The Best Mountain Bike Gloves of 2024

The Dakine Covert mountain bike glove ($32) is a lightweight full-finger model that is simply one of the best gloves we’ve used in recent years. With a thin, mesh back and synthetic suede palm, these gloves are geared towards riding in warm to hot conditions with a great “barely there” bar feel.

The Covert gloves are lightweight, but they are a bit thicker than something super-lightweight like the 100% Sling. Still, the light mesh back is great on warm days, allowing for excellent airflow and drying quickly when you sweat. The synthetic suede palm makes just a thin layer between you and the bars, keeping sweaty hands from slipping and providing an excellent bar feel with a little protection should your hands end up in the dirt. The palm material wraps up around the outside edge of the hand and around the thumb and pointer finger, where you grip the bars for added abrasion resistance.

The Covert gloves do not offer much in the way of knuckle protection except for a thin PU layer on the outer two knuckles to fend off minor encounters with trailside bushes. The pointer finger and thumb both feature silicone strips for grip on brake levers and shifters, as well as conduction threads that work relatively well with touchscreens. The thumb has a large, soft nose/sweat wipe, and the stretch wrist cuff has a reinforced pull tab and a clean-cut edge that is comfortable and looks good too.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about the Dakine Covert gloves is their quality craftsmanship and durability. One of our testers has been riding in the same pair for two full seasons, and they are still going strong with no rips or frayed stitching at all. Add to that the impressive comfort, grip, and bar feel, and you can’t go wrong with these gloves. They come in sizes XS-XXL, several color options, and a women’s version too.

The Giro DND gloves ($26) are a perfect example of an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” product. These gloves have been a mainstay in Giro’s line of mountain bike gloves for over a decade, and they still work just as well as they always have. They also happen to be very reasonably priced, making them an easy choice for the rider on a budget who doesn’t need or want knuckle protection.

The Giro DND is a relatively simple glove that falls toward the lighter-weight end of the spectrum. The 4-way stretch breathable mesh back of the hand is a tad thicker than the Dakine Covert described above but is plenty breathable for warm to hot conditions.

The relatively thin AX Suede palm has a few perforations for ventilation and it has Giro’s Super Fit design and paneling that avoids excessive material or bunching when you grip the bars. The outside heel of the palm also has thin, 2mm EVA pads for a touch of crash protection.

The pointer finger and thumb have conduction threads that work reasonably well with touchscreens and the thumb, pointer, and middle fingers have silicone strips added for grip on brake and shift levers. A soft microfiber wipe on the thumb has your nose and sweat wiping needs covered.

With an excellent, comfortable fit, versatility, and reasonable price, the Giro DND is a no-brainer. These gloves come in 10+ color/pattern options, sizes S-XXL, and a women’s version called the LA DND. Additionally, these gloves are part of Giro’s custom program and are commonly available at bike shops or events with custom colors and designs.

There are lightweight gloves, and then there’s the 100% Sling ($40). These gloves fall into the ultra-lightweight category and are about as close as you can come to riding without gloves while still wearing them. As ironic as that might sound, these are ideal for riding in hot weather or for the rider who wants maximum bar feel and needs a super thin layer between hand and grip to keep sweaty palms from slipping.

With a knit mesh palm and heavily perforated stretch back, this super thin and lightweight model is by far the most breathable and airy option we tested. On hot days, the air flows freely about the hand, and sweat dries exceptionally quickly if it does build up. Unlike other gloves, the Sling has a continuous, seamless mesh palm that provides excellent tactility, dexterity, and a very natural bar feel.

The grip on the bar is excellent, although the lack of any silicone on the thumb and pointer finger can feel a tad slippery on untextured levers. That said, the Sling works better than any other model we tested with touchscreens, so you can leave the gloves on, even when texting.

Being incredibly light and stretchy makes the sling one of the most comfortable gloves we tested as well. In the right size, they have a nice snug fit on the hand and virtually disappear while riding. The only real drawbacks to the Sling are that they provide almost zero hand protection and that the light, thin materials seem more susceptible to damage if you are prone to crashing or brushing tree trunks while you ride.

Regardless, the 100% Sling is an amazing option for riding in hot climates or for any rider who wants their gloves to feel like they aren’t even there. With excellent breathability, comfort, and dexterity for $40, the Sling is as close as you can get to riding gloveless. The Sling comes in black, gray, and navy and sizes S – XXL.

