Mountain biking is one of the popular sports. Well, a bit dangerous of course, but no doubt it’s exciting. Accidents and injury are common in the mountain bike riding. So, gloves are essential to reduce the impact of the injury. Different cyclists have a different opinion on gloves. So, there will be always a space for debate on best mountain bike gloves.
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After an ample amount of studying, we are thinking that Pearl Izumi – Ride Pro AMFIB Lobster Gloves is the overall best choice for Mountain Bike gloves on our list. Though it has lower dexterity than other half-finger/fingerless gloves, we chose it considering its weather feature.
The Ride Pro AMFIB Lobster has a unique design and an all-weather glove. It is windproof as well as waterproof. It fits well, so provides good control over braking and shifting while riding. Special synthetic leather provides super softness, also make the gloves durable. Its manufacturer has used BioViz elements to make it reflective even in low-light situation. Hook and loop type closure makes it super easy for you to pull up and off the gloves.
So, in this article, we have covered several mountain bike gloves from different viewpoints or categories. Here goes the list.
9 best mountain bike (MTB) gloves money can buy today
1. Pearl Izumi – Ride Pro AMFIB Lobster Gloves: Waterproof
Features and considerations:
- Wind and waterproof
- Fleece-lined interior means warmth and comfort
- Palm is synthetic leather made, soft and durable
- Hook and loop closure, therefore, adjustable
- Primaloft Gold insulation provides good thermal protection
- Wiping surface and reflecting elements are included
Cons:
- Not touch screen capable
- Costly
- Not breathable
- It doesn’t work too far below the sub-zero temperature.
Ride pro AMFIB lobster glove is one of the finest cold weather gloves which is also waterproof. Cold or rainy, you can count on it. It’s a lobster split-finger gloves with good thermal and water protection. Comfortable, durable and a bit bulky for a mountain bike ride. Overall, it’s a good choice.
2. Troy Lee Designs Bike Gloves: Best full finger MTB gloves
Pros:
- Spandex body, stretchable
- Perforated synthetic leather palm, comfortable
- Silicone prints on braking fingers ensure the good gripping point
- Lightweight fabrics with adjustable wrist closure
- Durable and sturdy built
- Breathable and true to size
Cons:
- Color fades quickly
- Wrist closure fitting has an issue
- Despite full finger, not a cold-weather glove
- Losses its sturdiness after few rides.
- Not touch-capable
Air bike glove made by TLD has a fantastic build quality. It’s a full-finger, lightweight gloves and has most of the properties of good mountain bike gloves. It’s a full-finger but not a cold one. Downhill or XC, it’s suitable for all kinds of mountain biking.
3. HTZPLOO Bike Gloves: Best finger-less MTB gloves
Pros:
- Made of comfortable lycra fabric
- Shock-absorbing protection reduces handlebar vibration
- The anti-slip design increases grip
- Easy pull off
- Lightweight and sweat wiper included
- Breathable material
- Hook and loop closure
Cons:
- Not for cold weather as it is half finger
- May not have the moisture-wicking properties
- Color degradation may occur
HTZPLOO glove is by far one of the best half finger or fingerless gloves. Actually, it has so many good properties that, it can be put on many best categories. They are perfect mountain bike gloves for basically hot weather and not especially cold ones. Breathable, good grip, anti-slip design, comfortable fabrics make this thing an extraordinary but affordable glove.
4. Fox Racing Ranger Mountain Bike Gloves: Good for downhill mountain biking
Features and considerations:
- Lightweight gloves for warm weather
- Provides reasonable protection in mild winter
- An extra layer of protection between grip area and skin
- Touchscreen capability
- Comfortable fabrics
Cons:
- Lightly padded
- Not a heavy-duty glove
- Not fully breathable
This glove has a beautiful lightweight design. The company made this glove with the purpose of several types of MTB ride including the downhill ride. Won’t last long in heavy-duty. It provides a good grip for better control.
5. Pearl Izumi Men’s Select Glove: Well padded & shock-absorbing
Features and considerations:
- Amply padded half finger mountain bike glove ensures comfort
- Good shock absorption properties
- Provide support in case of wrist pain
- Hook and loop closure for a perfect fit
- Wiping material is included
Cons:
- Size isn’t accurate
- A bit tight fit so removing is tough
- Building quality isn’t good
This glove is one of their most padded gloves. It absorbs handlebar vibration and prevents wrist pain occurrence. The glove has various features but the build quality is sometimes below normal. Overall it’s a good glove for rough terrain.
6. Giro DND Gloves: For hand Numbness protection
Features and considerations:
- Moisture-wicking, partially breathable gloves
- Crash pads for crash protection
- Microfiber palms secure grips
- Lightweight
- Wiping surface included
Cons:
- Not fully breathable gloves
- Durability is an issue
- No-touchscreen capability
- Not suitable for cold weather
Giro DND aka ‘Down and Dirty’ is built with minimal padding and lightweight design so that it can reduce shock and also hand numbness. It has crash pads, good grip, minimal padding, lightweight design, which are good features for a mountain bike glove.
