Choosing Summer Motorcycle Gloves For Comfort In The Heat
Posted by ROGER HEUMANN
Days are getting warmer … so this is a good time to check your summer gear and see if it’s road worthy.
Summer motorcycle riding gloves can:
- Protect your hands from sunburn, pebbles, rocks and bugs, and the unlikely unplanned get off.
- Make your hands feel more comfortable while you ride.
- Give you better grip of your controls.
Here’s how to choose summer motorcycle gloves that make hot weather rides safer and more comfortable.more
Why Wear Summer Motorcycle Gloves?
But today’s lightweight mesh gear means there’s no excuse for riding around in t-shirts and board shorts. Wear protective summer gear, including a pair of lightweight, sweat-wicking summer gloves, for hand protection and comfort. You will not regret it.
2. Comfort: Today’s technical fabrics and mesh/vented combinations are lighter weight to keep you cool and comfortable beneath a blazing, hot sun.
Tips for Choosing Summer Riding Gloves
Look for these features in warm weather glove styles:
- Lightweight but tough fabrics. Styles with mesh backs, mesh between the fingers or gloves made of textile and leather combinations.
- Strategically located cooling vents on backs of hands and on fingers. Some styles allow you to open and close the vents, which add airflow when needed.
- A fabric that wicks sweat and keep your hands feeling dry. Many of today’s man-made fibers are hydrophobic and thus effective for wicking.
- Constructed for maximum airflow. They should have strategically placed mesh and vents, or perforated leather, for greater ventilation.
- For leather fans, styles with perforated leather add airflow and grip — the best of both worlds.
- Added comfort and protective features: like gel palms, curved fingers, flexible knuckles, etc. to reduce fatigue and extend comfort during longer rides.
To make finding the right glove easier, consider YOUR special requirements and preferences:
What About Fingerless Gloves?
We get asked this a lot.
The way we see it, if a rider does not want to wear a “full-fingered” glove in summer, fingerless gloves are still a better option compared to bare hands.
Fingerless gloves come with a range of features that add comfort and some measure of protection, like hard knuckles, gel palms, mesh, and leather. Truth is, we sell a lot of them.
While the purist would say that fingerless gloves probably do not offer the same protection as full-fingered gloves — and they’re right about that — fingerless gloves still offer protection from the elements, and can make your ride a lot more comfortable.
Which Gloves For Cooler Summer Nights?
Mesh and vented gloves are great in the heat, but summer nights can get pretty cool.
For chilly mornings or evenings, early or late in the season, and in the mountains where the temps are a bit cooler, a second pair of lined leather gloves in your gear bag can come in pretty handy. We’re partial to a lined leather roper or soft deerskin glove.
RIDER TIP: Keep a second pair of gloves on hand — a slightly heavier second pair is always a smart strategy for unexpected cooler temps.
How do YOU keep cool — but protected — on hot summer rides?
When temperatures rise and the sun beats down, how do you beat the heat? Here are 21 tips from other riders to keep cooler this summer … check them out! Ride safe!
P.S. Olympia makes 40 styles of summer riding gloves, for every rider.
Image Credit: Gary France