The Dakine Cross-X 2.0 ($40) has been in the brand’s lineup for several years and has seen incremental changes that have made it into the best midweight glove that we’ve tested. With a killer fit, light protection on the outer knuckles and heel of the palm, and tough midweight fabric, the Cross-X checks all the boxes for a do-it-all mountain bike glove for any type of riding.

The Cross-X is made from a slightly thicker material than the true lightweight options and has a tough feel but still manages to breathe quite well. It has plenty of stretch, and the gloves conform very nicely to the hand for a snug and secure fit. The synthetic palm is nicely contoured to avoid excess material and strategically reinforced in high-wear areas at the base of the articulated fingers and along the edges of the pointer finger and thumb. These gloves have a natural feeling grip and provide a solid connection no matter how rough the trail gets.

Dakine gave the Cross-X 2.0 a light amount of protection on the outer three knuckles/fingers in the form of a neoprene layer with a textured TPU on top. This helps ward off small impacts and encounters with trailside branches, while a patch of DK Impact gel sewn into the heel of the outer palm can help during those hands-first OTB dismounts. Large silicone strips on the pointer finger and thumb add traction for brake levers and shifter paddles, and conduction threads stitched into the tips of those same digits work relatively well with smartphones. The Velcro closure at the wrist makes it super easy to get these gloves on and off, and a super soft material covers the thumb for wiping your nose or sweat off your brow.

If you’re looking for a pair of mountain bike gloves that’s a bit more substantial than the lightweight options but isn’t a full-blown protective glove, then the midweight Dakine Cross-X 2.0 is our recommendation. This durably constructed model has light knuckle and palm protection, an excellent fit, and all the features we look for in a quality mountain bike glove. Dakine makes them in four color schemes, sizes XS-XXL, and the Cross-X Women’s for female shredders.

Balancing hand protection with comfort and breathability isn’t the easiest thing to do, but Leatt has achieved that goal with the MTB 4.0 Lite gloves ($75 – $77). With a large Airflex Impact Gel pad covering the knuckles and outer fingers, the 4.0 Lite offers heaps of protection in an otherwise lightweight, breathable glove with a great fit and excellent bar feel.

The most obvious feature of the MTB 4.0 Lite gloves is the latticed Airflex knuckle protection. While it is noticeable on the back of the hands, it is formed to the knuckle shape and articulated for the grip position, meaning they are most comfortable when you’re holding onto the bars.

This padding covers all four knuckles and extends down the outer two fingers for extra coverage on your most vulnerable digits. The latticed, open design of Airflex padding allows some air to pass through to the hands and, coupled with the lightweight back of hand fabric, allows for impressive breathability for a protective glove.

One of the other highlights of the MTB 4.0 Lite gloves is the excellent fit and bar feel. The 3D contoured palm is perfectly articulated for the grip position and is made of material that Leatt calls “NanoGrip,” which provides an incredibly natural grip and bar feel. The tips of the finger and thumb also work very well with touchscreens, so you don’t need to pull these off your sweaty hands every time you pull out your phone to get more footage for your next reel.

A sizeable wipe on the thumb is a nice touch, and the thin, stretch wrist cuff is quite comfy as well. The only drawback to these gloves that we found is that they can be a little difficult to pull on and take off, especially with sweaty hands.

At $75 (you can often find them on sale for less), the Leatt MTB 4.0 Lite doesn’t come cheap, but they are a very well-executed glove that manages to balance serious knuckle protection with comfort and breathability. The palm shaping is perfect, the NanoGrip material provides great grip, and they look pretty cool too. Leatt makes the MTB 4.0 Lite in five color options and sizes S-XL.

Since most people don’t go mountain biking when it’s truly frigid outside, a wind-blocking, cool-weather glove like the Gorewear C5 Gore-Tex Infinium ($60) is the perfect glove to keep you riding in comfort in temperatures above the freezing mark. By completely blocking wind and insulating better than standard warm-weather gloves, this model keeps your hands toasty in temperatures from 50 degrees F down to around 35 degrees F while maintaining excellent dexterity for a cool-weather glove.

Though they look like any old pair of mountain bike gloves, the C5 Infinium has a slightly thicker, softshell-esque back of hand that includes the Gore-Tex Infinium windproof membrane. In addition to being completely impervious to wind, Infinium is also highly water resistant, not waterproof, mind you, and it repels water from light rains or puddle splashes very effectively.

