Motorcycle gloves - for what purposes and what models can they be?

Good gloves provide not only protection, but also comfort during travel. Motorcycle gloves of the wrong size will interfere with your riding, and their protective features will not provide the protection they are designed to provide. With the help of this article, you will learn to understand the types of motorcycle gloves, determine which size is right for you, and be able to buy the perfect gloves for yourself. Let's go!

Material

Speaking about the materials from which motorcycle gloves are made, we can divide them into three types: leather, textile and combined.

Leather motorcycle gloves

Leather is a timeless classic that has accompanied the first motorcycles since the earliest days. And for good reason: the leather is reliable and durable, and with the right size it fits comfortably. It’s not for nothing that they say “fits like a second skin” - that’s exactly what it’s about. The point here is that leather gloves can mold to the shape of your hands, and a well-fitting pair of gloves is one of the most satisfying feelings motorcycle gear can provide. Leather is usually the most expensive material option, but its water resistance is not at the highest level and is not suitable as an all-weather option. On cold days, the leather provides virtually no warmth, and on hot days it does not ventilate, and when choosing leather for everyday driving, be prepared to have three pairs of gloves: lined, regular and perforated. And one more thing: only leather gear is suitable for serious track riding.

Leather motorcycle gloves

Textile motorcycle gloves

Modern fabrics allow manufacturers to make gloves for any conditions. The best waterproof gloves are made from textile. Whether I ride in bad weather, hot or cold, I have the right textile gloves in my closet. Also, textiles are as versatile as possible, so if you are looking for one pair of gloves for any riding conditions, take textile motorcycle gloves. Keep in mind that textiles do not wear in as well as leather, so if a glove fits poorly in the store, it will be just as uncomfortable over time. It is also worth considering that in some warm gloves the lining can be quite thick.

Combined leather+textile motorcycle gloves

Leather has its advantages, textiles have theirs. Why not combine them? Combination gloves usually have leather in those areas that suffer from sliding, and the rest are made of textiles. Thanks to this, they can be waterproof, have rubber cuffs, a warm lining, or, conversely, mesh for improved airflow. Combination gloves combine the best of both worlds and are definitely worth a look.

Combined leather+textile motorcycle gloves

What should you consider before purchasing?

Seasonality and climatic properties

First of all, decide for what season you need motorcycle protection. Summer motorcycle gloves are usually leather and thin, not moisture-resistant, and most often they do not have a lining. Sometimes there are textile ones with inserts, but they are less safe than those made of leather.

Winter models are made of material that does not allow moisture and cold to pass through. They are longer than summer accessories, so they keep your hands warm and protect from the wind.

There are also rain motorcycle gloves made of thin plastic that prevent your hands from getting wet. Driving a bike in such equipment is not very convenient, since your hands constantly slip off the gas handle.

Level of protection and driving style

Motorcycle gloves should be chosen taking into account the type of riding, because each motorcycling discipline has its own characteristics and requires certain equipment:

• motorcycle protection for the track will not provide adequate safety in motocross or enduro and vice versa;
• sports gloves will prevent injury to your wrist, provide mobility and save you from fractures;
• gloves for city driving and cross-country gloves do not provide serious protection against injuries; they are made of cheaper materials.

Usually leather and thin summer motorcycle gloves

Comfort

When purchasing, make sure that you are comfortable riding the “iron horse” in the equipment: nothing hinders your movement, your fingers bend freely, and the internal seams do not interfere. The gloves should fit your hand and not be tight, otherwise it will be difficult to control the motorcycle. If you are unaccustomed to it, difficulties may arise when manipulating your hands, but they will disappear over time.

Safety

Please note the presence of protective elements that will ensure your safety. Motorcycle gloves should not rub off on the asphalt or tear during the first wash. Thanks to a combination of various materials and protective inserts, they are able to absorb shock and also protect hands from stones flying from under the wheels, wind and cold. There are usually durable pads in the palm and knuckle areas, and carbon fiber plates in areas prone to damage.

Surface adhesion

The inside of the glove must be in reliable contact with the clutch and brake levers and not slip in any weather conditions. Losing your hand's grip on the controls of your motorcycle can end very badly.

Gloves should not be tight

Material

In choosing the material, the master is the master. Some people prefer leather motorcycle gloves, others buy exclusively textiles. Textile motorcycle gloves are attractive due to their variety of material combinations and ease of use in the summer months. Leather motorcycle gloves make your hands more protected, but textile gloves are lighter and breathe better. The level of leather wear is much lower, such equipment will last for more than one season. However, you need to take care of this material carefully; when washing, be sure to read the operating instructions.

Icon motorcycle gloves are in demand; they are lightweight, highly breathable and provide reliable protection.

Price

The key factor when choosing equipment is often its cost. The price of motorcycle gloves varies from several hundred rubles for a Chinese product to several thousand for a brand. Cheap gloves made of synthetics will not bring any benefit, so it is better to fork out and give preference to an expensive model made of high-tech material with the maximum level of protection.

