The Best Gauntlet Motorcycle Gloves for the 2022 Season
We’d Know: We’ve Hands-On Tested 2500+ Pieces of Riding Gear Since 2000
Entry-Level
Priced under $150, these gauntlet gloves are ideal for new riders or value-conscious shoppers.
Mid-Range
Priced $150-$250, these gauntlet gloves are high quality and offer great protection for the price point.
High-End
Priced $250 and up. This category has the best of what is available when it comes to gauntlet gloves.
A note about our recommendations:
There’s a lot of fake “review sites” online today. We get it. We aren’t one of them. Founded in 2000, the team at wBW has extensively tested more than 2,500 pieces of gear. Helmets, jackets, boots, gloves, accessories, and more. We extensively and exhaustively test gear. We do not fluff reviews. Read our review policies.
Updated December 2021
Priced under $150
Best Entry Level Motorcycle Gauntlet Gloves
REV’IT! RSR 3
Price: $139.99
Where to Buy
Why?
The REV’IT RSR 3 is a mostly leather glove that offers great protection, with a very affordable price tag. It’s a great entry-level option for a gauntlet glove that provides far more protective features than most gloves in this price range.
Specs
Features:
Protection Features:
- Outer Shell: cowhide, goatskin, PU coated fabric
- Protection: TPU hard-shell palm slider, EVA foam, PWR|shield knit, TPU hard-shell little finger protector, TPU hard-shell knuckle
Ergonomic Features:
- Fit: race fit
- Adjustability: adjustment strap, adjustment tab
- Ventilation: ventilation panels
- Features: outside stitching, stretch lips, elastic, regular cuff
Protection & Safety
- EVA foam provides protection throughout the gloves
- TPU armor added to the protection of the little finger and the knuckles
- TPU hard-shell palm slider for added protection and to eliminate abrasion concerns in a slide
Dainese Impeto
Price: $129.99
Where to Buy
Why?
The Dainese Impeto sport gauntlet is one of the best gloves to come out of the Italian manufacturer in years, and it shows with the subtle details. One of the biggest details is that the entire palm area, including up to the blade edge of the hand, is all one single piece of leather, reducing multiple points of failure where panels stitched together may split. Multiple impact foam zones and hard TPU sliders, as well as the split, hard TPU knuckles, protects the hand against both impact and abrasion. A heavily padded wrist closure holds the ulna and radius bones in line in case of a palm first hit to the ground, and through it all, the gloves are also highly ventilated to keep your hands cool and dry.
These gloves have also achieved CE Category II Level 1 certification, making them viable for track use if you want a “cheap” glove to attend novice track days with.
Specs
- Drum-dyed goatskin leather
- Single leather panel reinforces side of the hand to palm
- Polyurethane slider on the palm and joints of the fingers
- Dainese branding on wrist closure
- Impact-absorbing soft inserts
- Elasticated insert on thumb and fingers
- Micro-injection reinforcement on the palm
- Pre-curved fingers
- Gloves certified to CE – Cat. II – EN 13594/2015 Standard Category II Level 1
Protection & Safety
- Hard TPU over finger joints, knuckles
- Double wrist closure to keep the bones of the wrist aligned and stable during impact
- Multiple slide zones and padding zones
- Bottom layer of the palm is one single panel all the way out to the blade edge of the hand, increasing structural stability.
Cortech Scarab 2.0
Price: $94.99
Where to Buy
Why?
The Scarab 2.0 gloves could possibly be the best bang-for-your-buck inclement weather gauntlets. Hitena, a cousin to Kevlar, coats the TPU knuckle, finger, and palm-heel armor, and backs the goatskin leather around the wrists. A HiPora waterproof membrane keeps everything dry, and a Thinsulate 100g liner insulates against even near-freezing temperatures. And all of this hi-tech science and engineering for less than $100!
Specs
Features:
- Constructed using abrasion-resistant drum dyed goatskin leather
- HiPora three-layer waterproof and breathable liner
- 100g 3M Thinsulate insulation
- Abrasion-resistant molded Hitena knuckle and outside wrist guard
- Hitena wrapped PU foam protectors on the fingers and heel
- Touchscreen compatible conductive thumb and index finger
- Includes a TPR shield wiper blade and 3M Scotchlite reflective piping
- Pre-curved fingers, dual hook and loop gauntlet cuff and plush 2mm fleece liner
Protection & Safety
- Hitena covered TPU knuckles and outside wrist guard
- Hitena wrapped TPU finger and palm heel slider areas
- Goatskin leather is soft and comfortable, as well as highly abrasion resistant
Priced $150- $250
Best Mid-Range Motorcycle Gauntlet Gloves
Dainese Carbon 3
Price: $179.95
Where to Buy
Why?