At the same time, it manages to breathe impressively well, meaning your hands don’t get too sweaty, even if the temperatures warm up in the middle of your ride. This balance of attributes is hard to come by, but Gorewear nailed it with these gloves.

One thing that sets the C5 Infinium gloves apart from other cool weather options is the lack of bulk and streamlined fit. While they are a little thicker than regular gloves, they stretch nicely around the hand for a precise fit that allows for excellent dexterity. The synthetic palm material provides a good bar feel and silicone strips at the base of the fingers enhance the grip.

The C5 also works with touchscreens, although fine movements like typing out a text are much easier with the gloves off. The wrist cuff is low-profile and closed with a very grippy, small Velcro tab that makes getting in and out of the gloves quite easy, although peeling the Velcro open can be a little tricky with gloves on.

If you don’t want to compromise dexterity to keep your hands warm during cool fall, winter, and spring rides, the Gorewear C5 Gore-Tex Infinium is our top recommendation. These gloves work well in temperatures above freezing and repel water well for a non-waterproof glove, plus the snug fit and excellent breathability will keep you comfortable while you ride. The C5 Infinium gloves come in black and neon yellow color options and sizes between XS and XXXL.

Handup makes a couple of models geared toward cool and cold weather, the aptly named Cold Weather and ColdER Weather ($36) gloves. The styling looks nearly identical to their Most Days gloves, but hidden inside the ColdER Weather version are two thin layers of fleece to provide warmth without excessive bulk.

It is worth mentioning that the ColdER Weather gloves fit a touch wider than non-insulated gloves, and that is by design. Compressed insulation doesn’t hold heat as well, so a little extra space inside the gloves allows your body heat to get trapped inside the insulating layers. And, as the name suggests, the ColdER gloves feature dual fleece layers and are made for use in properly cold temperatures, whereas the Cold Weather gloves have a single fleece layer across the back of the hand for moderately cold days on the bike. We tested the ColdER gloves in temperatures down just below the freezing mark, and they kept our hands plenty warm as long as we kept producing body heat.

Beyond the intentionally more voluminous sizing, the gloves fit true to size with appropriate length fingers and a slightly extended stretch neoprene cuff that makes getting them on and off pretty easy, even with sweaty hands. Given the addition of insulation, however, the fingers did feel a little bulky at first, but after riding in them for a few minutes, they went otherwise unnoticed. There is only a light layer of insulation on the palm, so the grip still feels pretty direct and natural and is aided by ample silicone print (the words “Ride Dirty”) on it and the index and middle fingers. The whole palm and fingers are made from a seamless FullTouch material that works well for simple tasks on touchscreens too.

At $36, the Handup ColdER Weather gloves are an affordable option that will keep your hands warm in cold (but not arctic) conditions while avoiding being overly bulky. Aside from the added insulation and slightly looser fit, they feel pretty much like normal mountain bike gloves, and that’s about the best we can hope for. In addition to the bright “Livin’ The Cream” color we tested, they also come in Black and “Ridge Rider” in sizes between XXS and XXL.

The MT500 D30 ($50) is the most protective model in Endura’s lineup of mountain gloves, featuring a tough ripstop back of hand fabric and a large patch of D30 material covering the knuckles and the outer metacarpal. Combined with a synthetic leather palm and lots of silicone grip on the palm and fingers, these gloves are grippy, protective, and comfortable too.

Brands use lots of different materials for knuckle protection, and D30 is among the most popular. This non-Newtonian material is soft and flexible until a load is applied when it becomes stiffer upon impact. While many gloves feature D30 in their protective gloves, Endura has chosen to use it in a slightly different way with a thinner layer across the knuckles that extends up the outer metacarpal.

This thinner layer moves more naturally and easily, making it more comfortable on the knuckles while still providing a good amount of protection. Additionally, the tough, midweight ripstop material is durable and capable of withstanding some serious abuse.

The synthetic leather palm has no padding for a direct connection to the bars and the generous amount of silicone on the palm and fingers gives these gloves a very tacky grip on both the bars and your brake and shift levers. The velcro wrist closure makes betting these gloves on and off a breeze and the wrist cuff extends slightly up the wrist compared to most similar gloves we tested.

