I would like the battery to be portable. Preferable on the glove itself, so the whole system will be self contained. I can use some mounted in a backpack or "fanny pack" if need be, but from what I understand the further the power source is from the electromagnet, the weaker it is. I originally thought two 9v's would work?

As already mentioned, two 9v batteries will NOT work. They will not be able to source enough current for extended periods of time. It might work for a minute or two, but it's probably not worth wasting two batteries for every two minutes of use. I recommend trying to find a 12v sealed lead-acid battery. They are very rugged and would be able to handle the application. Look for one with a high Ah rating. The higher it is, the longer it'll last.

 

Or a Lipo battery like used in RC cars and planes. Or even a power tool battery could be adapted.

 

Or a Lipo battery like used in RC cars and planes. Or even a power tool battery could be adapted.

I wouldn't recommend LiPo batteries. They are apt to explode if the load connected to them isn't high enough. I'm not sure if your electromagnet would be enough to prevent this or not. Likewise, if too much current is drawn, they will heat up and cause problems.

A power tool battery is lead-acid, I believe. Some nowadays may be NiMH or NiCd, but I think most of them are SLA. I agree that they may be a good choice, though you'll have to recharge them frequently.

 

Someone posted a link to what looked like a power wheel battery, would a 12v or 2 6's work of these?

I also located a small motorcycle battery, assuming the current rating is correct.

 

Someone posted a link to what looked like a power wheel battery, would a 12v or 2 6's work of these?

I also located a small motorcycle battery, assuming the current rating is correct.

I'm not really sure what a "Power Wheel" is, so I'm not sure how to answer that. A motorcycle battery will probably work, but they tend to be fairly heavy for what they are. I didn't mention them for this reason, but if you don't have a problem with carrying around a few extra lbs, it should be fine. Motorcycle batteries tend to have capacities between 6 and 15 Ah. Again, the higher the number, the longer it will last.

 

Power Wheel = little battery operated kids vehicle (Like the barbie car that a child can drive)

Those batteries are still quite hefty though, I think it would just cause more fatigue carrying the power source than to just move the stuff yourself,