A pair of quality gloves will keep you more comfortable and safer.
We’ve made a list of the best waterproof motorcycle gloves available at a range of prices.
Our criteria for inclusion on the list:
- Decent waterproofing
- Abrasion-resistant construction
- Some palm and finger protection
Richa Invader Gore-Tex Gloves
Goretex Protection, Great Price
It’s hard to beat Richa’s Invader gloves at this price. With Gore-Tex lining, decent protection, and a very comfortable fit, they feel like a product from a higher price point.
Richa Cold Protect Gore-Tex Gloves
Tough Gloves for Serious Weather
If you need serious protection from the cold and the road, take a look at Richa’s Cold Protect Gore-Tex Gloves. They’re toasty and seriously well-armoured.
Waterproof Gloves Reviewed
Richa Invader Gore-Tex Gloves
Richa has an excellent reputation for functional leather and textile motorcycling clothing at sensible prices. True to that form, these waterproof, Gore-Tex-lined, high denier textile gloves will keep you warm and dry at a very fair price.
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The drum-cured goatskin in gloves like the Rev’it Stratos adds to material and manufacturing cost. By using a poly textile with a high denier instead of leather here, Richa can offer similar performance cheaper.
Foam panels protect the knuckle and palm areas. This protection is a lot better than nothing but certainly not the highest level available. If you’re after a higher level of protection, go for gloves with harder PU armour.
Touch screen compatibility and an integrated visor wipe give these a few premium features. We like the double hook and loop wrist closure. It keeps them draught-free and feels like they’ll stay on.
This is a comfortable set of lightweight gloves that are windproof and waterproof. They’re probably not suitable for the deepest winter months without heated grips, but a great set of gloves at the price.
A quick note about sizing – if you fall between two sizes (i.e. sometimes you’re an M and sometimes an L), go for the larger size. The fit is quite snug on many people.
Pros:
- Quality textile gloves
- Low price
- Reliable waterproofing
Cons:
- Lightweight protection
- Not for the very coldest days of UK winter
Richa Cold Protect Gore-Tex Gloves
These mixed leather and textile gloves are Richa’s coldest weather offering with decent protection. A Gore-Tex lining means they’re waterproof with excellent breathability.
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The tri-fleece lining will keep you warm when the temperature drops, and the overall cut and fit is excellent.
Protection and abrasion resistance is high-level here too. A flat section of polyester urethane covers the knuckles. Hard armour inserts protect the finger joints, abrasion panels cover the palm and little finger, and Superfabric inserts are carefully placed in stress areas.
These gloves are on the thicker side. If you struggle to operate controls with your hands covered, you may need to spend the money to buy a thinner pair. They’ll take a bit of breaking in too. Most people find them snug at first but loosen out over a few days of use.
At this price, a set of Gore-Tex, breathable, waterproof, PU knuckle protecting, tri-fleece lined gloves are a great value proposition.
Tough, protective, and suitable for the coldest weather.
Pros:
- Great CE certified protection
- Warm, dry. Breathable
Cons:
- There are cheaper options available
Rev’it Stratos Gore-Tex Leather Gloves
These Gore-Tex, leather, and textile gloves from Rev’it are an excellent choice in the sub 100 GBP bracket. Not quite entry-level and not quite high-end, they will keep you warm and dry in the harsh UK winter at a fair price.
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The construction uses a Gore-Tex membrane under their goatskin outer layer. Their Thinsulate tri-fleece lining is toasty and comfortable. The high-grade leather looks great and allows for a fairly slim glove that will last a long time.
Flocking on the index finger can be used to wipe your visor. This type of solution works better than many of the rubber-type visor wipes.
Wear and tear areas are reinforced using Rev’it’s PWR (similar to Cordura) shell and 330D polyester. The knuckle protection uses proprietary Seesoft material for comfort and safety in the event of a fall. The palm areas are also reinforced but not to the point that gripping the throttle and using the levers is difficult.