Road motorcycle gloves

If you primarily ride a road motorcycle, road gloves are probably the way to go. Some of them are a little sportier, others are more classic, but in general the essence is the same: they have shortened cuffs for convenience and some kind of impact protection. Touchscreen support is another feature common to many models in this category, as many riders use devices with capacitive touchscreens for navigation and multimedia on the road. Travel gloves are made from all three material options.

Summing up

When choosing gloves, it is very important not to make mistakes when choosing and not to be tempted simply by the names of popular models. It is necessary to clearly formulate your requirements according to the following criteria: what gloves are needed for, for what time of year and what tasks the driver is going to perform. This article makes it quite clear how professional gloves differ from ordinary ones, and also focuses on key aspects when choosing. However, in each specific case, it is necessary to make adjustments for the individual characteristics of the person and his needs.

Racing motorcycle gloves

This category is designed for aggressive track riding. They are made of leather and have a cuff of maximum length (the so-called gaiter), covering the arm almost to the elbow. Such a cuff prevents the glove from slipping during a collision and may have additional protective elements. This type of glove has knuckle protection, a reinforced pinky finger, and other track features. They are usually more expensive than other options due to their more professional purpose.

Racing motorcycle gloves

Top 5: Best Motorcycle Gloves

Motorcyclists know that the equipment they use on the road is a dangerous vehicle, a matter of life and death; or at least life and serious injury. Without the right leather, the right boots, a helmet and good motorcycle gloves, you're putting yourself in mortal danger every time you get behind the wheel of your fast friend. And even if you ride a scooter, the lack of such basic means of protection in the event of a fall can provoke the most severe consequences.

Since the first thing you'll likely fall on is your hands, protecting them should be one of your top priorities. A good pair of motorcycle gloves will give you protection in all the right places, good airflow for comfort, and enough warmth so it doesn't matter what season you plan to use them. We've found many options to suit the needs of every rider, from commuters to avid racers. Before hitting the highway, prepare yourself and get yourself one of the 5 best motorcycle gloves .

Touring motorcycle gloves

The versatility of hiking gloves is difficult to overestimate. They usually have a full cuff, but shorter versions also exist. Usually these are textile or textile-leather gloves. Depending on the budget and preferences, these can be either simple or sophisticated models using the latest materials and technologies for a lot of money. However, they are usually worth every penny spent as soon as the trip takes place in less than ideal conditions. Even when I wear a pair of road gloves on a trip, I have warm and waterproof touring gloves in my pannier. And they helped me out more than once.

Icon Justice Mesh - a twisted story

Pros: Excellent breathability Cons: Over time they wear out and become too loose When you're racing at high speeds on your fast bike, it doesn't matter how many holes you poke in the leather, because it won't breathe anyway. The same goes for the mesh, it will prevent air from circulating to preserve the joints. But the developers of these gloves came up with something new. The back of the Icon Justice Mesh is a heavy-duty mesh reinforced with thermal plate armor. The fingertip and palm areas are made from goatskin (which is a little softer and more resilient than cowhide and quite resistant to abrasion). The gloves have a slightly curved appearance, which allows you to spend as long as necessary behind the wheel in them without feeling discomfort. The gloves have panels to increase size, which can sometimes work against you. Consider buying gloves a size smaller, as they tend to wear in and become loose. It will take some time to get used to quickly closing the rivets on your wrists, but once you get used to it, there will be no problems.

Motorcycle gloves for touring bikes

Backcountry travelers have their own ideas and needs when it comes to gloves. These short gloves are usually made of textile or a combination of textile and leather. Their main feature is that they minimally restrict movement, because off-road riding requires frequent changes of seating position and riding in a stance, and long or hard gloves will interfere with motorcycle control. At the same time, these gloves are necessarily equipped with protective elements, because falls are not uncommon even during quiet off-road driving.

Motorcycle gloves for touring bikes

Dainese Full Metal RS – professional ++

Pros: titanium inserts Cons: you have to spend a lot of time to put them on Full Metal RS is the best that Dainese has to offer. They are created both for ordinary fans of a fast ride, and for real racers who are accustomed to competition and driving at high speeds. The back and knuckle areas are made of pure titanium with carbon fiber composite inserts. Polyurethane palm inserts protect goatskin (used instead of cowhide to improve grip). Kevlar stitching gives the gloves an impressive look and also increases flexibility in the fingers, so you don't have to worry about stiffness preventing you from maneuvering or hitting the brakes. Kevlar and carbon combined with soft armor inserts will not damage your hands in any way, so any investigator can easily identify your fingerprints. Imagine, these gloves were worn by Valentino Rossi himself!