And, while we could get these gloves to unlock our phones, using them with touchscreens proved difficult given all the silicone texture on the fingers and thumb. We also noted that our test pair was slightly larger in the palm than other models of the same size, giving them a less precise fit in that area, though that may not be an issue for all riders.

Still, the Endura MT500 D30 is a great pair of protective gloves that provide excellent grip on the bars and a high level of comfort through well-executed D30 knuckle padding. At $50 (or less if you find them on sale), we feel they are a good value for riders seeking comfortable hand protection in a durably constructed glove. Endura offers the MT500 D30 in numerous solid colors in sizes XS-XXL.

The Gorewear TrailKPR ($40) is a thin, lightweight glove with a nice, articulated, precision fit, comfortable cuff, and high tactility. With a microfiber palm, very thin continuous Cordura backing, and a silicone grip patch on the brake fingers, the TrailKPR packs all the standard features into a svelte 28-gram package. If you’re seeking a light, minimalist glove for warm to hot conditions, these are a great option to consider.

Built with a seamless synthetic palm and a lightweight Cordura back-of-hand material, the TrailKPR gloves have a great, precision fit. This translates well to the bars, where the palm provides a very direct and confident grip and connected feel.

Unlike other lightweight gloves, the Cordura material on the back of the hands isn’t quite as well-ventilated, but it has a tougher, more abrasion and tear-resistant feel. They do get a bit sweatier on really hot days, but the material dries super quickly, so it isn’t really an issue.

We found the overall fit to be excellent, with well-executed fingertips that avoid bunching or irritation from seams. The stretch wrist cuff is thin and comfortable, and these gloves are relatively easy to put on and take off. A small silicone patch on the pointer finger adds grip for the brake lever, and touchscreen-compatible fabric at the tips of the pointer finger and thumb works well with touchscreen devices.

The Gorewear TrailKPR is a well-built minimalist glove with a lightweight feel and tight, precise fit. For riders looking for a very tactile glove and thin, durable materials, this is a very comfortable and adaptable choice that will break the wind on cooler mornings, dry quickly after a brief rain, and stay relatively cool in all conditions. The TrailKPR gloves retail for $40 and come in three color options and a huge size range between XS and XXXL.

Handup Gloves is slowly but surely making a name for itself with a growing product lineup that includes its popular gloves, apparel like riding pants, shorts, and shirts, and a variety of other accessories. One thing the brand has always hung its hat on is selling products at reasonable prices and making them in colors and patterns that are “not boring”. The Most Days Gloves ($29) come in an incredible variety of patterns and colors, 27 options in total, so you can pick anything from donuts, floral patterns, dinosaurs, and collabs with brands like PBR to solid colors like grey, black, and green, or subdued patterns like the prizm black/white we tested.

Beyond the range of colors and patterns, the Most Days gloves are straightforward, lightweight mountain bike gloves. They’re constructed from a 4-way stretch mesh on the back of the hand that is comfortable, quick-drying, and offers good ventilation. That is coupled with a seamless FullTouch palm material that is nicely articulated to avoid bunching, provides great grip, and has a direct bar feel. The gloves have a stretch cuff that’s easy to pull on and off the hands, and the size large we tested fits true to size compared to other models in the same size.

While the Most Days gloves are seemingly very simple, they do have a couple of features that we really liked. The FullTouch palm is touchscreen compatible throughout, so using your phone is a bit easier than with some other gloves. The massive nose/sweat wipe covers the entire thumb and is nice and soft, making it great for hot rides and/or managing runny noses. And the large silicone print on the palms and index/middle fingers provides a positive grip on the bar and your brake levers.

Beyond that, the Handup Most Days Gloves are just that, solid mountain bike gloves that will have you covered for most days on the bike. Assuming you like a grippy palm and don’t want added knuckle protection, these are great gloves and a good value at $29 retail. Plus, with 27 colors and patterns to choose from, you’ve got more options to express your personal style than with other gloves.

Specialized makes pretty much everything you can think of for all types of cycling, and the Trail Thermal glove ($40) is their answer for cool weather mountain bike riding. With a wind-resistant 3-layer softshell back, these gloves work great to keep your hands warm on rides in the 40s and 50s F or even cooler if it’s dry and you’re generating some body heat.

The softshell material has a light fleece lining that feels super comfortable on the hands. Combined with the wind-blocking ability of the fabric, these gloves effectively take the chill out of the wind while keeping you warm in temperatures close to, and even down to, the freezing mark. In warmer temps, around 60 degrees F, these can feel a bit clammy, but they breathe and wick sweat well enough to avoid discomfort if it gets warmer than expected on your ride.

