How to Choose Motorcycle Gloves: 5 Things to Check

Your hands are usually the first thing to hit the ground in a fall, because you put them out to catch yourself. A good pair of gloves takes that slide instead of your palms. Before you buy, check five things: the material, the protection, the fit, the weather you ride in, and the price. Our motorcycle gloves run from $22.95 for fingerless cowhide to $199.74 for 12V heated gauntlets. This guide shows you where your money goes.

What This Guide Covers

The following are the important highlights of this blog:

• Which leather to choose: cowhide, goatskin or deerskin
• What knuckle armor and CE ratings mean
• How to measure your hand and how a glove should fit
• Which gloves work in summer, winter, and rain
• What each type of glove costs

1. Choose the Right Material For Motorcycle Gloves

The material decides how long a glove lasts, how it feels on the grips, and how well it holds up in a slide. Most riding gloves are made of leather, textile, or a mix of both.

Leather Gloves

Leather is still the first choice for most riders because it resists abrasion, molds to your hand, and lasts for years with care. Browse all our leather motorcycle gloves.

Cowhide Leather

Among the toughest leathers utilized in motorcycle riding gloves is cowhide. If you are in an accident, it provides outstanding abrasion resistance, which is rather important. Cowhide is slightly heavier but provides strong protection and can last years if cared for properly. The texture is firm, giving a solid grip while riding.

Our ThermalRider Men's Leather Gauntlet Gloves use aniline cowhide, which is dyed through without a heavy surface coating, so it stays soft.

Deerskin Leather

Deerskin is the softest riding leather. It stays supple even after it gets wet and dries out, which is why many long-distance riders choose it. See our deerskin motorcycle gloves, like the Avengers Men's Leather Gauntlet at $74.95.

Goatskin Leather

Goatskin sits between cowhide and deerskin. It's thinner and more flexible than cowhide but tougher than deerskin. Natural lanolin in the hide helps it shed light rain. The Moto Pro Men's Leather Gloves at $74.95 is made of aniline goatskin with a gel palm.

Textile Gloves: Lightweight and Breathable

Textile gloves' are lightweight and airy character is helping them to grow in appeal. Perfect for hot-weather riding, synthetic fabrics like nylon or polyester make up textile gloves. Still providing good protection, they provide airflow to keep your hands cool. Although they may not be as strong as leather, textile gloves usually have reinforced parts to improve lifetime.

For beginning riders or those on a budget, textile gloves are frequently more reasonably priced than leather gloves. In fast hits, however, they could not endure as long or provide the same degree of protection. For hot weather, look at our summer motorcycle gloves and mesh gloves.

Kevlar Gloves: Extreme Strength and Heat Resistance

Kevlar is an aramid fiber that resists cuts and abrasion. Glove makers usually put it in high-wear areas such as the palm, or line the inside of a leather glove with it. It adds protection without adding much bulk.

2. Check the Protection

Look for hard knuckle armor, padding over the fingers, and a reinforced palm. Your palm usually touches the ground first, so some gloves add palm sliders to help your hand slide instead of grip the pavement. Gel palms take the edge off engine vibration on long rides.

In Europe, motorcycle gloves are tested to EN 13594. Level 1 is the base rating, and Level 2 means the glove passed tougher abrasion and seam tests. Gloves with certified knuckle armor carry a KP mark. If a glove has no CE label, it hasn't been tested to that standard.

We carry hard-knuckle gloves, including the ThermalRider Men's Leather Gloves and the 12V Vanguard heated gloves, which have TPU knuckles and a SuperFabric palm. Our gloves are not CE-certified.

3. Get the Fit Right

To find your size, wrap a soft tape around your riding hand across the knuckles, leaving out the thumb. Then compare that number with the size chart on the product page.

A new leather glove should feel snug, because leather stretches a little as it breaks in. Make a fist and grip an imaginary throttle. Your fingertips shouldn't press against the ends, and the palm shouldn't bunch up. An adjustable wrist strap stops the glove from pulling off in a slide. Pre-curved fingers reduce hand fatigue on long rides.

4. Match Your Gloves to the Weather

Summer: Choose perforated leather, mesh, or fingerless gloves so air can reach your skin. Fingerless gloves give the least protection, so they work best for short, slow rides.

Winter: Choose an insulated gauntlet that seals over your jacket sleeve. The PrimeDeer Men's Leather Gauntlet Gloves ($29.99) has an insulated liner and a waterproof build. See all winter motorcycle gloves.

Heated: for riding below freezing, heated motorcycle gloves wire into your bike's battery. Our Vanguard heated gloves reach 135°F and use 150 g of Thinsulate insulation. Prices run from $169.74 to $199.74.

Rain: look for a waterproof membrane such as Aquatex or Gore-Tex, plus a rain wiper on the thumb for clearing your visor. Browse water-resistant gloves.

5. Know What You'll Pay

If you ride every day, spend more on protection and weatherproofing. If you ride on summer weekends, a $50 to $75 leather cruiser glove covers most rides.

Extra Features Worth Having

Extra features can enhance both functionality and safety. Here are some key features to look for:

Touchscreen Compatibility

Touchscreen fingertips let you use your phone or GPS without taking your gloves off. The Avengers gauntlet has them on the thumb and index finger.

Stretch Zones

Often located around the fingers and hands, stretch zones increase your range of motion and help you to become more flexible. The glove moves with your hand thanks to these flexible strips. This helps the ride to be more pleasant and prevents the glove from becoming stiff. Long travels benefit from stretch zones as they help you maintain your grip and prevent hand tiredness.

Glove Liners

A thin liner under your gloves adds warmth and wicks away sweat to keep your hands warmer and more comfortable. In chilly weather, thermal liners keep your hands toasty; moisture-wicking liners prevent excessively sweaty hands that might cause you discomfort. Certain gloves allow one to remove layers so they may be utilized in a range of environmental conditions.

Our SoftShield silk liner gloves ($39.95) add warmth without bulk.

Reflective Elements

Particularly at night or when there is little light, riders give much concern for safety. On gloves, headlights reflect off of vivid stripes or emblems to increase user visibility. This feature will let other drivers see you better, thereby adding even more security.

Considering about these extra features into your motorcycle gloves ensures greater comfort, convenience, and safety while riding.

Caring for Leather Gloves

Wipe your gloves clean after long rides and let them air-dry away from heaters, because direct heat cracks leather. Condition them every few months. See our guide to the best leather conditioners.

FAQs

What are the best motorcycle gloves for riding on the road?
For everyday street riding, a short-cuff leather glove with knuckle protection and a gel palm. For highway and touring, a gauntlet that seals over your jacket sleeve.

What are the safest motorcycle gloves for summer?
Perforated leather gloves with knuckle armor. They let air through but still protect you in a slide. Fingerless gloves are the coolest option but give the least protection.

How should motorcycle gloves fit?
Snug, with no loose material in the palm and no pressure on your fingertips when you make a fist. Leather stretches slightly as it breaks in.

Are deerskin gloves good for motorcycle riding?
Yes. Deerskin is the softest riding leather, and it stays supple after getting wet.

Final Remarks:

Consider how each option will match your riding requirements before trying on many ones. Which gloves are best? On your hands, you should feel pleasant; these gloves should keep you secure and enable you to enjoy the journey. Get ready to hit the open road, but first remember to break in your new gloves. Happy riding!