The Best Motorcycle Gloves of 2024

Motorcycle gloves help protect your hands and digits if you eat it off your bike. Beyond protection, a great motorcycle glove needs to be easy to pull on and remove. The shape is articulated for your hand, so you don’t need to work as hard when gripping the handlebar or working the clutch and brake lever. Gloves provide armoring on your knuckles, back of the hand, and palms, but that also doesn’t hinder dexterity. 

If you’re traveling through precipitation, you’ll want a waterproof pair like the Alpinestars Bogota Drystar XF Gloves. If the temps are high or you’re working hard to maneuver the route, you might opt for a lighter pair such as the KLIM Dakar Pro.

Throughout testing, we rode different bikes through a variety of terrain and in a broad range of temperatures and weather. That meant riding in the rain, which was key for evaluating the waterproofness and breathability of pairs. We also jetted at highway speeds in hotter and colder conditions. 

Editor’s Note: We updated our Motorcycle Gloves buyer’s guide on December 16, 2024, with a fresh slate of field-tested picks including the Held Air n Dry GTX II and REV’IT! Massif plus new educational sections including Price & Value, Sizing, and Women’s Motorcycle Gloves.

Motorcycle Gloves Comparison Chart

Scroll right to view all of the columns: Price, Materials, Protection, Best Use.

How We Tested Motorcycle Gloves

A variety of motorcycle gloves exist. Among all the categories, you’ll find gloves tailored to street, race, dirt, touring, sport, and adventure.

Our Expert Testers

Gear tester Sean Galaway has decades of riding experience, has ridden across continents, ripped local trails, and covered thousands of miles. He rides in nearly every condition imaginable including bell-to-bell days in dusty Baja, Mexico.

Field tester and motorcyclist Hilary Arthur offers insight into the gear fitment and features from the female rider’s perspective. Many women have to settle for unisex options or among a very small selection of women-specific models. Hilary has thousands of miles in the saddle on both her backyard canyon roads in Colorado, as well as touring around the Western United States and New Zealand.

Tester Michael Frank hammered through motorcycle gloves for a full riding season in addition to decades of experience as a rider. He toured in the rain, bombed through mud, took motorcycles off-road, and covered hundreds of miles of pavement on both coasts and across the country.

Our Testing Grounds

We tested models side by side on long rides. And our testers rode in a variety of circumstances: commuting in traffic, zipping along the Interstate at 70 mph, and doing quick grocery store runs.

Our Testing Process

The aim was to see how well each glove adapted to different types of riding and conditions. We measured how comfy they were, and how easily they could operate touchscreens. We also tested the functionality with all the tasks you need to do with gloves on: open/close visors and helmet vents, engage levers with confidence, zip/unzip jacket pits and pockets, and open and close luggage. 

Our primary metrics during testing were dexterity, grip, and protection – finding the balance between these metrics will help you find the perfect glove for whatever type of riding you do.

We didn’t crash in all of the gloves — but we did in some of them. We look for gloves with palm sliders, armor, and safety certifications. The gloves in this guide are products that we trust on the bike, day in and day out. 

Depending on your riding style, conditions, and objectives – you might want some other specific features – but these are the ones that made the cut.

Parts of Motorcycle Gloves

Motorcycle gloves all have similar design details but use different materials and feel unique glove to glove. These, of course, vary based on the application of each glove. We personally prefer a quiver of gloves and often will carry multiple pairs for multi-week rides. Here’s an example of a quiver: 

• Light-weight off-road glove 
• ADV Glove that balances between on-road protection and off-road comfort
• Waterproof glove for inclement weather 
• Road glove with extra protection for commuting 

Here’s a quick overview of the parts that make up a glove. This will help you choose the best option for your style of riding. 

Closure System

The wrist strap closure is important on motorcycle gloves. The EU’s CE Level 1 testing mandates that gloves are evaluated for how well the wrist straps work.

Gloves have more than one point of closure. There needs to be a strong initial clasp, which is typically a hook-and-loop fastener. Then the secondary closure fastens around the wrist.

Gauntlet styles reach further past the wrist and up the forearm, and they also secure at both the wrist and the arm.

We do like gauntlet styles, such as the Held Air n Dry GTX II and Five RFX WP, because the setup is like wearing both a belt and suspenders. A glove with a gauntlet cinches around the wrist and also stays put up the sleeve of your jacket. The overall fit is also influenced by the cuff of your jacket or over top of your cuff, depending on your preference.

Armor Protection & Padding

Unlike motorcycle boots, armored gloves are pretty lightweight. At a minimum, you’ll want protection on your knuckles and a broad palm slider. Also, consider having armor across the back of your hand. 

A palm slider protects your wrist if you fall because the pad dissipates force. These are made out of a combination of EVA foam, rubber, plastic, or carbon fiber depending on the application. This pad is typically located over the heel of your hand and has saved our testers more than once during unplanned get-offs. 