Our test pair fit perfectly true to size and the Velcro cuff makes sliding them on and off quick and easy, even with sweaty hands. The cuff is slightly extended and low-profile, and it slides nicely below the wrist cuffs of your favorite mountain bike jacket. The AX Suede palm avoids extra bulk, providing a natural feeling grip and connection to the bars.

Silicone dots on the finger and thumb help add extra grip and traction on the levers. Conductive material on the pointer finger and thumb works okay with touchscreens, but given the comparatively bulkier fingertips, typing can still be a challenge. A very thin layer of PU covers the knuckles to prevent damage to the softshell fabric, and a soft fleecy wipe on the thumb helps handle your runny nose.

Our test pair of Trail Thermal gloves has seen two seasons of moderate use, and they look no worse for the wear. And, at $40, these gloves are an affordable option that will keep you riding comfortably on those chilly rides without breaking the bank. The Specialized Trail Thermal gloves come in Black only, sizes S-XXL, and they make a women’s version too.

If your mountain bike riding includes heading out in temperatures just below freezing, the Fox Ranger Fire ($45) is a glove you should check out. These affordable, lightly insulated mountain bike gloves have a relatively slim fit, good dexterity and tactility, an extended cuff, and great grip. There are better options for wet conditions, like the Ranger Water, for example, but the Ranger Fire is a great choice for those dry, cold days in the 20-40 degree F range.

Making gloves warm without being bulky is a challenge, but something Fox has done well with the Ranger Fire. With a brushed fleece interior and a relatively thin AX Suede palm, these gloves feel cozy and warm yet retain a slim profile and a snug fit that feels similar to regular warm-weather models. This allows for excellent dexterity and the palms have a natural feeling grip that is enhanced by large silicone patches on the thumb and pointer/middle fingers for traction on the levers.

Despite feeling quite warm on the hands, the Ranger Fire gloves breathe well and seem to manage heat and moisture buildup quite well. Additionally, the slim extended cuff fits nicely under the wrist cuff of jackets with plenty of overlap to help cold air from chilling your wrists. The one caveat is that these cuffs can interfere with watches if you wear one.

Despite the snug fit and extended cuff, getting the Ranger Fire on and off the hands is relatively easy, with lots of stretch and a nice, big pull tab on the wrist. Fox included conduction threads on the tip of the pointer finger and thumb that work okay for simple tasks on your touchscreen, although fine movements like typing are best done with the gloves off. and a large wipe on the thumb comes in handy for those chilly rides when your nose is inevitably running.

Fox also calls these gloves water-resistant, and while they repel very light amounts of moisture reasonably well, they are more prone to soaking with water in steady rains than the other cool-cold weather options we tested.

At $45, the Fox Ranger Fire gloves are reasonably priced, and given their warmth, breathability, great fit, and dexterity, they are a great choice for riders on a budget, or any rider for that matter, seeking to keep their hands warm on those brisk fall, winter, and spring rides. In addition to the black color we tested, the Ranger Fire comes in Citadel Blue, sizes S-XXL, as well as the Ranger Fire Women’s version.

The 100% Brisker ($35) is the brand’s dedicated dry conditions cold weather glove. With an insulated softshell back, Clarion palm, brake finger and palm silicone lettering that reads “How much effort do you give”, and a low-profile neoprene cuff with Velcro closure, the Brisker gloves are one of the warmest we tested, keeping our hands adequately toasty in temperatures below the freezing mark.

By comparison, the insulated softshell back of the Brisker gloves keeps the hands warmer than the Gorewear C5, Specialized Trail Thermal, and Fox Ranger Fire gloves. They work best in temperatures between 20° and 40° F, and above that they simply feel like overkill. They block wind very effectively and even handle moderate amounts of moisture fairly well too. For truly wet weather, 100% makes the Hydromatic and the Hydromatic Brisker models that are both more water-resistant.

The low-profile velcro cuff plays nicely with jackets and watches while making it fairly easy to get these gloves on and off. On the bars, the silicone print on the palms provides a good grip, but the palm itself isn’t well articulated and has a bit of excess material that we found to bunch and crease a bit on the grips. It’s not a huge issue for cold-weather riding, but it’s notable nonetheless.

