To go on a motorcycle, any detail is essential.
The helmet is, without a doubt, the most important safety element, but that does not mean that the other equipments are not. We cannot say that footwear is more important than a good jacket, for example. If anything, yes, we can highlight a little above the gloves, a motorcycle accessory that is not easy to choose because there are many conditions that must be taken into account for it.
Types of gloves
First of all, you must take into account the types of gloves that exist. It is by no means the most decisive factor, since the technical aspects they should be a priority and not the aesthetic ones, but let’s be realistic: the image pulls a lot. And if you have a specific type of motorcycle or you like a specific style, you will give priority to the aesthetics of your gloves. At the very least, to restrict the final choice to a certain group. In fact, the type of glove, its design, is closely related to the type of motorcycle and the use that these are given.
In this sense, we can talk about touring gloves, which are usually waterproof and extend beyond the brush because they are designed to weather all types of weather on long road trips; dirt gloves, which give priority to handling the motorcycle, which is why they tend to be lighter and, therefore, with fewer projections; high-performance gloves, designed for circuit driving, made of leather and with extra protections; and ordinary street gloves, which are short, offer sufficient protection and are, above all, comfortable for day-to-day use, with the bustle of removing and putting on in the city. There are more styles, such as vintage, Cafe Racer type, but in broad strokes we have highlighted the most common.
From here, the differences within the group of gloves that best suits you according to your taste, your motorcycles and your needs, are differentiated by technical details and materials. About the latter, Leather gloves, durable and comfortable, often see their price rise, but you should not only look at the main raw material. Waterproofing and ventilation, for example, are essential elements if you are looking for a spring or autumn glove in the first case, and a summer glove in the second. It is not enough to limit the decision to a single aspect.
It is also key, for example, ergonomic glove design. There are those that do not facilitate joint flexibility. It is essential in a quality glove that allows correct work of the hands and fingers. Try and ask the expert seller or seller about it if you do not have much experience so that you can check the differences. Think that if you force your hands to work more at the joint level, handling the motorcycle is more complicated and, above all, they force the gloves to physically work more on your extremities.
No less important are the protections. Since these tend to go against other aspects that we value positively, such as lightness and comfort, where you have to put your eyes especially is the knuckle areas, the most exposed to contact with the asphalt and other elements present on the road or on the natural path —tree branches and stones, for example— in the event of an accident.
The other key detail about the protections in motorcycle gloves is that the palms of the hand are well reinforced. The reason is obvious: when we fall, we tend to put our hands out to avoid stronger blows to the head and trunk. For this reason, you will see that many gloves have a kind of reinforced surface near the little finger, so that it slides and protects the wrist in the typical gesture of putting on and placing the hands.
Last but not least, two more key aspects must be highlighted when choosing motorcycle gloves. On the one hand, the size. And on the other, the seasonality.
Regarding the size, although it seems platitude, it is worth remembering the importance in the efficiency and effectiveness of gloves, also in comfort, that they fit us optimally. Don’t buy crazy; If you don’t know your size, try before and ask. And if you have made a mistake when buying online, do not stay with gloves with which you are not comfortable just because you do not have to change them.
And about seasonality, and again, although it seems obvious, it is also necessary to remember that we must always wear motorcycle gloves when we ride. For this reason, and for that, there are glove models that give priority to the weather in their designs. Lighter gloves with better ventilation for the summer, waterproof gloves for the rainy season, and thicker gloves, ideal for protecting us from the cold and keeping the sensitivity of the hands intact. Nobody said that riding a motorcycle was cheap, but it is not expensive either, because anything that serves to protect our health cannot be. In any case, it will be expensive, but it will have been worth it if we thus avoid major misfortunes in the event of a blow or accident.
motorcycle gloves brands
The easiest way to get to know different brands of motorcycle gloves is to go to specialized reference stores, where you can always choose from a wide selection of brands, models, ranges and qualities.
Having said that, as you will know shortly after you have been or follow the universe of motorcycles, iconic brands such as Alpinestars, Dainese or Rev’it are also the most prominent in the motorcycle glove sector. But they are not the only ones that make them of quality, far from it.
If you like classic aesthetics, you have to know the firm Held, whose leather gloves have been a reference since it was founded in 1946. Not only the aesthetic design makes the difference in its models; so do its many technical innovations.
A jewel are also the motorcycle gloves from the American brand Klim, founded in 1999, and also specialized in snow sports, not only motorcycles. How are you thinking given their specialties, Klim’s designs are an essential reference if you are looking for winter motorcycle gloves.
Instead, if you want waterproof gloves with the best technology, take a look at the catalog of the Italian brand Hevik, which makes beautiful designs of different aesthetics with top quality materials, linings and waterproof fabrics included.
Other little-known brands outside the expert biker scene that you have to take a look at if you are looking for something less specific are Keis, Garibaldi, which offers products for all seasons of the year —from short summer gloves to heated gloves through “between-season” designs— , the Finnish Rukka or Fox Racing, specialized in motocross, among many others.
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