7. LuxoBike Cycling Gloves: For hot weather/summer gloves
Features and considerations:
- Stretchable and breathable fabric
- Good grip and anti-slip, half finger design
- Shock-absorbing padding reduces hand numbness or wrist pain
- Sweat wiper included
- Hook and loop cuff design with an easy pull of design
- Machine washable
Cons:
- Low-quality padding material good
- Fitting isn’t accurate
- Not suitable for people with a sweat problem
Luxobike is a small cycling company that builds great gloves. This fingerless glove is fantastic for what it provides. For any type of mountain ride, this glove is suitable. Well, it is a half finger glove so cold weather is an issue here. Good for summer condition.
8. Castelli Estremo Gloves: For extreme cold weather
Features and considerations:
- Windproof and water-resistant
- Durable
- Made of materials that can provide good thermal protection
- Has moisture-wicking properties
- Vibration dampening palm reduce fatigue
- Wiping surface included
Cons:
- Expensive
- Not fully waterproof
- Not touch-screen capable
Castelli Estremo is the best sub-freezing glove. It’s the glove for perfect winter protection. With great insulation and durable grippy fabric, this can be the best glove. But it’s not suitable for hot and rainy weather. But other than that, it’s the best glove for riding in the cold.
9. Pearl Izumi Women’s Select Glove: Women’s specific MTB gloves
Features and considerations:
- Designed for women’s comfort
- Dampens road vibration
- Gel-foam padding relieves nerve pressure
- Bulkiness eliminated, so, lightweight
- Hook and loop closure
Cons:
- Not a heavy-duty glove
- The fitting can be large for some people
Women’s select glove by Pearl Izumi is built with the purpose of providing women a bit of flexibility while riding. The fitting is generally small for women’s relatively small hands, padding is designed to ride without any nerve pressure. A lightweight, nerve protector glove.
The need for a mountain bike glove
Mountain biking is risky and there is a lot of scope for injuries and accidents while riding. Control of the bike depends on the rider’s hand position, circumstances, So, it’s mandatory to keep the hand safe. That’s why mountain bike gloves for hands are needed.
Basically, gloves are needed for three main reasons:
- For protection
- Protection from nerve injury/wrist pain/hand numbness
Gloves provide padding that saves the nerve from extra pressure and compression.Source: Nerve injuries
- Protection handlebar vibration
This is actually in the same category as nerve protection. - Protection from crash
Accidents are common in mountain biking. A good glove can reduce the damage by providing protection during crashing. - Protection from Thorn and roadside trees
While riding, a glove can save the hand from unwanted cutting by thrones and trees. - Protection from weather
Depending on the fabrics it can be thermal/wind/waterproof. Works as protection for different weather.
ImgSource:https://thedocandtheyogi.com/news/2017/3/2/cyclists-hands-overcoming-overuse-injuries
- Protection from nerve injury/wrist pain/hand numbness
- For comfort
- Glove’s padding isn’t just for security, it’s for comfort purposes too.
- It absorbs shock and reduces uncomfortable vibration.
- Generally, the gloves are made with comfortable fabrics.
- For better control
- The handlebar may get wet and slippery. A good gripped glove can maintain control in a slippery handlebar condition.
- In cold weather condition, the hand get numb, that’s why it becomes tough to get hold of the controlling. A glove is a solution to avoid numbness and regain control.
Factors to consider while buying MTB gloves
- Is it well-padded and comfortable?
- What about the glove size? Does it fit with your hand?
- Is it suitable for my weather condition?
These are the questions you should ask before finalizing the glove selection.
A glove can be half finger, full finger or three-finger (lobster). A cyclist can use any depending on his requirements. But all the requirements come after the perfect fitting of the glove. It’s mandatory to get the most fitted glove.
Half finger gloves are better for lightweight, dexterity and, breath-ability. They aren’t useful in all climates. Best for the summertime.
Different Types of Gloves
Full finger gloves can provide better protection than half finger but breathability is an issue here sometimes. They can be used in all weather depending on the fabrics.
Lobster gloves are basically for winter purposes. They are actually full but split-finger gloves. These are generally for thermal protection but sometimes waterproof also.
Considerable factors while choosing an MTB glove:
- Lightweight: Lightweight gloves are flexible, reduce drag.
- Comfort: Comfort depends on fabric and padding. So, Check your glove fabric.
- Good grip: A good grip is a feature of a good glove.
- Breathability: This feature also depends on the fabrics. To prevent sweat hand/palm and increase air circulation a glove must be breathable.
- Weather: The glove can be wind or waterproof or both. Therefore, it is essential to choose your gloves depending on the weather. Thermal protection is very important for cold weather.
- Design: Half, full or split-finger, whatever the design, it is partially depended upon weather.
- Cuff: Simple loop-on and adjustable velcro cuffs. These are the options.
- Extra Features: It is better to have touchscreen capability and a sweat wiper. Also, gloves with reflective material in the body is a good choice for night safety
Conclusion
Glove selection isn’t an easy process with all these options and criteria but glove selection is an important issue if you ride regularly. So, based on your test, requirements choose one which is best suited for you.
Related Readings
- Best cycling gloves for protecting hand numbness
- Pearl Izumi Men’s SELECT Softshell Gloves Review
- Best mountain bike (MTB) gloves for hot weather
- Best cycling gloves for EXTREME subzero temperatures
The post 9 Best Mountain Bike (MTB) Gloves (Reviewed Feb, 2020) appeared first on ApexBikes.