A silicone strip on the pointer finger adds grip for the brake lever, while conduction threads on the p on that finger and thumb work as well with touchscreens as you could hope for a bulkier, insulated glove.

Overall, the 100% Brisker is a solid option for riders seeking a warm glove for riding in dry conditions just above and below the freezing mark. They block wind effectively and provide adequate insulation to keep your digits happy at a very wallet-friendly price of $35. The Brisker gloves come in a wide assortment of colors in sizes S-XXL.

The Fox Ranger gloves ($30) are a simple, no-frills model that’s been in the brand’s lineup for years. Much like the Giro DND, these gloves ain’t broke, so Fox hasn’t fixed them, except for some subtle aesthetic changes from year to year. At $30, the Fox Ranger packs everything you could want in a basic riding glove into a well-executed, sensible package.

Falling at the lighter-weight end of the spectrum, the Ranger gloves are great for warm to hot conditions assuming you don’t want or need knuckle protection. The back-of-hand material is a tad thicker than the truly lightweight options, but it’s far from hot and it feels slightly more durable to stand up to scrapes and encounters with trailside bushes.

The microfiber suede palm is thin and articulated to fit well and avoid bunching on the bars, and it provides a nice, connected feel and good grip. Numerous small silicone stripes on the thumb and pointer/middle fingers provide reliable traction on brake and shift levers, and the conduction threads on the tips of the pointer finger and thumb work very well with touchscreens.

Having been around for a decade or so, the fit of the Ranger gloves is spot on. The wrist cuff is short and low profile, and the velcro tab makes it super easy to get your hands in and out. The behind-the-thumb placement of the closure also avoids getting in the way of watches or snagging on jackets and long-sleeve tops. Our only real complaint is that the fingertip seams are more noticeable than those on many other models — though they aren’t terribly uncomfortable, either.

The Fox Ranger has everything a basic mountain biking glove needs and nothing it does not. At $30, it’s a great value and an easy choice for most riders looking for a good pair of gloves for riding in warm conditions. Fox makes the Ranger in a women’s version, numerous colors, sizes S-XXL, and you can often find last year’s colors and graphics being sold at a discount.

Dakine’s Vectra 2.0 Glove ($35) is a super light, minimalist option for the hot days of summer. If you’re looking for something with a barely-there feel that’s about as close to riding gloveless as you can get, these might be the ticket. These are the lightest gloves in Dakine’s lineup and are essentially just a thin layer to put between your sweaty palms and your grips when the mercury rises.

Made from a super thin, 4-way stretch recycled polyester across the back of the hand, these gloves are supple, and air just passes right through. The palm and fingers are made of “coolskin” material that’s a bit thicker and tougher but is generously perforated throughout for additional ventilation and moisture management. Given their incredibly light construction and materials, they provide very little in the way of hand protection. Instead, they provide a super precise feel on the bar and keep your hands from slipping on the grips.

These minimalist gloves have a slip-on cuff that works just fine but isn’t the easiest to pull on and off the hands. Features are pretty limited but include a silicone pattern on the thumb and index finger for grip on brake levers and shift paddles. Conduction threads on the index finger work with touchscreens, but we found the lack of threads on the thumb to make for some awkward phone usage. We resorted to pulling these gloves off when taking photos, sending texts, or checking the map while on the trail.

Compared to the similarly minimal 100% Sling gloves, the Vectra 2.0 is a little harder to put on and doesn’t work quite as well with touchscreens. That said, the Vectra’s silicone thumb and finger provide a little more traction for levers and paddles, and the microfleece thumb is great for wiping sweat.

Regardless, the Vectra 2.0 Glove is another solid summer riding option. Its thin construction, light weight, and impressive breathability are ideal for hot days when you just need a thin layer between your palms and your grips.

The Pearl Izumi Pulaski ($45) is built to be a trail work glove that also performs well on the bike so you can dig, ride, and repeat. With a generously ventilated, recycled Ax Suede Laredo palm and durable rip-stop back, we found the Pulaski extremely comfortable on the tools and the bars, but the roomy fit couldn’t quite compare to tighter fitting gloves on the bike. That said, we loved the Pulaski for digging, doing yard work, and even as a winter driving glove.