The biggest complaint we’ve seen about these gloves refers to their fastening system. To be fair, we’ve used this type of system before, and it’s an effective pain in the ass. They use a single motion closure system that takes a little getting used to. Don’t let this put you off too much. It’s not a deal-breaker, and it does keep out cold air.
These are primarily designed to be worn with the cuffs over your jacket. If you’re one of those who insist on tucking their gloves inside their jacket sleeves, this may pose a problem for you – particularly if your jacket has narrow sleeves.
All in all, a great set of gloves for the price. Good looks, not too bulky, with good safety features and reliable waterproofing.
Pros:
- Quality outer leather
- Reliable, durable waterproofing
- Toasty lining
Cons:
- The wrist closure system annoys some people
Oxford Calgary 1.0 Waterproof Glove
This simple and striking looking glove from Oxford will appeal to the minimalists out there (and anyone who bought the Darth Vader Helmet from our Star Wars Helmet article). These are sleek and simple in a way that many on our list aren’t. And they really look like something hanging in Vader’s closet.
Using a full leather palm and outer shell, these gloves feature a Dry2Dry layer to keep the rain out and retain some breathability. And they’re comfortable too. Accordion stretch panels in the wrist, flexible, pre-bent fingers, and a chunky strap help with this.
Knuckle protection is fixed in place under the leather. It’s hard armour, not the flexible kind. But its placement and the lining between it and your hand make it feel comfortable and give us confidence that it will perform.
A two-point fastening system keeps these secured and comfortable with velcro straps and press studs. The straps are simpler than some on our list, and they do a good job of getting out of the way aesthetically.
These are great looking pieces of kit with decent protection and waterproofing. And they’ll appeal to many riders for their looks.
Pros:
- Look cool
- Good protection
- Good waterproofing
Cons:
- None
Richa Carbon Winter Waterproof Leather Gloves
These are another set of budget-priced but well-made gloves from Richa. The focus here seems more on rugged construction and safety than with Richa’s Invader gloves.
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The Invaders use a Gore-Tex liner for waterproofing. These gloves use a slightly less breathable but equally waterproof membrane. This probably helps keep the cost down and allows them to use aramid and carbon fibre at critical points for safety.
The leather construction feels solid with a double layer over the palm. An abrasion-resistant aramid lining and carbon fibre reinforced finger protection should help to keep you out of serious harm in an accident.
And while these are excellent, warm, and protective gloves, they are on the thicker side. But at this price, you aren’t going to find many slim gloves that keep out the cold and wet effectively. Riders who struggle with using thicker gloves may have to look elsewhere.
Like most leather gloves, these will feel a little stiff at first. After a few days riding, they’ll become more flexible.
These are good value winter gloves, warm enough in weather down to about 5 degrees. At that point, most people need additional cold protection like heated grips or gloves.
Pros:
- Excellent value
- Warm, dry, tough
Cons:
- Not super breathable
- Thick
Richa Arctic Textile Waterproof Gloves
These touring gloves from Richa offer warm, dry winter riding with a decent level of protection. And they’re comfortable too.
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The Schoeller Keprotec fabric used in their construction was originally developed for use in motorcycle racing equipment. It’s comfortable while offering a high level of abrasion resistance and protection.
And these gloves do make you feel carefully wrapped. The impact-absorbing TPU armour around the knuckles is cushioned by soft inserts that make the gloves feel both comfortable and like they’d protect you in a crash.
The palm area is a little too padded for some tastes. If you find it hard to feel the throttle with a large pad over your palm, these mightn’t be for you.
Some riders find these come up a little small. They’re thinner than some of the other options on our list too. If you’re after a protective glove with a slimmer profile, these might be worth a look.
Little touches like the built-in visor squeegee and touchscreen compatibility help justify the price here.
