Best Mountain Bike Gloves
Mountain biking and off-road travel is something that is not for everyone, but for many, it is something they would not be able to live without. MTB is exhilarating, and although can be dangerous, can be a thrill that many seek.
However, there are some issues when it comes to riding so rough. One of these is calluses and injuries that you get through the friction and shock that comes with rough riding. So how do we deal with it? Well, with gloves of course!
So we are going to look at a couple of pairs and see which ones are the best and which ones are not so much. When it comes to riding your bike there is nothing more important than the safety and ensuring that you are still well enough to ride again the next day!
Best MTB Gloves Comparison
The below links will bring you to Amazon:
- ROVOS Women’s Light Sports Glove
- Zookki Cycling Gloves
- HTZPLOO Moutain Biking Gloves
- Justkit Cycling Gloves
- Inbike Men’s Cycling Gloves
Best Mountain Bike Gloves Review
1. ROVOS Women’s Light Sports Glove — Best for Women
This is a half finger glove that is made specifically for a woman’s hand. It is made out of lycra, spandex, and polyester. This one also has a microfiber thumb, which helps you to wipe the sweat off of your brow when cross country riding.
It has gel padding on the palms, which are meant to absorb shock and make your ride much more pleasant. Without this padding, your hands can start hurting or going numb soon into the ride, and none of us want that to happen. It is also meant to protect your hands in case you fall down.
It is fairly cheap, which helps a lot when you are on a budget, like how most of us seem to be nowadays. The price as of watching this is only 20 dollars on Amazon, although that could change, so always check the recent prices.
It comes in a few colors, although the selection is a bit limited. There are also some pull tabs on the fingers which help you to take them off when you are finished. Otherwise, a sweaty hand can make taking these off a bit of a chore.
This does not mean that there have been no complaints, however, as many people have complained that this guy seems a little thin. This can hurt in how well it protects you when you are riding. Others say that it comes larger than they expected, so it would be best to get a smaller size.
I would say that this pair is not only the best one for women riders, but it is also the best fingerless gloves on this list.
2. Zookki Cycling Gloves — Best fingerless MTB Gloves
This fella is made from lycra, spandex, and other material, but does seem to pack a walloping punch when it comes to good handware. It is by far the most popular one on the market and costs only a small price for the quality that it promises.
It is often regarded as being incredibly comfortable. The lycra and spandex work together to your hand a soft and gentle ride, even on the roughest of terrain. They even come in a variety of colors, so you can choose the one that works best for you.
They have microfiber on the thumb like the last pair and are gel as well. This helps to redistribute the shock that your hands receive from riding, especially on off-road conditions.
However, not everything about this guy seems to be good. Many people have complained that the padding is far too minimal, thus preventing sufficient protection. They do have finger loops to help you to take them off though.
Others have complained that they run far too small. Even the larger sizes have been known to have issues with their finger sockets. Since they are so tight, they dig into some people’s fingers, causing discomfort. Not everyone feels this way though.
3. HTZPLOO Moutain Biking Gloves — Best Padded Gloves
The HTZPLOO is a more gender-neutral glove, which is designed to fit anyone’s hands. They are made out of polyester and nylon, and as a result are incredibly smooth and very lightweight. There are a variety of colors to choose from if that is your thing.
The palms have a gel padding in them and have loops on the fingers that allow you to pull them off more easily. These can make wearing them far more comfortable. And if you are sweating up a storm, these got you covered as well, as they have a microfiber thumb to help you wipe off the sweat.
However, not everyone thinks these gloves are comfortable. A few people have complained that the seam on the fingers goes down too far, causing discomfort.
4. Justkit Cycling Gloves — Best Full-Finger
This is one of the only gloves on this list that offers wrist protection. It is a long-fingered one with an incredibly small price tag. In fact, the smallest price tag on this entire list, making it great for people who are trying to budget their money.
It also provides you with a touch finger which allows you to be able to type on your phone, even when you are wearing the gloves. This is good to have if you want to still be able to check messages and text people while still making sure that your hands are warm and toasty.
Riding off-road or cross country can really have to put in a good workout too. As a result, these come with a microfiber thumb to help to wipe away the sweat. In fact, this entire set is made from a microfiber leather, which is incredibly durable and will last for a long time.
The palms have gel on them to help with their durability, and they are both breathable as well as windproof. This will help on those freezing cold days when you still want to ride.
There are a few issues that some people have noted, however. A lot of people have said that the sizes run a little small. So try to get a size larger if you plan on going with this brand. It is the best full-finger one on this list, an I would say the best-padded one as well.
5. Inbike Men’s Cycling Gloves — Best Men’s Mountain Bike Gloves
This one, much like the last, also comes with wrist protection. It is a decently priced half-finger glove that is meant to be more gender-neutral. As a result, it only comes in two colors, red and blue. Not a lot of colors to choose from, but just enough to give you s feeling of choice.
These are highly breathable which can be very helpful on an otherwise hot summer day. And if you are worried about it fitting your hand well, then you do not need to worry because it comes with wrist straps. These are easily adjustable to be able to fit on just about any hand.
For those hot summer days when you are sweating up a storm, no need to worry. This guy has a microfiber cloth on the thumb to help you to wipe off that pesky sweat. And it even has a reflective logo to help cars to see you when you are riding late at night. The best gloves for men.
