Recommendations for leather gloves for Southwest bushwacking

I like using the Petzl Cordex gloves. They're comfortable and tough since they're made with goat hide leather. And if you're not bushwalking you can use them for yard work around the house.

+1 on the goatskin – light but tough. Also, the gloves I use for work (carpentry) might be pretty good – Grease Monkey Gorilla Grip. Not as tough as a leather glove, so they won't last as long but lighter and more breathable, and pretty cheap.

There are usually gloves at home improvement stores with leather palms and nylon backs which are fairly light and not very bulky. I use a pair for DIY vehicle maintenance.

Another vote for goatskin — just google "goatskin work gloves" and you should be able to find something nice for a very reasonable price.

How tough do you need the gloves to be? If you are just grabbing rough branches and climbing up over rocks and the like, why not try some very lightweight leather gloves.

My suggestion: get a cheap pair of golf or batting gloves. Most can be had for well under $20. Worth a try and definitely more lightweight and breathable than garden/work gloves.

Find the company "Galeton". Buy their "Trooper" gloves. Made of thin goatskin, I'll get at least a year out of a pair, marking timber for the Forest Service. They're something like $12 a pair, which is awesome for an all-leather goat glove.

Is this for cooler or hotter weather?

Not especially light, but tough and cheap:

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/laurentide-double-palm-gloves-white-deerskin-for-men~p~2695p/?filterString=s~deerskin%2F&colorFamily=01

Deerskin work gloves for $9.71 before any other discounts.