Pros:
- Solid construction
- Waterproof, windproof, and cosy
Cons:
- Size comes up small for some people
RST Storm 2 Waterproof Gloves
The RST Storm 2 are a heavyweight glove for all seasons. They use full-grain leather with a SinAqua waterproof membrane to keep you dry, warm and protected. Again, this membrane isn’t quite as breathable (though still waterproof) as Gore-Tex. But this won’t present much of a problem for winter riding.
The thermoplastic polyurethane knuckle protection is certified to CE level 1 and sits comfortably when riding. A double layer of leather covers the palm area. Silicone grips are woven into this area to help with comfort and feedback on the throttle and grips.
Thermoplastic rubber protection is used in the fingers where more flexibility is needed. For such a heavy-duty set of gloves, they feel good almost immediately and will break in well over time.
The fastening system here is top drawer. A zip gusset with hook and loop straps means you can take these on and off with minimal adjustment. They feel like they’ll stay on in a crisis too.
The thumb and index finger are compatible with touchscreens, and the former includes a visor squeegee.
All in all, these are an excellent set of winter gloves.
Pros:
- Excellent safety features
Cons:
- Stiff at first
Buyer’s Guide
Materials
Most of us picture leather when thinking of motorcycle clothing. And while it is still used for its abrasion resistance and looks, it’s not the cheapest nor most waterproof option available to modern manufacturers.
Materials like Cordura and other high-density, high denier polyester cloth can offer comparable abrasion resistance to leather at a reduced cost, with waterproofing typically achieved using a membrane layer.
Waterproofing/Insulation/Breathability
Waterproofing is not particularly hard to achieve. But to keep out water while still allowing moisture generated by the body to escape is a challenge.
Goretex
Breathability costs money. Most of us are familiar with Gore-Tex. It’s still deployed by most of the world’s military as their best waterproof, breathable fabric – so it must be effective. Its price relative to other materials suggests quality too.
Cheaper Options
There are cheaper options that retain some level of breathability and whether those options will suit you depends on a few factors. The first question is – are you a sweaty-palmed freakshow? Jokes aside, some people aren’t going to even notice breathability, especially in cooler weather.
Multiple Gloves?
This brings us to the second question. How many pairs of gloves do you intend to buy?
If you own a set of gloves for each season, their insulation is probably appropriate for the temperature you wear them in. In this case, ultra-breathability isn’t so important.
But if you’re hoping to buy a single pair of gloves for year-round use, expect them to feel pretty hot in summer. In this case, breathability becomes a more significant factor.
Armour
Being constructed from abrasion-resistant material is the first order of safety with motorcycle clothes. Everything else is a bonus.
All the armour inserts in the world count for nothing if the garment goes to pieces when in high-speed contact with the road. All of the gloves on our list are made from synthetic, high denier fabric or a combination of leather and these synthetic textiles.
Knuckles And Palm
Motorcycle gloves typically include some type of armour or extra padding across the knuckles. Your knuckles are natural high points and likely to come in contact with the road in an accident. Palms are also reinforced, as a rule – usually with extra layers of material.
Extra Protection
Some of the gloves on our list feature additional safety features like armour inserts to protect the finger joints and protection specific to the index and little finger.
Only the RST Storm 2 gloves feature TPU protection in the fingers. This is the same type used to protect construction workers from the effects of long-term exposure to vibration from power tools.
Feedback/Feel
The cheaper the glove, the thicker its material needs must be to provide adequate protection and warmth.
More material results in worse feel and feedback from the throttle, levers, and controls. Staying warm enough outweighs this consideration, in our opinion.
If your hands get cold enough, they cease to function altogether.
Some manufacturers get around the problem of too-thick gloves by tailoring them carefully and adding silicone beads at contact points.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, 7 excellent waterproof gloves to choose from. We recommend the Richa Invaders for riders on a budget and the Richa Cold Protect for those riding in harsh conditions and who want top-level protection.
Related
You might also be interested in our other waterproof clothing guides: