handle small tools, operate equipment, hold welding guns, grip irregular surfaces, and maneuver components during fabrication.
Although gloves may not deliver the same peak heat resistance as mittens due to having more seams, they provide an optimal balance of movement, precision, tactile functionality, and thermal performance for most industrial tasks. This combination of protection and flexibility makes them highly versatile across industrial operations, particularly those involving tool handling, positional welding, and component manipulation.
Buy High-Temperature Gloves & Mittens at Newtex Industries
Newtex Industries is a global manufacturer of advanced high-temperature protection solutions, trusted across industrial, aerospace, automotive, and foundry environments. Our heat-resistant mittens and gloves are designed using world-class materials, including Zetex® texturized fiberglass, ZetexPlus® vermiculite-coated fiberglass, and aluminized heat-reflective fabrics.
We manufacture durable, long-lasting hand protection textiles engineered to withstand radiant heat, convection heat, molten metal splash, sparks, and mechanical wear. Our glove and mitten solutions are available in multiple lengths, insulation levels, and styles to meet the demands of light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty high-temperature environments.
Heat-Resistant Mittens
1. Zetex® Mittens
These mittens are made from texturized fiberglass fabric - providing exceptional insulation and high heat resistance, making them suitable for demanding thermal environments. They are designed to withstand continuous temperatures up to 900°F, and peak exposure up to 1100°F - featuring a thick, insulating construction ideal for furnace and kiln operations.
Zetex mittens are also highly effective for handling hot parts and materials, offering reliable protection in high-temperature industrial settings.
2. ZetexPlus® Mittens
ZetexPlus® mittens are engineered with a vermiculite-coated fiberglass fabric that delivers significantly enhanced abrasion resistance and high-heat performance.
They are designed to withstand continuous temperatures up to 1400°F and peak exposure up to 1800°F, offering greater durability for use in foundries, melt shops, and other harsh industrial environments where superior thermal protection is essential.
High-Temperature Gloves
1. Zetex® Gloves
These high-temperature gloves are designed for reliable thermal protection in applications that demand both heat resistance and flexibility. They provide continuous protection up to 900°F and can tolerate peak temperatures up to 1100°F.
This balance of durability and control makes them a dependable choice for welding, furnace access, hot equipment handling, and routine maintenance tasks across high-temperature facilities.
2. ZetexPlus® Gloves
ZetexPlus® gloves deliver enhanced performance for environments where sustained exposure to extreme heat is common. Their vermiculite-treated fiberglass construction enables continuous protection up to 1250°F with peak exposure up to 1800°F.
This improved capability makes them ideal for foundries, metal processing, and environments where workers are exposed to significant radiant and conductive heat.
3. Aluminized Z-Flex® Gloves
Aluminized Z-Flex® gloves are designed for jobs where intense radiant heat is the main risk. Their reflective outer layer provides radiant heat protection up to 3000°F, making them a dependable choice for work around furnaces, molten metal, and other environments where radiant heat exposure is the biggest concern.
Newtex offers two primary styles - an FAA gauntlet style glove with leather for firefighting operations. And a traditional industrial style that can be ordered with a Zetex, ZetexPlus, or Aluminized palm. Aluminized palms are generally only used in lower temperature applications like clean rooms.
Gloves vs Mittens: Functional Performance in High-Temperature Work
|
Functional Performance |
Mittens |
Gloves |
|---|---|---|
|
Comfort |
Excellent |
Very Good |
|
Control |
Low |
High |
|
Precision Tasks |
Low |
High |
|
Grip |
Good |
Excellent |
Material Performance Comparison for High-Temperature Gloves & Mittens
|
Material |
Zetex |
ZetexPlus Vermiculite |
Z-Flex II Aluminized |
Leather |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Material Features |
Texturized E-Glass |
Vermiculite Coated, Texturized E-Glass |
Multilayer Aluminized Film |
Cowhide Suede |
|
Handling - Continuous |
900°F |
1250°F |
200°F if Aluminized Palm (for contact) |
140°F |
|
Handling - Peak |
1100°F |
1800°F |
N/A |
180°F |
|
Radiant Protection (IR) |
N/A |
N/A |
3000°F |
N/A |
|
Molten Metal |
Good |
Very Good |
Superior |
Good |
|
Flexibility |
Moderate |
Moderate |
Excellent |
Excellent |
|
Purpose |
Labs, Ovens |
Furnaces, Hot tools |
Molten Metal |
Labs |
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High Temperature Fire Retardant Coating and Common Applications
Conclusion
Choosing between mittens and gloves for high-temperature applications ultimately depends on the specific demands of the task. Mittens excel in situations where maximum insulation and protection from sustained or radiant heat are critical, while gloves offer superior hand mobility, precision, and control for tasks involving tools, intricate handling, or repetitive motion.
Right-hand protection ensures not only comfort and performance but also reduces the risk of heat-related injuries during industrial operations.
Contact our technical specialists today
to get guidance on the right product for your application or request a quote for your facility.
