Aside from a lifting belt, weight lifting gloves are probably the most common, and cheap weight lifting accessory. But, do you really need them?
Generally, weight lifting gloves serve one purpose only: to improve the grip.
However, weight lifting gloves may also be used to prevent the skin from going tough, cut, blistered or calloused, and are therefore very popular among many lifters, particularly females.
Many people prefer to lift without gloves, and I myself am one of them – but I do make use of my own leather weight lifting gloves from time to time. Sometimes – particularly in hot weather – my grip may become too slippery, in which case I’ll use my gloves.
I also made use of my gloves when I’d injured one of my fingers and my grip was weakened, Other times, if my grip is tired, I sometimes find it easier to hold the bar with weight lifting gloves – particularly for exercises which involve an overhand grip, such as reverse wrist curls.
Overall, it comes down to personal preference. I think it’s always handy to purchase a pair of weight lifting gloves, and then you have them to try out and use at certain times and in certain circumstances. Or, you may well find out you are one of those people who prefers to wear them for the entire workout.