Best Motorcycle Gloves UK 2026

Cold hands kill concentration. Wet hands lose grip. Unprotected hands get destroyed in even minor crashes. Motorcycle gloves aren't optional, they're essential safety equipment.

Summer Gloves (around £40-80): Short cuff, perforated leather or textile. These prioritise airflow over insulation. The RST Stunt III (around £50) and Alpinestars SP-8 (around £70) offer CE protection with summer comfort.

Summer gloves work from roughly May to September in the UK. Below 15°C they're uncomfortable. Below 10°C they're useless. If you commute year-round, summer gloves are your warm weather option, not your only pair.

Protection requirements don't change with temperature. Even summer gloves need knuckle armour and palm sliders. Your hands hit the ground first in most falls.

Winter Gloves (around £80-150): This is where UK commuters spend most of their glove budget. The Alpinestars Andes V3 Drystar Gloves (around £100) and Rev'It Boxxer H2O (around £120) combine thermal insulation with waterproof membranes.

Expect thicker construction, longer cuffs that overlap jacket sleeves, and reduced dexterity. The trade-off is worth it. Numb fingers can't operate controls properly.

Look for gloves rated to at least 5°C. Most manufacturers are optimistic with temperature ratings. A glove claiming comfort at 0°C might struggle below 5°C in windchill.

Waterproofing Reality: Gloves labelled "waterproof" vary wildly in actual performance. Gore-Tex and similar breathable membranes work. Cheaper "water-resistant" coatings fail within months. Budget for proper waterproof gloves around £80-100 minimum.

Wet gloves become cold gloves. Cold gloves become dangerous. Don't skimp here.

Heated Gloves (around £100-200): For winter commuting below 5°C, heated gloves transform the experience. Battery-powered options (around £150-200) offer 2-4 hours of warmth. Bike-wired options (around £100-150) provide unlimited heat but need installation.

Heated gloves aren't luxury for UK winter riding. They're the difference between safe operation and numb, unresponsive hands at 70mph.

Protection Standards: CE EN 13594 certifies motorcycle gloves. Level 1 offers basic protection. Level 2 (KP) adds knuckle protection requirements. Look for Level 1 minimum, Level 2 for serious riding.

Knuckle armour, palm sliders, and scaphoid protection (heel of thumb) matter most. Your hands instinctively break falls. Give them armour to do it safely.

Sizing: Gloves should fit snugly without restricting blood flow. You need to operate controls precisely. Too loose reduces feel. Too tight causes numbness over time.

Leather stretches slightly with use. Textile less so. When between sizes, go smaller for better control feel.

Our Recommendation: Most UK riders need two pairs: summer and winter. Budget around £150 total. Start with quality winter gloves if buying one pair. You can ride with slightly warm hands in summer. You can't ride safely with frozen hands in winter.

For commuters, consider heated gloves as a genuine upgrade rather than a luxury. Not sure what suits your riding? Our quiz considers your typical conditions.