Armor across the back of the hand, tops of the fingers, and knuckles helps protect your hands in case of a fall, against impacts from branches, and from rocks that kick up from whoever is in front of you. These are typically constructed out of carbon fiber (more protective), thermoplastic rubber (TPR, best combination of flexibility and protection), or EVA foam (least protective). Finding the right balance between protection and dexterity is key, so make sure to choose the best glove for your style of riding. 

For a great balance of protection and dexterity, check out the TPR solution in the REV’IT! Sand 4 motorcycle gloves. And for really great armoring in general, check out the Held Air n Dry GTX II.

Touchscreen Capability

Touchscreen capability is a great addition for a motorcycle glove. Gloves like the REV’IT! Massif offer all day off-road comfort with touchscreen compatibility. So when you’re off grid and lost, it’s one less thing you have to work about when zooming in on your map. When you don’t need to remove a glove, that’ll help reduce hand fatigue, especially during long days that include route finding. Many gloves offer this feature but we were exceptionally impressed at the touch sensitivity of the Held Air n Dry GTX II.

Materials & Fit

Motorcycle gloves need to be made with textiles that are malleable, so they stretch over your hands and fit well between and around your digits. In contrast, the armor used on the glove should be stalwart and rather stagnant.

The interface between the against-skin material and the armor should be seamless and strong. Ultimately, you don’t want the armor to inhibit motion. A great example of a glove that achieves these points is the Dainese Carbon 4 Short, which feels like an extension of your body.

Cheaper gloves tend to compromise the type of material and the overall construction, which can feel a bit crude. The result of a poorly crafted glove is more fatigue, finger casings that are too tight, and a lack of stretch.

A very thin, lightweight glove, such as the KLIM Dakar Pro, is built to maximum feel and a connection to your handlebar. Generally, the fingers are made to be roomier, too.

Familiarizing yourself with the materials that manufacturers use to construct a quality glove will help you make the best decision on which glove is best for you:

• Goatskin Leather: a classic choice for all types of gloves, this material strikes a great balance between dexterity and durability in motorcycle gloves. It provides excellent feedback and feel compared to thicker leather alternatives. 

• Carbon Fiber: When you need the most protection carbon fiber is a great option to look out for for armor in a motorcycle glove. An excellent combination of light weight and bomber protection

• Stretch Mesh: Many gloves utilize some combination of stretch mesh in their construction. This will pay dividends during long days in the saddle when the temps are rising. 

• Waterproof Insert: If you ride in cold weather or in the rain alot, having a glove with a waterproof insert will ensure warm and dry hands so you can still feel your controls. 

• Clarino: Clarino is a synthetic suede leather often used in the palms and fingers of lightweight gloves, this material is not as durable as a true leather, but it provides excellent grip, breathability, light weight, and cost savings. 

• Neoprene: Reliable and durable stretch in various parts of a glove can pay dividends during long rides – look for gloves that incorporate neoprene  when all day comfort is a priority. 

• TPR (thermoplastic rubber): We’ve found that the TPR material found in the REV’IT! Massif and Sand 4 gloves provides an excellent balance of dexterity and protection. Not as protective as more rigid materials like carbon fiber, but substantially more comfortable while still providing adequate protection for most circumstances. 

Waterproofing

The high-tier waterproof-breathable motorcycle gloves on our list include the Alpinestars Bogota Drystar XF, Held Air n Dry GTX II, and Five RFX WP. These moto gloves have kept our hands reasonably dry through several seasons of test rides.

In the nastiest conditions, the construction of these gloves is not totally perfect and eventually wetted out leaving the interior a tad damp, in our experience. Ultimately, the waterproofing still kept our hands from getting drenched and cold.

It’s also good to have a second pair of gloves — or even a backup pair of light or heavy mittens — in your tail bag for the worst-case scenario.

You’ll want a pair of waterproof gloves in your kit that will help you stay warm if not dry. Wet hands can be chilled by the wind. A saturated leather glove also gets heavy, making movements more sluggish and sloppy, which becomes a safety hazard.  

Beyond waterproofing, the interior of a glove can be lined for additional warmth or windproofness, as well. You can also invest in a removal thermal liner or heated liner.

If you’re going to encounter rainy weather on your rides, it pays to have a pair of waterproof gloves.

Palm Sliders

In our opinion, there’s one piece of armor on motorcycle gloves that matters most: The palm slider.

When you fall, it can be instinctive to put your hands out to protect yourself. A palm slider dissipates the energy of the fall by sliding along the ground and sending that force through your wrist and arm.

Safety Certifications: CE Level 1 Testing

All of the selected motorcycle gloves in our guide carry a CE Level 1 rating for protection. CE stands for Conformité Européenne, which is French for European Conformity. A CE Level 2 rating is typically found on moto gloves for racing, which we don’t cover here.

