Gloves are a fairly basic biking accessory that most people probably don’t give much thought to. Heck, some people don’t even like to wear gloves at all. After getting my knuckles hit a few dozen times with branches I myself like them.
Many biking gloves are only going protect your hands against blisters or protect the palm of your hands if you fall on rough ground. The good news is that there are some gloves that offer great protection with a minimal cost. I prefer the Seiberton Dirtpaw MTB Gloves (click to check the current price on Amazon). These are full finger gloves that have direct injection rubber to protect your knuckles, while they palm isn’t overly padded so you can still have a good grip on the handlebars.
Mountain Bike Gloves with Moderate Protection
Not everyone is a fan of heavy duty biking gloves. Some people prefer something a little lighter. Lighter gloves certainly are a lot more comfortable on hot summer days.
Sometimes you just want to avoid some of the minor cuts when you’re barreling down a trail lined with trees. For this, I’d recommend Giro DND Bike gloves (check the current price on Amazon).
Middle of the road gloves like these that have full finger protection will protect you from lighter branches and thorns.
Generally moderate protection gloves are a little cheaper than the heavy duty gloves. Most people who use these gloves want some protection but not the big bulky protection of the bigger gloves.
MTB Gloves with Light Protection
Some riders want the bare minimum gloves. These gloves are typically the half finger gloves that are good for gripping the handlebars but that’s about all.
These gloves won’t give you much protection from mother nature around you, but they still help protect your palms in the case of a fall.
If you ride on wide fire roads or doubletracks, then maybe branches are stuff aren’t an issue. In that case, I can definitely understand going with the light protection gloves.
MTB Gloves for Hot Weather
Riding in hot weather presents different issues. When it’s hot, you sweat quite a bit. Naturally, your hands become really sweaty.
The best gloves for hot weather wick away sweat and help you keep a grip on the handlebars. These gloves are that much better when they have a lot of ventilation.
Unless you’re riding downhill terrain, you’ll want lighter gloves to keep your hands dry and gripping the handlebars. Light protection gloves can work well for this.
Mountain Bike Gloves for Spring and Fall Riding
If you’re riding in the spring fall, or potentially even the winter, you’ll have to deal with cold weather. Cold weather has a way of chilling the fingers and making a ride a little less enjoyable.
A set of Ozero Thermal gloves can go a long way to keep your fingers nice and warm. You can take it a step further and even get electrically heated gloves.
Fingers and toes are the first things to get cold so put on a warm set of gloves and boots and enjoy a little more riding.
Conclusion
When you’re looking for a new set of gloves, there are a lot of options you can choose from. The first step to finding the right gloves is determining where you’ll use them.
If you’re going to be on downhill terrain and racing through branches and stuff, I’d definitely go with a heavy duty pair of gloves like the Seiberton that will protect your fingers and knuckles.
If you’re only riding on really clean trails, then moderate protection gloves may be the best for you.
For me, I always stick with the most protection so the Seiberton keeps my hands from getting hurt.
Gloves are just one of the items you’ll need to get setup with all of your bike accessories. Check out my Recommended Gear page for more insight into what gear works.