The Dainese Carbon 3 is the perfect everyday glove that incorporates comfort features needed for daily commuting and packages them with a hefty side of racetrack-derived safety technology. Much like the Yamaha R6 you are perhaps riding, Dainese took a product for the track and repurposed it for the roadways. These gloves look great and offer awesome protection.
Specs
Fit:
- Runs slightly small, order the larger size if you are between sizes
Features:
- Drum-dyed goatskin leather
- Sheepskin leather at palm for added tactile feel
- Reinforcement in goatskin between thumb, index, and palm
- Carbon fiber over knuckles
- DCP system at fourth finger
- Single leather panel reinforces side of the hand to palm
- Polyurethane slider on the palm and joints of the fingers
- Dainese branding on wrist closure
- Impact-absorbing soft inserts
- Elasticated insert on thumb and fingers
- Micro-injection reinforcement on the palm
- Pre-curved fingers
- Thermoplastic resin slider on fourth finger
- Perforation at fourchettes
- Gloves certified to CE – Cat. II – EN 13594/2015 Standard Category II Level 1
Protection & Safety
- These gloves feature a full drum-dyed goatskin construction so no square inch of the glove will sacrifice slide resistance
- The knuckles of these gloves are reinforced with real carbon fiber (many companies will put a TPU panel with a carbon wrap, this is the real deal)
- Sliders can be found on the palms and finger joints for further abrasion resistance in the event of a ‘hands first slide
- Having an official safety certification is always nice, these gloves are certified to CE – Cat. II – EN 13594/2015 Standard Category II Level 1 – meaning that they have gone through the wringer to prove their worth
REV’IT! Quantum 2
Price: $209.99
Where to Buy
Why?
When we looked back over 2021 to see what gauntlets we were recommending for 2022, we honestly did not receive that many to test. This is mostly because the gauntlet style is either for the track, or for snowmobile riding in the winter. Yet, when we reviewed the Quantum 2 gauntlets from Rev’It, we were blown away by just how feature-packed and comfortable these gloves were!
Here you have a track-style gauntlet glove, that would be happy on any track, yet designed for the street rider. You have carbon fiber-backed TPU everywhere that there is a slide zone, and the TPU hard armor is also very comfortable on the fingers and knuckles. Cowhide for the main chassis provides the best abrasion resistance, why a goatskin and synthetic leather palm gives great bar feel and is soft and flexible enough to comfortably reach all thumb controls.
We could wax on here about these gloves, yet we simply recommend that you read the review, and see why we have voted these gauntlets as one of the best value-for-the-price gauntlets we’ve seen in years.
Read our in-depth review: REV’IT Quantum 2 Gloves
Specs
-
Protection Features:
- Outer shell: cowhide | goatskin | synthetic PU leather | 3D air mesh
- Lining: tri-fleece liner
- Composition: 72% leather, 15% polyester, 13% polyurethane
- Protection: TPU hard-shell knuckle | TPU hard-shell little finger protector | TPU hard-shell palm slider | TPU hard-shell thumb protector | TPU Cuff protector | Temperfoam ® finger knuckles | safety stitching
- Visibility: Reflection at little finger
Ergonomic Features:
- Fit: sport fit
- Adjustability: wrist and cuff adjustment system
- Ventilation: zones of perforation
Features: outside stitching | long cuff | textured grip and control panel | stretch fourchettes
Protection & Safety
Safety Features:
-
- TPU hard-shell knuckle | TPU hard-shell little finger protector | TPU hard-shell palm slider | TPU hard-shell thumb protector | TPU Cuff protector | Temperfoam ® finger knuckles | safety stitching
- Outer shell: cowhide | goatskin | synthetic PU leather | 3D air mesh
Priced $250+
Best High-End Motorcycle Gauntlet Gloves
Alpinestars GP Pro R3
Price: $259.95
Where to Buy
Why?
The Alpinestars GP Pro 3 uses a variety of different materials in strategic locations to provide riders with the ultimate in protection, comfort, and tactile feedback.
