I love cloth tape. I'm not a fan of the thick regular bar tape and I like the girth of drops as they are (though when I was rolling with bullhorns, I hated the thin feel -- and would use cork tape for that) with that slender feel.

I have my bars typically wrapped up two ways: cork tape in the drops and when they start to curve, cloth tape up until the flats, flat. OR grips in the drops and cloth tape up till the flats.

As for gloves: in the summer, it's usually barehanded. If I'm doing a training ride, it's minimally padded Northwave Skeleton gloves or FOX Incline full-fingered, also with no padding.

Though, I've been re-considering the no padding for the 40+ mile rides and have been looking at options.