While these are work gloves, first and foremost, they proved to feel better on the bike than a cheap pair of Kincos from the hardware store, making riding to and from trail work feel a bit more natural and controlled. The slightly roomier fit takes some getting used to, but the out-seamed fingertips worked well with brake levers, shifter paddles, and tool handles. They also grip quite well whether you’re swinging tools or riding the bike. That said, fine motor skills and touchscreens can feel a little clunky, as is to be expected.

The overall fit is quite similar to your average work glove, but the out-stitched fingers keep the seems from rubbing uncomfortably or causing irritation. Generous perforations on the palm and finger, along with the ripstop back, allow these gloves to breathe much better than most dedicated work gloves. A small pull tab on the back of the wrist allows you to cinch them down and helps keep them in place both while working and riding.

Of course, the Pearl Izumi Pulaski wouldn’t be our first choice just for riding, but when trail work and riding collide, as they often do, these are a great option that performs better on the bike than your average pair of hardware store gloves.

The Defend D30 gloves ($55) are Fox’s protective warm-weather gloves intended to keep the knuckles safe from impacts and the hands comfortable while ripping bike park laps on warm to hot days. With a durable stretch backing, TruFeel Clarino palm, well-placed velcro wrist closure, and ribbed D30 knuckle padding, they do just that, although we feel this style of knuckle protection leaves a little to be desired comfort-wise.

The Clarino palm with TruFeel internal silicone texture provides a reliable grip without being too sticky or tacky, much like the microfiber suede palm on the Fox Ranger. The shaping and articulation of the palm are great, with little to no creasing, providing a very natural and predictable feel while riding. Lots of thin silicone strips on the fingers and thumb provide additional grip on the bars and great traction on the shift and brake levers.

The Cordura back of the gloves has great stretch and admirable breathability, and it feels tough and durable to stand up to the abuse of heavy-hitting riding. The well-designed velcro wrist closure makes glove on-offs a snap, and these gloves work quite well with touchscreens for mid-ride bike selfies.

The ribbed D30 knuckle protection provides solid protection across all four knuckles. There is a bit of internal forming of this pad for the knuckles to settle into, but given the stiffness of the material, it isn’t the most comfortable when the hands are gripping the bars. It feels marginally better when the gloves really warm up, but you can always feel the padding atop the knuckles.

To be fair, this is an issue we’ve experienced with all gloves that have this style of padding, which is quite a few, as it simply doesn’t feel as comfortable as the flat-backed pads used on models like the Endura MT500 D30 or the Leatt MTB 4.0 Lite, for example. Our other gripe is that the thumb wipe is quite small, though it is much better than nothing.

Regardless, the Fox Defend D30 is a great-looking pair of gloves that’s well-made and provides good knuckle protection and a great bar feel. If you get along with this style of knuckle padding, and many people do, these are a great option for riders looking for a protective glove for any type of riding. Fox sells the Defend D30 in two colors and sizes S-XXL .

The Race Face Conspiracy gloves ($49) are the warmest and most weather-resistant model we tested and a good choice for properly cold and wet days on the bike. With a waterproof outer layer and insulation inside, the Conspiracy can handle below-freezing temperatures while keeping your hands protected from outside moisture. These gloves are bulky and they have a relatively limited temperature range, but they’ll keep you warm in the right conditions, and for a pretty reasonable price too.

With a waterproof backing and thermal liner, the Conspiracy gloves are made for riding in cold temperatures. They block wind well and are very water resistant, making them a great option for cold and sloppy days. The low-profile wrist cuff has a Velcro closure that helps to further seal out the elements. The one drawback we found with these gloves is that it’s easy to overheat in them if you’re working hard or exceed their temperature bandwidth, approximately 20 to 40 degrees F, and the liner makes it kinda difficult to get them on and off once your hands are sweaty.

Warmth aside, the Conspiracy gloves have a surprisingly great bar feel and grip thanks to the synthetic leather palm, and the silicone strips on the index and middle finger give tacky brake finger traction. Still, they are bulky and that impacts dexterity quite a bit. That said, the reduction in tactility and dexterity is expected and isn’t that disappointing when wearing these gloves in the right conditions. Conduction threads are stitched into the tip of the thumb, but given the bulk of these gloves, it doesn’t work all that well.

If you’re riding in below-freezing temperatures, possibly combined with wet weather, the Race Face Conspiracy gloves will help keep you warm and dry. They aren’t the most versatile, but for the right conditions, they are a great option to have in the glove quiver, and at $49, they’re quite reasonably priced, too.