Ideal Shooting Gloves for Women

TFB Review: Viktos Operatus XP Gloves

Alright ladies, if you’ve spent more than one range session wiping sweat off your hands, digging your hands and nails into the dirt while working on shooting from prone, or trying to keep a solid grip with your slicked up palms, you’ve probably wondered, as I did, if gloves would be a worthy investment. Not only that, but I’ve also wondered if gloves could actually enhance my training, not just protect my hands. During my search for the best shooting gloves for women, I happened upon the Viktos Operatus XP gloves. Equipped with these gloves I hit the range and ran over 1,000 rounds through both pistol and rifle platforms to see how they held up. I quickly discovered that these gloves lived up to my expectations. 

The Gloves Go On

When control and accuracy matter, nothing beats a solid grip. While gloves certainly aren’t a crutch for bad technique, and they certainly aren’t a replacement for dry fire reps and solid fundamentals, they can be a solid addition to help support you.

From the moment I slid on the Viktos Operatus XPs, it felt like a mental switch flipped. They became part of the ritual, just like cinching down my gun belt, checking my red dot, and confirming my mags were seated. These gloves became part of the system, not just an accessory. Viktos, a veteran-owned company based out of Janesville, Wisconsin, designs their gear with the shooter in mind for any skill level—military, law enforcement, or those of us grinding on the range weekly—their products are built with purpose. In a size small, the Operatus XP is a prime example of just how tough, flexible, and surprisingly comfortable they are right out of the box. Side note, if you are interested in the ones I purchased, they are the ones in the color Coyote and can be found here.

Real Range Testing and Not Just a Fashion Statement

I tested these gloves the way I test all my equipment—by running them through the gauntlet. Over several training sessions, I ran well over 1,000 rounds with them in all kinds of conditions: heat, light rain, dry dusty drills, and everything in between. I ran reloads, malfunction clearing, barricade positions, transitions, prone shooting, and yes, even did the classic Bill Drill to test recoil management and grip consistency. 

The first thing I noticed? I could shoot slightly faster, for longer. Not because gloves made me a better shooter because there’s no substitute for reps, but they did keep my hands dry and helped me maintain grip during longer strings of fire. On hotter days, where I’d normally have to stop and wipe off the sweat dripping from hands or regrip mid-drill or apply quarter sized amounts of liquid chalk, I was able to power through without these extra tools. 

Cold Weather Performance

While the Operatus XP isn’t designed as a dedicated winter shooting glove, it performs well in cool-to-cold conditions—roughly the 40°–60°F range—without feeling stiff or restrictive. During brisk morning range sessions and rainy training days, they provided enough insulation to keep my hands functional without overheating once drills picked up.

These work best as a standalone glove in mild cold or as a liner under heavier winter gloves when temperatures drop lower. The breathability is excellent, which means you won’t trap sweat and end up colder later—but that same breathability also limits true winter warmth.

Compared to insulated winter shooting gloves, you’ll trade warmth for dexterity with the Viktos. Dedicated cold-weather gloves are bulkier and warmer but almost always sacrifice trigger feel and reload efficiency. I prefer running the Operatus XP with a heavier outer glove available for downtime between drills when it’s truly cold.

For the Ladies

Here’s the part I really want to highlight, and I say this to any woman reading who trains seriously or is just getting started, finding gloves that actually fit female hands is ridiculously frustrating. If you are like me, most of the generic or mens size small gloves leave a lot to be desired. Viktos did something different here. The Operatus XP gloves are very low-profile, with a contoured fit that actually feels like they were made for smaller, narrower hands and that’s huge when you’re trying to manage muzzle flip, execute reloads, or shoot one-handed. 

Women’s hands are built differently than men’s—narrower palms, slimmer fingers, shorter finger length—and most tactical gloves on the market simply shrink men’s patterns and call them “small.” That usually leads to excess material at the fingertips, sloppy trigger feel, and poor control during reloads. For shooting gloves to actually help instead of hinder, they need to match female hand geometry, not fight it.

