Consumer Editor of Bennetts BikeSocial, John's owned over 20 bikes, has been testing motorcycle kit for more than 25 years and is a member of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators, and part of the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group.
Motorcycle gloves are one of the most important things to wear on a bike (besides a helmet of course); your hands are often the first things to hit the ground in an accident, and the road surface – particularly the more abrasive rural surface-dressed roads found in the UK – can cause of a lot of damage.
Your gloves need to be comfortable, they need to fit you properly, they need to stay on your hands in an accident and they need to be protective. Oh, and they might need to keep your hands warm and dry too. Gardening or welding gloves are not the answer.
With a choice of 2,124 when having a quick search on Sportsbikeshop it can be hard to know what’s right for you… and they don’t even sell all the ones you can choose from!
But don’t worry, in this article we’re going to reveal the best motorcycle gloves we’ve tested, show you how to choose the ones that suit YOUR fit, YOUR style and YOUR budget, and we’ll hear what over 1,000 UK riders think of their gloves…
Six best gauntlet summer motorcycle gloves 2024
Summer gloves can dispense with thermal liners and waterproof membranes to give you the best feel possible while keeping your hands cool. Our selection of gauntlet, or long-cuff gloves is based on the huge number of products we’ve reviewed, but it’s still by no means an exhaustive list. We cover many thousands of miles in our gear – in all weathers – and our reviews are truly independent. If we say something is good, it’s based on real experience, not spec-sheets or what the PRs told us…
Here are six of our best summer motorcycle gloves, based on our reviews. Be sure to check back regularly, as we’ll keep this updated when we review other products…
Oxford Nexus 1.0 | Oxford Products is launching an ever more impressive range of kit, and these new gloves are no exception. To have Level 2 protection for this price is outstanding, and shows what can be done with some thoughtful design. They can be a little warmer than some others, but haven’t proven to be excessively hot. And they’re great in spring and autumn too. Oxford Nexus 1.0 review| RRP: £99.99 | Protection: Level 2
Five RFX2 Airflow | We were extremely impressed with the ventilation on these gloves – they’re the closest we’ve ever tried to feeling like having no gloves on at all. Clever design and careful use of Kevlar inserts help make these Level 2, the highest safety rating under current certification standards, proving that you CAN have comfort and protection in one. Five RFX2 Airflow review| RRP: £169.99 | Protection: Level 2
Alpinestars GP Plus R V2 | Not only are these gloves extremely comfortable, they’re also – at the time of writing – some of the most protective gloves tested by Professor Hurren at Motocap. They’re a premium price, but they are truly outstanding and come very highly recommended. Note that I had to go up from my usual size L to XL. Alpinestars GP Plus R V2 review | RRP: £209.99 | Protection: Level 1
RST Tractech Evo 4 | Despite the price, these cowhide and kangaroo leather gloves include Kevlar underlays and stitching to make them an incredibly comfortable and good value set of race-ready summer gloves. RST Tractech Evo 4 review| RRP: £99.99 | Protection: Level 1
Alpinestars GP Tech V2 | These are the most expensive gloves we’ve ever tested, but when you wear them, they feel like it too. With incredible construction, the fit extremely well (though check the sizing as my usual L is an XL here) and don’t feel bulky at all. They’re track gloves first and foremost, but these are very impressive if you can afford them. Alpinestars GP Tech V2 review| RRP: £339.99 | Protection: Level 2
Alpinestars Range 2 in One While the removable (and potentially losable) gloves liners of the Range 2 in One can make the fit a little hit and miss, these have proven excellent for summer rain (as well as spring and autumn), and the fact that they tuck so well under jacket sleeves makes them great in the rain. Check the sizing for yourself as they’re well worth a look for all-weather riders. Alpinestars Range 2 in One review| RRP: £169.99 | Protection: Level 1
These are just six of the many different long-cuff summer motorcycle gloves we’ve tested at Bennetts BikeSocial. Be sure to check out all our other reviews of the best motorcycle gloves, from the lowest prices to the top of the range.
Five best short-cuff motorcycle gloves 2024
Short-cuff gloves can be great in the summer as of course they can let more air up your sleeves. They can’t offer the same protection as a gauntlet, and won’t be allowed on track, but they can be a great road option.
As with any gloves, check that they won’t pull off your hands – the wrist retention is very important in a crash.
There are waterproof short-cuff gloves available, but there benefit seems very limited as anything more than a light splash will see water running down into them.
Here are five of our best summer motorcycle gloves, based on our reviews. Be sure to check back regularly, as we’ll keep this updated when we review other products…
Goldtop Predator | With their silk lining and exquisite finish, the Goldtops – like so many others in the company’s range – are lovely short-cuff gloves that are available in a range of colours. The Hertfordshire-based store is well worth a visit and they do great coffee too. Goldtop predator review | RRP: £74.99 | Protection: Level 1
Alpinestars Rayburn V2 | A backlog means the review’s not out yet, but the Alpinestars Rayburn V2s have proven to be a fantastic short-cuff glove. I had to go up to a size XL instead of my usual L, but otherwise the fit is great.
Alpinestars Rayburn V2 review coming soon | RRP: £99.99 | Protection: Level 1
BKS Summer Gloves | Available exclusively from BKS Made to Measure Ltd (though these aren’t made-to-measure gloves), they were designed specifically for police officers that wanted a Level 2 standard of protective glove in a short cuff design. There are some disadvantages, but if you want the toughest short-cuff gloves on the market, you need to check these out. BKS Summer Gloves review | RRP: £129.99 | Protection: Level 1
Spada Wyatt | These are budget gloves and they feel it, but when you can get something that’s properly certified as protective, with real UK support, why waste your money on the uncertified garbage offered on Facebook, Amazon and eBay? A no-nonsense design and a classic look make the price undeniably tempting. Spada Wyatt review| RRP: £34.99 | Protection: Level 1
Dane Nigra | Our reviewer was impressed with the simple, unfussy design of these gloves, and how the perforated construction keep your hands cool even on long trips in hot climates.
These are just five of the many different short-cuff summer motorcycle gloves we’ve tested at Bennetts BikeSocial. Be sure to check out all our other reviews of the best motorcycle gloves, from the lowest prices to the top of the range.
Five best winter motorcycle gloves 2024
Winter gloves will be more bulky than summer gloves, and even those with nothing more than a waterproof membrane can make your hands significantly hotter. Compatibility with your jacket’s cuffs is vital for the best waterproofing and windproofing, but check out the advice later in this article for more. Oh, and while they can offer mixed effectiveness, look for a visor wiper blade on the left forefinger of any gloves you’ll use in the rain; it can be a big help in bad weather!
Here are five of our best winter motorcycle gloves, based on our reviews. Be sure to check back regularly, as we’ll keep this updated when we review other products…
Held Twin II 2in1 | Having used these for three years now, I can honestly say that these Helds are an absolute benchmark in winter motorcycle gloves. By creating a two-pocket design without undue bulk, the 2in1s are the best Autumn / Winter / Spring gloves I’ve ever tested. You won’t believe how good they are until you try them. Held Twin II 2in1 Gloves | RRP: £199.99 | Protection: Level 1
Richa Arctic | These winter gloves proved to be a game-changer for our all-year-round commuter reviewer, beating even the heated gloves he’s used in the past, as well as heated grips and bar-muffs. Richa Arctic review | RRP: £149.99 | Protection: Level 1
Alpinestars Range 2 in One | Despite some sizing issues, these have proven to be excellent gloves for all but hot weather and deep winter. As waterproof summer gloves go they’re very good, though keep in mind that the removable fleece liners do affect the sizing. And they’re too easy to lose! Alpinestars Range 2 in One review | RRP: £179.99 | Protection: Level 1
RST Paragon 6 heated gloves | Our riding instructor tester was thoroughly impressed with these battery-powered heated gloves. The batteries built into the cuffs will last between 2 hours 45 mins and 5 hours, depending how hot you have them. If you need longer run-times, consider hard-wired gloves from Gerbing or Keis. RST Paragon 6 review | RRP: £199.99 | Protection: Level 1
Furygan Heat X Kevlar heated gloves | Very expensive and lacking when it comes to waterproofing, our all-year-round commuter still loved these thanks to their outstanding control and excellent heat output. As with the RSTs though, if you need longer run-times, consider hard-wired gloves from Keis or Gerbing. Furygan Heat X Kevlar review | RRP: £279.99 | Protection: Level 1
These are just five of the many different winter motorcycle gloves we’ve tested at Bennetts BikeSocial. Be sure to check out all our other reviews of the best motorcycle gloves, from the lowest prices to the top of the range.
One of these pairs achieves Level 1, the minimum requirement of all motorcycle gloves, while the other has been tested and certified to the higher Level 2
The safest motorcycle gloves
All motorcycle gloves sold in the UK and Europe – from the very cheapest to the most expensive – have to be certified. EN 13594:2015 is the European Standard for motorcyclists’ gloves, which means they ALL go through the following tests:
Abrasion resistance
Seam strength
Tear strength
Suitability of the materials used in construction
Fit, sizing, restraint and useability
Chemical innocuousness, including pH value for leather and textiles, chromium VI content for leather and zo dyes for all dyed materials.
You’ll find a label inside that has a ‘1’ or a ‘2’, indicating the two different Levels of performance. Level 1 is the minimum requirement, while Level 2 gloves offer increased abrasion, tear and burst strength.
You might also find ‘KP’, which means the gloves have been tested and proven to offer effective knuckle protection. All Level 2 gloves will have knuckle protection, and they’ll also always be a longer cuff design to meet the standard’s requirements.
Also look at Motocap’s glove reports. This is an Australian initiative to independently test as much of the kit sold there as possible. Professor Chris Hurren and his team use a more coarse 60 grit belt (as specified in EN 13595 for clothing) from the original version of the gloves standard (EN 13594:2003), which is significantly more punishing than the 120 grit specified in the EN 13594:2015 abrasion testing required of gloves now.
An effective wrist restraint strap is vital. Also make sure that it can’t pull out of the buckle when putting the gloves on as it can be a real fiddle to get back in
Any glove is only protective if it stays on your hand, so before you buy anything, pop it on and do up any straps until they’re comfortably tight (so not making your fingers tingle!). If you can still pull the gloves off, they could come off in a slide, leaving your hands unprotected.
You might find hard scaphoid protectors on the lower palms of the gloves – the idea of these is to help your hand slide in a crash, rather than grab against the road surface. If this happens, your arm can over-extend, breaking the scaphoid bone in the wrist, which is a troublesome injury to heal.
Some gloves also have extra ‘armour’ on the fingers and other areas that might offer some degree of protection, but do check them on your motorbike as it can restrict lever travel in two-finger braking; I had one very panicky moment on a Honda Fireblade launch due to this. If your bike has span-adjustable levers you should be able to dial this problem out, but make sure you’re still able to ride comfortably.
When buying gloves, be sure to check out the Bennetts High Performance Award – any that have the Gold logo and are in the database have been verified has reaching the highest safety standards.
Scaphoid sliders feature on many gloves, and can help reduce the chances of a break due to over-extension of thew wrist
Short cuff vs long cuff (or gauntlet)
On summer gloves, a long cuff – or gauntlet – can offer more protection to your forearms in a crash. On the other hand (no pun intended, and I would always recommend wearing matching pairs), a short glove can feel a lot cooler in hot weather… they can also more suit a leather jacket and riding jeans. The choice is yours, but if you’re in a set of one- or two-piece leathers, you’ll almost certainly choose a long cuff.
Whatever you go for, check how the gloves fit with your jacket; some gauntlets won’t fit over some sleeves well, and some short cuff gloves can clash with jackets, making them uncomfortable.
Cuff length becomes far more critical in winter gloves, where a longer cuff will better seal water and wind out of your jacket’s sleeves. You can get short-cuff winter gloves, but you really need a jacket with long sleeves that won’t pull back as you extend your arms.
Again, check that the gloves you’re buying will seal well with your jacket’s sleeves, but know this… you really should wear your gloves UNDER the sleeves in the rain.
Water will run down your arms in bad weather, which will then soak into the lining and leave you with very wet hands. Cinch the jacket sleeves up tight OVER the gloves and water won’t blow in there.
‘Fits like a glove’ can sometimes mean baggy palms and flappy fingers if you choose poorly! We’re all different, so when trying gloves on – besides making sure they can’t pull off in a slide – look at the length of the fingers for a start.
Stretch out your hand, then make a fist: the gloves mustn’t cut into the webs between your fingers, but they also need to be the right length for all five digits. The little finger and thumb are the most common areas that can show mis-sizing. Also check you can easily extend your first two fingers when braking.
Some gloves take a little breaking in, but there shouldn’t be much need really. Make sure none of your fingers feel cramped, and also that there are no rogue bits of stitching or creases that can cause pressure points. Be aware that you might be one size in one brand, but a size smaller or larger in another.
As with any kit, the best advice is to try as much on as you can – that way you’ll soon see what works for you and what doesn’t. Also, do get a feel for how warm the gloves feel in comparison to each other; some summer gloves have a lining that can at times make your hands feel sweatier than in others.
It’s good practice – even in the best-made winter gloves – to grip the fingers when pulling them off
Check the lining is secure
A tricky one to check this, but there’s little more annoying than a lining that pulls out of winter gloves; once it’s broken free it’ll always be a pain to have to push back in with a pen.
Most winter gloves used to have a lining that was tacked to the outer in just a few places, and if you dragged damp hands out they could take the lining with them, pretty much ruining the gloves.
Look for laminated linings and tech like ‘Gore Grip’, which tightly bonds the layers for a more direct feel, as well as better lining security.
When removing winter gloves, always hold the finger tips firmly to also grip the lining, then carefully remove your hand. If it feels like the lining’s getting ready to let go, get a better grip on the fingers before moving your hand any more.
Using motorcycle gloves in the rain
Check our reviews of motorcycle gloves to see how effective they can be at waterproofing, but besides getting a good seal with your jacket, look for a visor-wipe on the left forefinger. These can vary in quality, but a good one should wipe a large area of the visor.
Some are a soft fabric or suede on the outside edge, but I prefer a rubbery blade. I have no idea why some gloves sold as waterproof don’t have a visor wipe built in!
There is another option though – the Visorcat visor cleaner straps easily to your left hand and offers a large wiping area. It also has the advantage of a reservoir for cleaning fluid that keeps a small sponge soaked; with this you can easily wipe even dried-on crud from your visor. Anyone who’s ridden in wet conditions when it’s just stopped raining will know how bad the dirt thrown up from the road can be. I’ve spent too many rides willing the driver in front to use their windscreen washer in the hopes some will hit my visor!
Don’t use heated grips in the rain with motorcycle gloves
Waterproof membranes typically work by allowing moisture from the warm side of the membrane (against the body) to move through the tiny holes and out to the colder side (outside), but not the other way. If you have heated grips running, this makes the outside of the glove warmer than the inside, which can reverse the action of the membrane. Water gets in from the outside, but isn’t allowed back out!
If you think your gloves are leaking, before sending them back to the shop you bought them from check two things:
Are the gloves tucked inside the sleeve of your jacket, or is water tracking down your arm and wicking into the glove’s lining?
Did you have heated grips on in the rain?
These Halvarssons gloves have a ‘Nudud’ nubbin on the right forefinger that makes using a smartphone much easier
Using your smartphone with motorcycle gloves
The majority of gloves now have a touch-screen compatible panel on at least the right forefinger, often the left too. Try it to see how accurate you can be as some are better than others, though the little ‘Nudud’ lump sewn into Halvarssons gloves is really helpful.
Also look for designs that have a touchscreen-compatible section on the tip of the finger; it’s a lot more effective than a large pad that sees you clumsily mashing the display with the flat of your finger to try to hit the right control.
What over 1,000 UK riders think of their gloves
If you’re on a motorbike all year round, you’re almost certainly going to need to budget for two pairs of gloves, so keep that in mind when looking at what you can afford.
There’s a lot of great kit out there, and now you know what to look for you’re better equipped to find the best for your ride.
But while the team at Bennetts BikeSocial has decades of experience in testing motorcycle kit, nobody can tell you what one pair of gloves is best for YOU. We can help you make the right choices, but we believe in arming you with as much knowledge as possible, so we also sent surveys out to over 1,000 UK riders, who told us what they thought of the gloves they wear. Check out the video below, but here are some headline awards…
Most comfortable summer gloves as voted by owners:
BMW
Rukka
Weise
Most waterproof Spring-Autumn gloves as voted by owners:
Rukka
Held
BMW
Warmest unheated winter gloves as voted by owners:
Triumph
Dainese
Richa/Rukka
1,011 owner opinions
Watch our video guide to choosing the best motorcycle gloves
