Five tips for choosing motorcycle gloves: a practical guide. Here’s a quick guide for choosing the best gloves for you. How to choose your next motorcycle gloves?

As you know, after the helmet, the gloves are perhaps the most important safety element.

There are hundreds of models of gloves on the market; here’s an example: currently Olympia Gloves as more than 60+ gloves. So, how do we choose amongst so much variety?

That's why we create these awesome posts for you...

What motorcycle gloves you should choose?

TYPES OF MOTORCYCLE GLOVE: WHAT SORT OF USE WILL I GIVE THEM?

Basic. Answer the question, what bike do you have and what sort of trips do you do?

• Do you have an R: then, without a doubt, a leather sports glove. Here you can check out the best racing gloves.
• Do you have a versatile bike that you use for commuting but also for weekend getaways: sport-touring glove, fabric or leather but with palm reinforcements.
• That journeys are your thing? Well, then a long cuff, waterproof glove.
• You only move around town: urban-type glove, fabric or leather, that’s light and comfortable and easy to put on and take off.

There are many different types of motorcycle gloves.

Here we have to be logical and choose with our head. For example, a leather sports glove with a long cuff for running around on a scooter is not very comfortable. You’ll find models made of fabric with a short cuff that are much more practical in this case. There’s no trick to it.

MOTORCYCLE GLOVE MATERIALS: WHAT ARE THEY MADE OF?

But things get a little more difficult when looking for gloves that are “good for everything”. Here’s where the debate starts: leather or fabric?

Frankly speaking, leather is always the safer option for its high abrasion resistance and also the one that offers the best feel on the gas throttle and grip to the handlebars. But textile gloves have improved greatly, and some even have leather inserts.

There are some gloves with a waterproof membrane.

If you’re off to the office every morning with the early morning chill, maybe it’s better to go with one of those textile gloves with a thermal lining and a waterproof membrane. But if you give precedence to features, when you’re letting off steam on a weekend getaway, then there are also leather models that are not very, very sporting and that will serve the purpose.

Ah! Just so you know, there are now also some leather models with a waterproof membrane, including of the Gore-Tex Brand. It’s a very interesting option that we’ll talk about soon.

MOTORCYCLE GLOVE PROTECTIONS

How to detect the more touring or racing quality of a glove? The protections are an easy way to identify them. Currently, the vast majority of gloves have protections on the knuckles.

Normally, sports gloves have them in plain view and of lightweight materials such as carbon or polyurethane. On the other hand, the touring are usually more discrete – and also a bit more “elegant” – and normally the protector is leather-clad…but it’s there, for your safety.

the vast majority of gloves have protections on the knuckles.

The same occurs for the finger joints. Where we’ll see a greater difference is with the other reinforcements. A sports glove usually has more protections and many of them are stiff and in the palm or the cuff areas, devised for dissipating the impact as well as for abrasion resistance. Touring and city gloves often trust more to foam protections for greater comfort, although they are super abrasion-resistant.

SUMMER MOTORCYCLE GLOVES OR WINTER MOTORCYCLE GLOVES? BOTH!

And here’s the big question: am I not going to be too hot with winter gloves all year round? Well, yes, you’re right. Which is why there are vented gloves, ideal for summer. They are cooler as they let the air flow via perforations. There are leather and fabric ones and there are for all types of driving styles; sports, touring, urban…

Heated gloves could be another good option.

If you live in an area where the temperatures around 0 or below are common or you’re taking a trip to the Nordic countries, know that there are heated gloves... even less complicated to install than heated grips and super comfortable. But always, always, two types of gloves in the wardrobe: summer and winter; this is just like the socks!

WATERPROOF MOTORCYCLE GLOVES A ‘MUST’ FOR WINTER

Now let me get back to the subject of waterproof membranes. Getting your hands wet is one of the worst things that can happen on the bike. Not only is it uncomfortable, but it’s also dangerous as you can lose feeling. Which is why we recommend that the winter gloves that you have in your wardrobe be waterproof and water-resistant.

No need to say that Gore-Tex is the best membrane of this type. And as I mentioned, there’s a special Gore-Tex, called X-Trafit, for leather gloves. It’s an inner membrane that is bound to the outer material, therefore it’s more compact so as not to lose feel and protects against water just the same. Waterproof gloves are usually combined with a thermal lining, which allows us to insulate ourselves from the cold in the winter months.

This Segura Cassidy gloves are made in leather and have a waterproof membrane too.

And, attention, we’re going to tell you a secret. If you’re a Racing guy and you don’t want to lose any feeling under rainy conditions, know that you can use a very thin latex glove under you leather sports gloves to avoid getting your hands wet. But: know that latex is not breathable and that it’s only a short term solution.