Properly fitted women’s shooting gloves improve grip consistency, reduce fatigue during longer range sessions, and protect the hands without sacrificing dexterity. The Operatus XP is one of the few models I’ve tested that truly bridges protection and precision for women.

Reloads, Malfunctions, and Movement

Reloading with gloves always feels a little awkward at first. The added layer between my fingers and my mags changed how I indexed—I needed to feel the baseplate a little more in the lower palm of my hand and slid my index finger down slightly to allow room for any extra material on the finger and the magwell—how I felt the mag release, and how cleanly I seated the mag. That said, I would say it took me about 100 reps before it became natural again. Slide lock and speed reloads were smooth. Viktos designed these gloves to be tactile enough to not get in the way and it shows. 

Running malfunction drills was another area where these gloves really impressed me. The added friction made racking the slide easier and more secure, and I never really worried about a hot slide or scraping a knuckle. The gloves also added a nice barrier when it came time to brace against a barricade whether it was wood, steel, or hot metal. 

What About Accuracy?

Ah, trigger feel... the one area gloves still fall a little short, in my opinion. It’s not that you can’t be accurate with gloves. You absolutely can. But there's a slight loss in tactile sensitivity for me. I had to focus more to feel the wall and break, especially during slow-fire or 10–20 yard accuracy drills. My splits were fine and my hits were on, but I wouldn’t use gloves when I’m chasing tenths of a second in a competition. I want that raw feel of the trigger with no barrier. 

That’s why I don’t always wear gloves when competing, though I do wear them during rifle-heavy or longer range days. Side note, I have seen quite a few practical shooters wear gloves even during matches, so to each their own. 

I did run the Bill Drill a few times at 7 yards to test the consistency of the grip with “slapping” and “rolling” trigger techniques, and I will say, I was pretty happy with the outcome in regard to consistent accuracy. I used the center scoring zone on standard cardboard silhouette targets to keep the measurement consistent.

Tech Compatibility: Ehh...

One hiccup that’s worth mentioning—the touchscreen compatibility is hit-or-miss. Sometimes the gloves would register on my phone, and other times I was jabbing my screen like I was trying to win a carnival game. If you’re logging your data between drills in the notes section on your phone or need to check a timer app, this might not be super smooth. Not a huge deal, but it’s not flawless. These gloves are meant for shooting, which is my main concern.

Durability & Performance

Here’s where Viktos knocked it out of the park—after weeks of abuse reloading mags, pushing off barricades, getting soaked in the rain, getting drug through the dirt, and 2 wash cycles, these gloves are still fully intact. No holes. No loose threads. Just some minor seam wear. The Velcro around the wrist still has its strong hold as well. I had expected to replace them after a few months, but now I’m not so sure. For a pair of gloves in this price range, the value’s definitely there. You can check out the full specs and order from Viktos.com if you’re glove-curious like I was.

How Viktos Compares to Other Women’s Shooting Gloves

I’ve tried a lot of gloves over the years, and friends I train with rotate through even more. Two of the most common alternatives women gravitate toward are the PIG FDT Charlie/Echo and the Mechanix FastFit. Both fill a role—but neither really replaces what Viktos offers.

The PIG FDT Charlie and Echo, typically priced around $30, are popular because they’re extremely thin. That ultra-minimal design gives excellent trigger feel, especially for competition shooters. The downside? They run very small, even by women’s glove standards. Most women I know end up sizing up, and even then the fingers can feel short. Durability is also a tradeoff—great sensitivity, but they wear faster under barricade work, prone shooting, and repeated reload drills. They’re solid for pure pistol work, but not ideal for hard training cycles.

