Bottom Line
The Showa Atlas 282-02 is an affordable, fully waterproof glove that has long been a favorite among commercial fishermen and ice climbers. Renowned for its incredible durability and rubberized waterproof outer, it is a must for anyone who spends long periods with their hands immersed in ice water. Due to its affordable price and impressive performance, the Showa Atlas 282 is one of our best winter gloves.
The Showa Atlas is one of the more dexterous gloves in our lineup. With slightly shorter fingers, it’s great for working with your hands, fiddling with carabiners, or tightening buckles and straps. Its polyethylene outer provides complete resistance to water while also being durable and strong. A fuzzy acrylic inner keeps your hands warm in moderate temperatures.
While you won’t be winning any fashion awards in these rubber gloves, the Showa Atlas 282-02 provides impressive value and performance. These gloves are best for working in the wet and cold or recreating in damp environments.
How We Tested
Our Alaska-based gear tester, Miles Knotek, is no stranger to Showa Atlas 282-02 gloves and has trusted them for many seasons. He dunked them in water for four minutes to test their waterproofing and then compared them against other contenders for three months in Alaska’s wild conditions.
Quick Specs
Showa Atlas 282-02
Best Waterproof Work Gloves
CleverHiker Rating: 4.6/5.0
Price: $28
Weight: 4 oz.
Material: Acrylic, nylon
Touch Screen Compatible: No
Niche: Work
Pros
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- Waterproof
- Long cuff with drawcord
Cons
- Not breathable
- Lack of style
Comfort & Dexterity
The Showa Atlas is surprisingly well-designed, given its low price. The polyurethane shell is supple and thin enough to enhance dexterity. Yet, it is still thick enough to provide protection and weather resistance.
The gauntlet of the glove is a smooth rubberized compound. The hand and fingers are textured to provide enhanced grip. Slightly shorter fingers help give these gloves their high level of dexterity. We handled screws and completed outdoor work requiring fine motor skills easily while wearing these gloves.
An insulative acrylic lining is soft to the touch and extends from the fingertips to the cuff’s opening. The biggest thing to note is that these gloves run small. Our usual medium felt more like a small. While that aids in dexterity, we suggest sizing up if you want a more standard fit with more airspace for circulation.
Warmth
On a wet day of early-season skiing in Alaska’s Kenai Mountains, we were glad to be wearing these gloves. They kept us warm in saturated snow at around freezing temperatures. We tested them down to 10 degrees, and they provided enough warmth for those temperatures. The acrylic lining lacks the loft of other synthetic insulators and packs down in the fingers after extended use.
Their tight fit makes adding a liner impossible. While these gloves are not warm enough for temperatures much below twenty degrees if you’re not working up some body heat, they are excellent for the cool and damp of fall and spring or more mild winter temperatures.
Moisture Control
When breaking trail in these on a deep and heavy powder day in Alaska’s Turnagain Pass, it quickly became obvious that the Showa Atlas prioritizes weather resistance over breathability.
The gloves are labeled as waterproof, and as such, the outer material does not breathe well. We quickly became damp and clammy when exercising in these and felt that the only way to increase ventilation was to take the gloves off.
The acrylic insulation moves moisture away from the skin, but it can only go so far before it is trapped by the polyurethane outer. Some people resort to cutting out the acrylic liner to be able to remove it and dry it after use. Designed for standing still and picking fish out of a net, do not expect these gloves to be highly breathable. We used these gloves most for chores, ice skating, or yard work, where we would not be exerting ourselves to the point of sweating.
Weather Resistance
The Showa Atlas offers supreme and impenetrable weather resistance. The Polylurethane shell is completely sealed against any moisture from entering. The only moisture you will encounter in these gloves will be from your sweat.
The Atlas is our glove of choice when working in ice and slush or skiing in the snow and rain. The slightly extended cuff on the 282-02 allows for better coverage than other gloves. With a secure elastic cinch, all snow and rain was kept from getting to our hands. If you plan on spending prolonged time in cold rain or snow, these are a great choice.
Durability
For its low price, the Show Atlas is impressively durable. Made to withstand the rigors of commercial fishing and maritime work, they have reliable durability for hard work. It’s marketed as cut-resistant, making it ideal for work wear, ice fishing, or hauling in the day’s catch.
With extended use, we did encounter some durability issues. The acrylic lining quickly packed out in the fingers and hands after a few uses. While it lost its loft, it still retains the same amount of warmth as brand new.
After heavy use, we noticed that the textured grip on the gloves started to smooth out. This causes grip to decrease markedly over time. While some lack of durability is to be expected with budget gloves, the 282-02 remains a solid option for anyone needing one pair of gloves to last a long time.
Should You Buy the Showa Atlas 282-02 Gloves?
If you prefer to place function over fashion, and price above all, the Showa Atlas is the glove for you. While they may look more at home in an industrial kitchen washing dishes, they will keep you warm and dry from the outside elements.
We love the Showas for their impregnable polyurethane that is extremely weather-resistant and doesn’t let in a drop of water. However, their wet-weather performance comes at the cost of their breathability. While you won’t be taking these out for a run or cross-country ski, the Showas shine as a low-output wet-weather glove.
Their excellent grip and dexterity make them a perfect choice for a work glove at home, on the ship, or in the ice fishing shack. The Showa Atlas is an impressive performer at a sub-thirty-dollar price.
What Other Winter Gloves Should You Consider?
Our guide to the best winter gloves offers everything from liner gloves to blizzard whiteout ready mittens. Here are a few that might be worth reaching for:
Dakine Titan Review: If you’re looking for a warmer glove without breaking the bank, the Titan is affordably priced while still being waterproof.
Burton Gore-Tex Gloves Review: With features more geared toward snowsports, the Burtons are affordable, waterproof, and versatile for winter activities.
Black Diamond Guide Review: If the Showas left you wanting a warmer glove but you still need it to be waterproof, the Guide is the warmest glove in our lineup while still being completely waterproof.
