BEST WORKOUT GLOVES BUYER’S GUIDE: Key Factors to Consider Before You Buy

If you find yourself doing lots of physical activities, but your hands become sweaty, sore, and tired before the rest of your body, specialized gloves may be the answer. There are many uses for these multipurpose products, but primarily they protect your skin.

If you’re lifting weights but find your hands sweat a lot, it may be worth investing in some breathable gloves as the moisture can make the weights slip and cause injury. Read our comprehensive guide and reviews below to help you choose the best gloves for your sport.

10 BEST WORKOUT GLOVES IN 2024

• New Ventilated Weight Lifting Gloves
• RIMSports Gym Gloves
• Harbinger Power Non-Wristwrap Weightlifting Gloves
• Trideer Padded Gloves
• Schiek Sports 425 Power Lifting Gloves
• Grip Powerpads Lifting Grips
• Crown Gear Gloves
• Atercel Gloves
• ACHIEVE FIT Weightlifting Gloves
• RDX Gloves

NEW VENTILATED WEIGHT LIFTING GLOVES

These weight lifting gloves have been made to focus on palm protection and flexibility. With full palm coverage and a half-finger design, your hands will no longer sustain any tears or calluses. These gloves have been crafted from silicon neoprene material that is water-resistant, heat-resistant, and resistant to dangerous chemicals and oils, making this a glove that will last for years in any and all weight lifter activities. They provide ventilation and extra comfort, meaning you won’t sweat as much and less washing is required, all thanks to its open hand design.

RIMSPORTS GYM GLOVES

RIMSports have created versatile and lightweight weight lifting gloves made from durable leather and spandex, best for a range of activities from rowing to lifting, and use on flexibility machines. These are highly functional and comfortable, thanks to their non-slip padding and palm cushioning, the user gets a firmer grip. A fingerless design results in a breathable experience allowing you to move more freely when doing your exercise, and due to the use of spandex, these long-lasting training gloves will last for years.

HARBINGER POWER NON-WRISTWRAP WEIGHTLIFTING GLOVES

Are you looking for a pair of weightlifting gloves that will protect your hands from injury, while also providing full flexibility and better grip? These half-finger gloves have been designed with a durable leather palm and high-performance mesh to maximize flexibility, while open-cell foam cushioning enhances comfort. The stretchy mesh ensures you can move your hands naturally and enhances the breathability of the gloves. Additionally, thanks to a half-finger design, you can still grip the bar fully and your wrists are protected by a fully adjustable closure.

TRIDEER PADDED GLOVES

Trideer has created a pair of multipurpose gloves that are perfect for a variety of activities, including weight lifting, rowing, pull-ups and more. With these versatile gloves, you will be fully protected, due to thick padding on the palm area that absorbs some of the impacts of your sport and workouts. For additional support, these gloves have been designed with a strap on your wrist to reduce the stress on your body and to enhance your power. Using a lightweight microfiber and mesh on the back of this Trideer product, it allows for breathability and a more comfortable fit on your hands, while the hexagonal silica gel anti-skid is used to improve grip on a kettlebell, barbell, and more. After your session, removal is easy, thanks to a pull buckle on the fingertip.

SCHIEK SPORTS 425 POWER LIFTING GLOVES

Schiek Sports has constructed its lifting gloves from robust Amara synthetic leather and added its patented FINS for quick, simple removal. These gloves are ideal for lifting heavy weights, as the palm and thumb area has been reinforced with padding to prevent hand injury. When you have finished using the half-finger gloves, they can be easily washed to remove smells and keep them hygienic.

GRIP POWERPADS LIFTING GRIPS

The Grip Powerpads lifting grips are an excellent alternative to workout gloves, as there is no risk of unnecessary sweating and no restrictions on your movement. With these grip pads, you can maximize your strength, personal potential and do more reps as these basic pads are all you need to protect your palms. Thanks to the non-slip, textured rubber material, these grips will have no problem gripping onto any bar or equipment you use them on. Your palms will be covered and comfortable, and won’t slide off the weights. Say goodbye to calluses and grip fatigue with these lifting grips. 