The Mechanix FastFit, usually around $20, is a budget-friendly entry option. They’re unisex, widely available, and flexible. I’ve worn them in a pinch and they get the job done for basic range days. However, they aren’t designed specifically for shooting. Trigger feel is muted, grip texture is generic, and women often struggle with finger length and excess palm material. They’re fine if you’re just getting started, but you’ll outgrow them fast if you train seriously.

The Viktos Operatus XP sits comfortably in the mid-range price category (typical shooting gloves run anywhere from $20 to $120). What you’re paying for here is balance—durability without bulk, protection without sacrificing feel, and a fit that actually works for women’s hands. They last significantly longer than ultra-thin competition gloves, offer better heat and barricade protection than budget options, and still retain enough sensitivity for meaningful pistol work. For me, that makes Viktos the preferred all-around training glove rather than a single-purpose option.

Sizing Guide for Women’s Shooting Gloves

Getting the right size shooting glove matters more than most people realize—especially for women. A poor fit affects trigger control, reload efficiency, and overall grip confidence.

To measure your hand properly, use a soft measuring tape and record two measurements:

1. Hand circumference – Measure around your knuckles with your hand flat and relaxed (not including the thumb).
2. Hand length – Measure from the base of your palm at the wrist crease to the tip of your middle finger.

Most sizing charts use both numbers, but circumference usually drives glove size more than finger length.

One of the most common sizing mistakes women make is automatically choosing small. Tactical gloves notoriously run small, and many brands size based on men’s hands. That often leaves women dealing with tight knuckles but extra material at the fingertips—worst of both worlds.

With the Viktos Operatus XP specifically, I found the sizing to be true-to-size compared to most shooting gloves. I normally wear a small, and the small fit me correctly without excess fingertip material. If you are between sizes, have longer fingers, or prefer a slightly looser feel for circulation, sizing up is reasonable. If you prefer a very snug, competition-style fit, true-to-size will serve you well.

When I Use Them… and When I Don’t

To be honest, gloves are a situational tool. I wear them during rifle training, long practice days, bad weather, and barricade-heavy scenarios. I don’t usually wear them when running high-level pistol drills, prepping for a match, or doing slow, detailed trigger work though.

And that’s the point: you don’t need to wear gloves every time, in my opinion. But if you never train with them, and then try to use them in a course or real scenario, you’re adding unfamiliar friction, literally and figuratively. So if you plan to wear gloves for protection, you need to include them in your reps.

So... Should You Train with Gloves?

Yes! But not because they’ll make you shoot better. Train with gloves because they let you train longer, with fewer distractions. They protect your hands. They reduce fatigue. They let you focus on reps, movement, mechanics and not on heat, splinters, or sweaty palms. They help you stay in the zone, in my opinion.

And for women shooters especially, gloves like the Viktos Operatus XP offer that much-needed blend of form, function, and fit. They give you one more tool to stay consistent (which is key!) behind the gun.

At the end of the day, gear should serve you. If gloves let you push a little harder, shoot a little longer, or feel more in control, they’re worth having in your range bag. Worst case? You protect your hands. Best case? You elevate your training and maybe even look pretty cool doing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size shooting gloves should women buy?

Women should measure both hand circumference and length rather than guessing based on “small” or “medium.” Many tactical gloves run small, so check sizing charts carefully and size up if you’re between sizes.

Do shooting gloves affect accuracy?

They can slightly reduce trigger sensitivity, but a well-fitted glove won’t significantly hurt accuracy. With training, most shooters adapt quickly and maintain consistent hit quality.

Can you use these gloves in cold weather?

Yes, in mild cold they work well on their own. In true winter conditions, they function better as a liner under insulated gloves.

Are women’s tactical gloves different from men’s?

Proper women’s gloves account for narrower palms, slimmer fingers, and shorter finger length. Many “unisex” gloves are simply downsized men’s designs.

How long do shooting gloves typically last?

That depends on training volume, but quality gloves like the Viktos Operatus XP can last multiple seasons of regular use with proper care.

This article was updated with additional input from Deanna M.