There are some cons to go with this as well. For instance, it advertises itself as having a gel pad, however, many people have complained that it isn’t. A few people claim that it is more of a foam than a gel pad. There are also no pull tabs, making them hard to take off after a sweaty day out.
What Makes Great Mountain Bike Gloves?
When getting these, there are a lot of factors that you are going to have to take into account. These include whether or not they protect you well, their breathability, their composition, and much, much more.
So here are a few of things that you need to take into account to ensure that the ones you get are great quality and will do whatever you need them for
Polyester, Acrylic, or Polypropylene?
These are durable and more artificial fabrics that are put on these due to them being cheaper to make. The cheaper price is by no means a bad thing, however, as it still provides some great protection. It also allows you to stay within your budget while you are shopping.
Cotton
Cotton is more natural and keeps your hands nice and toasty. It can also be incredibly breathable and comfortable. While none of these are made entirely out of cotton, certain parts of it are, which makes them great as either summer or winter wear.
Breathability
When you are biking around for a while, especially in the hot summer months, your hands are going to feel nasty and sweaty. This can turn an otherwise great ride into a very uncomfortable one.
A glove’s breathability helps to make sure that your hands can breathe, so you do not have to focus too much on the heat. Can definitely make a ride much more pleasant, even on off-road terrain.
Protection
The main reason that you are going to be wearing these is to help protect your hands. This can be from anything such as the elements, to simply getting calluses and injuries as a result of biking on rough terrain.
As a result, it is best to ensure that the ones that you get are durable and padded, to protect you from these injuries.
Padded or Gel Gloves
Both of these work well as they can protect you from getting hurt if you fall. The gel is supposed to reduce the shock that your hands feel by redistributing it across the gel pad. This also works if you are riding across some very bumpy terrain.
Touchscreen
Now, this is a totally elective part of any cycling glove, but for many people, it is certainly convenient. Now pretty much everyone in developed countries has a smartphone of some kind. As a result, we use it often, even when we are in the middle of our hobbies.
However, trying to use your touchscreen phone while wearing gloves is a recipe for disaster. it just won’t work. So having a pair that has a small amount of metallic fabric on the thumb and pointer so you can use your phone can allow you to use your phone without having to take them off your hands.
For many people, this can be a lifesaver, especially if they are riding when it is freezing outside. The last thing you want to do is take these off to text someone or check a message.
This is only a thing for full-finger gloves, however. These do not come on fingerless ones for obvious reasons.
Summer or Winter Gloves
Summer gloves are generally thinner, often are half-finger, and offer a lot more breathability than a winter one might. This is because during the hot summer months, making sure that your hands do not get too sweaty is vital, as it can make an otherwise pleasant ride uncomfortable.
Winter ones, on the other hand, are meant to keep you warm a toasty, while also providing the same level of durability and protection. So keep this in mind when you are shopping for a pair to go mountain biking in.
Design
Glove design says a lot about how it functions, as well as how it looks. Color and how great it works is one thing, but it’s another to have one who’s functionality is fit directly into the design.
For instance, the fingerless variety looks cool, but that is also a design choice on the part of the designer. It is supposed to appeal to you, while also increasing the breathability and freedom that is often restricted when wearing one of these.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do any of these have wrist protection?
While most of these do not have anything to help protect the wrist, the Justkit and the Inbike both have protection for your wrist.
Where can I find a size chart for these?
For the most part, you should be able to find the size chart right on the Amazon page. It is usually the last picture listed. However, if you cannot find one, you can always find them on the companies website. You might just have to do a little more digging.
Will it be able to protect my hands from the wind if I am riding a motorcycle?
Yes, since they are durable, they should be able to prevent the wind from coming in. That way you do not have to worry about the chill air stinging your hands as you ride.
What is the best size for a 12-year-old boy?
This is a hard question to answer, as the sizing for clothes, in general, are made by each individual company. So what might be a good number fit for a 12-year-old in one brand might be too big in another. This also varies by country, making it very complicated to pin down.
There is also the issue when it comes to children’s hands as well. Some people have bigger or smaller than normal hands, which can alter the size as well. So this is a very difficult question to answer, sorry.
How well does the touch work with an iPhone 8?
My personal experience with touch in gloves when it comes to phones have never been satisfactory. Since these are higher quality ones, chances are, they will work pretty OK when it comes to using your phones with these on. However, they will not be as sturdy or accurate as simply using your fingers.
Can it prevent calluses while riding a bike?
Calluses are rather annoying and even painful if you plan on mountain biking. This is especially true if you bike for a good amount of time. So, yes, these will help prevent you are getting calluses and other injuries while riding, regardless of if they are half or full finger.
Final Thoughts
All of these gloves are pretty good if you are into MTB. However, some of them might not be good if you are looking for something that will also help to protect you from the elements.
For instance, the HTZPLOO seems like an otherwise good pair, but it does not seem to be able to protect you from even a gentle breeze. Although they are otherwise regarded to be great for MTB.
The Zokki is my personal favorite, both in terms of how it looks, as well as the quality that it provides. It seems to give a good combination of both comfort and ventilation that many others on the market seem to lack. Also, they are fingerless, so they make you look cool.
All and all, the ones on here are great for both beginners and seasoned professionals and work well when it comes to protecting your hands and making riding your mountain bike that much more of a pleasant ride.
Just make sure that you are looking for durability and other factors, so you do not get a pair that you either don’t need or will otherwise not hold up.