Specs
- Mix of cow and goat leather with kangaroo leather on the palm
- Outer seam palm construction
- Long cuff
- Hard knuckle
- Knuckle panel perforated gusset for better ventilation
- Print on finger
- Finger bridge
- Double closure system with Cuff DFS protection
- Side reinforcements with palm hard slider
- Accordion panels in leather on fingers thumb and backhand to increase fit and direct comfort
- Thumb and palm reinforcement for a superior grip
- TPU finger protection
- Soft padding protection on fingertips
- Ergonomic stretch insert on palm
- CE certified CAT II Level 2
Protection & Safety
The protection offered by the Bryce Gore-Tex is exactly what riders have come to expect from Alpinestars in safe yet comfortable armor.
- Armored knuckles with a panel of perforations for better ventilation for added grip
- Armor on the gantlet for added abrasion protection in the event of a slide
- Side reinforcements with a palm slider
Held Air N Dry
Price: $295.00
Where to Buy
Why?
The Air N Dry gloves might very well be the ultimate warm weather gauntlet glove. It boasts two chambers inside the glove, one lined with GoreTex to keep your hands dry, the other unlined and with perforated kangaroo leather for airflow and cooling. On top of that, these gloves also feature Cordura accordion flex zones, massive SuperFabric ceramic palm heel, ring finger, and outer edge of pinky finger zones, fully ventilated TPU knuckles, and even a visor wipe on the index finger should you get caught in the rain! It literally has everything a warm-weather glove needs and squeaks in just shy of $300
Specs
- Highly abrasion-resistant kangaroo leather palm
- DuPont CORDURA (100% polyamide), leather detailed back lining
- Waterproof compartment with Pique-Push-Pull lining
- Unlined, non-waterproof compartment
- GORE-TEX membrane (100% polyester with 100% polyurethane coating)
- GORE-TEX 2in1 technology (1 waterproof chamber, 1 unlined non-waterproof chamber)
- VELCRO® brand closures adjustment at wrists & cuffs
- Visor wipe on index finger
- Elasticated leather panels on back, thumb & fingers (100% polyamide)
- Perforated leather back
- Perforated hand for maximum ventilation, feel and comfort
- Hard plastic knuckle protection
- SUPERFABRIC reinforcement on edge of hand
- 3M SCOTCHLITE reflectors
Protection & Safety
- SuperFabric on the palm heel, ring finger outer, and pinky finger edge provide maximum abrasion resistance
- Molded TPU knuckles are also vented to force cooling air down around your hand
- Double fasteners, velcro and strap, ensure the glove stays on
- Full Cordura accordion flex zones provide protection even where other gloves might not
Dainese Full Metal 6
Price: $429.95
Where to Buy
Why?
The Dainese Full Metal 6 gauntlet gloves are a race quality piece of gear that brings comfort and innovation to every rider who wears them, though a price point over $400, they might not fit into the budgetary constraints of many riders.
The Dainese Full Metal 6 is almost like wearing a full exoskeleton that has been seamlessly integrated into a soft, yet durable, goatskin glove. All of the technology and innovation of the Dainese Full Metal 6 make them one of the best gloves money can buy.
Specs
Protection:
- Carbon fiber inserts at the joints of the fingers and the head of the ulna bone
- Composite inserts in carbon fiber and titanium on the knuckles and back
- DCP system on little finger
- External thermoplastic resin inserts on side of little finger
- Gloves certified to CE – Cat. II – PrEN 13594 Standard lev. 1
- One single leather panel to the size of the hand
- Polyurethane insert on the palm
- Quadruple elastication between knuckles and back of the hand
- Reinforced leather palm
- Reinforced preformed cuff construction
Ergonomics and Comfort:
- Aramid fiber stitching
- Drum-dyed goatskin leather super soft palm
- Goatskin Leather
- Internal reinforcements with aramid fiber jersey
- Adjustable cuff strap
- Elasticated inserts
- Micro-injection reinforcement on the palm
- Microelastic elasticated inserts
- Palm Super Touch in goatskin
- Pre-curved fingers
- Precurved wrist
- Tightening strap
Other Features:
- Cover on the tightening strap
- Elasticated cuff inserts
- Soft inserts
Protection & Safety
The protection in Dainese Full Metal 6 sounds like something from a futuristic movie but here it is…
- Carbon fiber inserts at the finger joints and at the head of the ulna bone, (that’s basically the outside bone in your lower arm where it meets your wrist) work as a suit of armor
- Knuckles and back of the hand are covered by carbon fiber and titanium inserts and there is a polyurethane insert to protect the palm
- Little finger is protected by the DCP system and an external thermoplastic resin insert
- Gauntlet cuff is reinforced and pre-curved for added safety
- Overall, these gloves are certified to CE – Cat. II – PrEN 13594 Standard Level 1
