Riding Gloves: Materials, Fit and What the Features Do

In a fall, hands go out first. Gloves are the cheapest piece of serious protection you can buy, provided they fit and stay on.

Why gloves matter

Instinct puts your palms on the road in almost any fall. Skin loses that argument quickly; road rash is the common name for the abrasion injury caused by sliding along a road surface. Gloves also do everyday work: they block wind, keep rain off, and give you a consistent feel on the controls.

Materials

• Leather. The traditional choice for abrasion resistance, and it moulds to the hand over time. It needs care and is slow to dry.
• Textile. Lighter and often cheaper, easier to make waterproof, and usually reinforced in the high-wear areas.
• Reinforcement fibres. Kevlar is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fibre, and similar aramid materials are used as linings or stitching in riding gear.
• Waterproof membranes. Gore-Tex is a waterproof, breathable fabric membrane, and several comparable membranes exist under other names.

Features and what they are for

• Palm sliders. Hard pads on the heel of the hand that let the palm slide instead of gripping the road.
• Knuckle armour. Protects against impact with the ground and against stones thrown up by traffic.
• Wrist closure. A strap at the wrist is what keeps the glove on during a slide. Do not skip it.
• Gauntlet cuff. A long cuff that covers the wrist and overlaps the jacket sleeve.
• Touchscreen fingertips. Handy at a standstill. Not a reason to use a phone on the move.

How to check fit

1. Try them on in the afternoon, when hands are slightly larger.
2. Make a fist. The material should not pull tight across the knuckles.
3. Curl your fingers as if holding a handlebar. Fingertips should reach the ends without pressing hard, and there should be no bunching in the palm.
4. Fasten the wrist strap and try to pull the glove off by the fingers. It should stay put.
5. If you can, sit on a bike and operate the levers and switches.

One pair or several

A single pair rarely suits every season. A common arrangement is a ventilated pair for warm weather and a waterproof, insulated pair for cold and wet. Thick winter gloves reduce feel, so practise with them before you need to brake hard in them.

Care

Dry wet gloves slowly at room temperature, away from heaters, which stiffen leather and can damage membranes. Treat leather with a suitable conditioner now and then. Replace gloves when seams open, when the palm wears thin or when the wrist closure no longer holds.

Safety labelling

In some regions protective gloves are tested against a published standard and carry a label saying so. If such a label is required or available where you live, prefer gloves that carry it over ones that only describe themselves as "protective".

Revised 2026-11-12 · Jody Varnham