According to the European Union, a Level 2 label for gloves carries a fairly consequential weight and lack of ergonomics to achieve that rating. So, it’s not ideal to seek out a glove in that category for everyday or adventure use.

Throughout testing, the EU makes sure the glove offers adequate ease of movement to easily pull a clutch lever, modulate the front brake, and comfortably grip the bar. 

Other tests measure the glove’s closure system. There needs to be a strong initial clasp, which is typically a hook-and-loop fastener. Then the main closure needs to function (the part that is fastened around the wrist).

The fingers of the glove are placed in a device that pulls against the wrist material, which yanks at 25 Newtons. That’s the equivalent of the amount of force it would take to move 55 pounds one square-meter per second. The test to meet the Level 2 rating is double that amount of force. Throughout the test, the glove cannot rip off the device.

Each glove’s materials are measured for tear and abrasion resistance. For adequate tear resistance, a Level 1 label is achieved if the textile can withstand 10 Newtons of force. To test for abrasion, the fabric is sanded with 180 grit sandpaper on the equivalent of a belt sander to emulate a slide and needs to withstand at least three seconds to score a Level 1.  

The protection zones — like the knuckle protectors and the palm slider — are also tested. A 5.5-pound weight is dropped on the glove’s protection zones to simulate a ground strike, to make sure they can withstand the hit.

Motorcycle Glove Sizing

Proper fit should be a top priority when selecting the right pair of gloves. Get a glove that is too small, and every part of your hand will be aching after holding on to those handlebars. You don’t want your fingers or your palms to feel like they are stuffed into a glove like a sausage casing. Get a glove that is too large and you risk uncomfortable material bunching underhand, lack of fine motor skills due to slippage, and lack of dexterity for opening and closing your visor, zipping your jacket vents, and operating your bike’s controls.

Trying on a glove is always the best option, but not always available. Recognize that, depending on the material, your new gloves may break in over time as well. If unable to try on, always refer to the sizing chart on a manufacturer’s website and get a feel for if they run true to size or not before ordering. 

Opting for a glove like the Held Air n Dry GTX II that comes in nuanced sizes may be your best option if you have unique dimensions or tend to have a hard time finding gloves that fit properly. This was the case with one of our lead testers who almost always experiences the fingers being too long when the glove itself fits.

To combat this problem, rather than ‘alpha’ sizes (think S – XXL), Held offers true glove sizing based off of actual hand measurements, with 30 options. Our only gripe with the sizing is it’s not true to the measurements in their size chart. The gloves run notably large – we recommend sizing down about 8-10% in the circumference measurement and 5-8% in the length. Take your hand measurements using a soft measuring tape. If you don’t have one, mark a string with your measurement, and measure that along a ruler. 

Women’s Motorcycle Gloves

Although unisex gear can often work for women riders, it’s great to have additional designs and sizes that encompass a wider range of body types. In the outdoor industry we often see the mentality of ‘pink it and shrink it’ when it comes to making women’s specific models, but that’s not always what is needed. In high consequence sports like motorcycle riding, making sure your gear actually fits can have a material impact on your safety, and companies that offer both men’s and women’s sizing deserve major kudos.

From our list, only two gloves come in a women’s specific option: the Held Air n Dry GTX II and the REV’IT! Sand 4. Both of these companies are actually using a female-specific glove pattern, often with a smaller sizing range, and longer, more slender finger measurements. Make sure to still check the sizing charts for each product to find the right fit for your hands. Just as women often wear ‘men’s’ styles, if you’re a guy who needs a ‘women’s’ size for proper fit, we support that too. We promise, your riding buddies will never be the wiser.

Price & Value

Budget

A budget motorcycle glove can still be very well constructed. Case in point: The Five RFX WP ($80) is waterproof-breathable and comes with beefy armor including a carbon plate.

But this price tier of gloves likely won’t meet the highest safety certifications (they’ll still meet some, though, like the Five RFX WP has the CE Level 1), don’t expect them to be fully waterproof, and they could be less durable in the long run.

And options like the KLIM Dakar Pro ($75) are simply lighter and more breathable for adventure rides.

Mid-Tier

The REV’IT! Sand 4 ($120) has rubber armor on the backside of the hand, which extends down the tops of the fingers: Adding material increases the cost.

You’ll find more weather protective options like the waterproof the Alpinestars Bogota Drystar XF Gloves ($135). This design also has touchscreen compatibility in the forefinger and thumb.

Premium

On the highest end of designs, the Dainese Carbon 4 Short ($180) is chockfull of a blend of materials that increase durability alongside the quality, fit, feel, and function. The Carbon 4 Short has amica suede, mesh, sheep and goatskin leather plus carbon fiber armor.

Frequently Asked Questions