Several research studies have recently demonstrated that adequate compression of positive active material is one of the key determinants of the life of lead/acid batteries. The superior life displayed by batteries with tubular plates, as opposed to those with flat pasted plates, is related to the ability of the gauntlet to retain the active material around each conductive spine of the tubular plate. Woven multi-tubular gauntlets with engineered fabric structure offer higher resistance to chemical oxidation, better energy utilization due to enhanced elastic compression of the active material. and longer trouble-free battery life. Test results are presented to demonstrate that the choice of the gauntlet affects both the performance and life of, the cells.