Fitting motorcycle gloves

There are two standards for glove fit - American and European. It is usually easy to understand how a glove of a given size will fit by finding out where the manufacturer is located. Most American gloves have a loose fit in the palm and fingers, and the fingers themselves are somewhat shorter. European ones, on the contrary, have long fingers, but the glove fits a little tighter. In any case, the motorcycle gloves should fit snugly but not tightly, the fingers should fit into the tips of the gloves, and there should not be too much loose material anywhere.

How to choose the size of motorcycle gloves

So now you've chosen a glove style that suits your riding style, and whether an American or European fit will suit your hands better. Time to find out the size. Take a measuring tape to measure your palm. If you don't have a measuring tape, use a piece of non-elastic thread or rope and a ruler. Open the size chart of the selected brand and see what size the manufacturer uses - palm width or palm circumference.

To measure the width, place a measuring tape or ruler on the table and place your palm on it. Measure the widest part of your palm and repeat the same for the other hand. It's usually worth taking the largest result you get.

If the glove model you choose has a size chart with circumference measurements, wrap a measuring tape around your palm just below the knuckles and pull it up without pinching your hand. The thumb does not fit into the width of the palm! Now look for your size in the table.

size table

Adult motorcycle gloves should be distinguished by length. Motorcycle gloves designed for cold weather are long and much thicker; they are worn over the sleeve of a jacket, protecting them from the wind. This must be taken into account when choosing the size of motorcycle gloves for both men and women.

Women's

When choosing women's motorcycle gloves, beautiful ladies should determine their hand size using the method described above. Moreover, the size chart is somewhat different from the men's size.

Taking into account the fullness and length of the fingers, the size of motorcycle gloves is determined

Women's motorcycle gloves - size table:

Men's

In the men's line, the sizes of motorcycle gloves correspond to the following parameters:

• S corresponds to a palm circumference of 19-20 cm;
• M – 20-23 cm;
• L – palm circumference 23-24 cm;
• XL – palm circumference 24-24.5 cm;
• XXL – palm circumference 25-26 cm.

Carefully study the market before choosing motorcycle gloves

Sizes above XXL are almost never found, except for very large bikers. Most often, men buy gloves in sizes M, L, XL.

Men's size chart:

Dainese Jerico Evo – a winter miracle

Pros: Very warm Cons: Limited flexibility Finding motorcycle gloves that will actually last throughout the cold winter is really difficult. But if you live in the north, where snow and frost are your old and close friends, then you should worry about this. The new Jerico gloves are probably the best option for cold weather in a wet winter and will protect your fingers from unnecessary suffering. The gloves are made of Gore-Tex fabric, which acts as a wick to keep snow and rain out for hours (just like regular winter gloves). The special lining is designed not only to provide comfort, but also to trap air for additional insulation. Although their main task is to protect you from the elements, the developers still did not skimp on resource-saving technologies and inserts on the fingers and knuckles. The gloves have a goatskin textile backing on the palm for added grip. Flexibility, in general, is not bad, but if you don’t get the size right, you’ll have to suffer. A large number of zippers, cuffs, inserts - all this will help you customize these gloves to suit you and the weather.

④ Xiaomi Mijia Qimian

Rating: 4.9 Price: from 1055.97 rub.
up to
1193.87 rub.
Go to store Mijia Qimian leather gloves from Xiaomi are positioned as a universal companion for everyday wear, motorcycle driving and outdoor activities. Their outer part is made of genuine leather, which ensures airflow and ventilation of the hands. The inner one, in turn, is made of 60% wool, which provides good heating.

These gloves can be easily combined with any wardrobe items.

Advantages:

• convenience;
• design;
• Possibility of use with a mobile phone.

Flaws:

• price.

Buy on AliExpress.com

⑨ SUPERBIKE G01-G11-G12-G01D

Rating: 5.0 Price: from 1034.95 rub.
up to
1158.41 rub.
Go to the store SUPERBIKE gloves are designed for lovers of long, leisurely rides on choppers. They are made of genuine leather, allowing the skin of your hands to breathe. They have separate protection for the joints of each finger. The wrist clasp allows you to fit them tightly and comfortably on your hand. A hand warmer is installed. At the tip of the index finger there is a silicon insert for controlling a mobile phone. There is a version of these gloves with half fingers.

Advantages:

• price;
• protection;
• material;
• design.

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② KYZEEBAN LY-046

Rating: 4.7 Price: from 485.30 rub.
up to
655.39 rub.
Go to the store KYZEEBAN LY-046 gloves are perfect for fans of airsoft and paintball games, as well as avid motorcyclists and cyclists. They have a snug but comfortable fit on your hands. There is protection for the joints, ensuring the safety of the hands in case of falls.

The gloves are made from a special fabric that includes microfiber and nylon fibers. This allows for good airflow, preventing hands from sweating, as well as complete moisture resistance. According to the seller, with the help of hand bone protection, you can even break glass without the risk of damaging your hands. The gloves are made in several colors, as well as in two versions: with full finger coverage and half-covered.

Advantages:

• safety;
• moisture resistance;
• material;
• design variations.

Buy on AliExpress.com