Reviews |Vallerret Photography Gloves – Markhof Pro Model review: is this the best glove you can buy?

Vallerret Photography Gloves – Markhof Pro Model review: is this the best glove you can buy?

Vallerret Photography Glove - Markhof Pro Model review: is this the best glove you can buy?
Review

This is the best glove you can buy for photography. Just getting that out of the way. And now I’ll explain.

For years we at Team Jabber have been searching for the best gloves for photography, but ultimately, everything we tried fell up short. The touchpad thingies in the fingers weren’t responsive enough. The finger holes too drafty, or if they folded, the mechanism that held them back was too weak.

There was always a niggling flaw. In the end, I opted for a £1.99 pair of fingerless gloves I purchased at a Texaco station. My fingers and hands froze in the dead of winter, but I was able to operate a touchscreen and grip a memory card.

Angela resorted to cutting the fingertips off a pair of old winter gloves and Ali… he got frostbite, lost his fingers and now paints landscapes with his feet. OK, so not really. But the struggle is real nonetheless. It’s 2017. Why are we still searching for photography gloves? Why has this accessory proved so difficult to develop?!

Then at The Photography Show 2017 I stumbled across a small stand in the back of the show hall where a company called Vallerret was selling its range of gloves for photographers.

Intrigued by the Markhof Pro Model gloves, I asked Karl from Vallerret if I could review them.

Read our guide to the best camera accessories

Vallerret Markhof Pro Model photography gloves: build quality

There is an impressive level of quality and attention to detail that’s gone into the construction of the Markhof Pro gloves, and it’s apparent straightaway.

The exterior of the gloves is a mix of polyester, Nylon spandex and leather (63%), while the interior is lined with 100% Merino wool.

The palm and fingers of the Markhof Pro are also coated with a non-slip grip material to keep your camera safe and steady, which is useful when working in wet conditions.

Small openings on the thumb and index finger allow you to fold the glove back to expose your fingertips. And magnets sewn into back of the thumb and index finger keep the folded-back portion in place, giving you unfettered access to the mode dials on your camera, menu buttons or prising that extra memory card out of the convenient zipper pockets sewn into the back of the hand on each glove.

Read our Vallerret W’s Nordic Photogra[hy Glove review

Vallerret Markhof Pro Model photography gloves in use

Vallerret Markhof Pro Model photography gloves in use

The Vallerret Markhof Pro Model photography gloves come in sizes XS, S, M, L and XL. I have Donald Trump-size hands, so I was quite surprised when Karl fitted me with size Medium gloves, but the fit is near perfect.

The cuff fits snugly against my wrist. My fingers fill the gloves to the end comfortably with no squeezing or struggle.

But what I really like about these gloves is how thin, yet warm they are. Previous photography gloves I have worn have been too bulky, limiting my finger movements. And while I’m not playing piano out there, having that extra dexterity of movement allows me to insert a memory card or turn an exposure compensation dial quite naturally.

What’s more, while they are warm, they also breathe just enough to keep your hands from sweating.

In short, I was able to do everything with my camera that I normally do without much awkwardness. This is really thanks to the ‘FlipTech’ access on the index finger and thumb which lets you expose your fingers for finer detailed work like selecting an AF point.

Vallerret Markhof Pro Model photography gloves: verdict

These are the best photography gloves you can buy. Full stop. Everything about them… just works. The attention to detail shows that Vallerret knows what photographers want and need to do in the field.

That said, they are not cheap. At €69.95 they’ll probably be the most expensive gloves you’ve purchased, but if shooting through the seasons and maintaining your workflow is crucial to your photography business, then the Vallerret Markhof Pro Model gloves are worth every Euro.

Read our Vallerret Alta Over-Mitt Photography Glove review

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