CROWN GEAR GLOVES

Made from soft genuine leather, these Crown Gear gloves have been reinforced with durable stitching to enhance their durability and to improve grip, maximizing your natural lifting potential. Constructed with a 4-way stretch fabric, your movement won’t be restricted, as you lift more reps comfortably. Protection is guaranteed as Crown Gear has strategically padded the gloves to prevent blisters and calluses and reduce pressure. This brand has created a pair of gloves that are ideal for people who do bodybuilding as it is good for their health and provides adequate protection – it is definitely a favorite pick. Crown Gear gloves feature built-in wrist support, allowing for protection for all areas of your hands and wrists with these modern black and red gloves for the gym.

ATERCEL GLOVES

After extensive research, Atercel has created ergonomically designed weight lifting gloves to maximize grip functionality and fit your hand perfectly when you’re wearing them. They are made from a lightweight and stretchy material that allows your hands to breath and maintain a strong grip, allowing you to become a pro. With this ultra-comfy pair of gloves, your flexibility is increased and your lifting potential is enhanced. A specially designed toweling panel has been added to the back to allow you to wipe away sweat with ease. Choose these if you want a thoughtfully designed pair of gloves for a wide range of activities, including lifting heavy weights, training, and for your workout.  

ACHIEVE FIT WEIGHTLIFTING GLOVES

The ideal gloves for weightlifting, mountain biking, gym sessions, and so much more! With these gloves, you can reduce the pain and pressure your hands and body goes through during physical activities. Due to padding, these are a comfortable option that doesn’t bunch up when you’re lifting heavy-weights. As these gloves allow for breathability, it ensures you sweat less, which enhances your grip on the bars and maximizes the number of reps you can do. Equipped with double stitched seams,  this durable product is reliable and will reduce grip fatigue. Wrist wraps can be purchased at an additional cost, to enhance the support and performance. 

RDX GLOVES

RDX gloves have been crafted from a tear-resistant lycra material that is robust and long-lasting, thanks to it being weatherproof and comfortable. With a rubberized grip and 3mm cushion, your grip is improved and your hold is secure. Your movements will feel more natural as you make a fist, without the issue of fabric bunching up. A piece of inner sweat-wicking fabric is used with these gloves to improve breathability and assist with keeping your hands dry, which enhances your natural grip. Choose these adjustable gloves as they are trustworthy, versatile, and are designed to protect.

WORKOUT GLOVES BUYER’S GUIDE

Lifting gloves are something of a debate in the fitness world, with some men and women swearing by them and others not so much. It poses the question, what lifting gloves say about you?

To answer this, it is first best to know what gym gloves are used for. They are predominantly used to prevent injury, but they are also known to work as an alternative to chalk.

While chalk is fantastic for keeping your hands dry during your intense training sessions, it is often not allowed in public gyms. Gymming gloves offer more than just protection, they can enhance your grip and your natural lifting limit – they are perfect to wear in the gym when you are training or doing a workout.

It can be argued a weightlifting glove can offer enhanced performance. However, some say they restrict your natural movement and in some cases, of poorly designed gloves, they limit your training ability and grip potential.

Although not everyone is a lover of these products, they are still in high demand. You can purchase them from most high-street sports stores, or for a less time-consuming option, Amazon has a huge variety on offer. Make sure you check out each glove review above and see which is the best fit for you!

Aside from the purpose of these gloves, there are some factors that you need to be aware of to ensure you find the best glove for your activities. We have looked at how material, palm protection, and wrist protection can affect the performance of the glove. 

MATERIAL

Lycra—Lycra is a versatile material best for rigorous training sessions. Thanks to its durable construction, it is known for offering better tractability, tear, and crack resistance. This material is likely to be waterproof and often soft to the touch, so it will definitely last for years.

Leather – This is a durable, thick, and robust material that offers strong protection and years of use. However, unless designed with additional materials, leather will likely make your hands sweat and become uncomfortable.

Mesh—While mesh is not a primary material in the construction of these gloves, it is often integrated with other materials on the palm and fingers. The addition of mesh allows for breathability and enhanced movement; the best products will be designed with this in mind.  

PALM PROTECTION

Do workout gloves prevent calluses? This is the question on everyone’s mind. Gloves are primarily used for palm protection during strenuous activities and weightlifting, so does it actually work? As long as the glove has been designed with full coverage on the palm area, it should, in theory, create a protective barrier to minimize the risk of injury, fatigue, and blisters too. With this in mind, the best gloves will have been designed with extra cushioning and will likely protect your hands more than cheaper alternatives. 

WRIST SUPPORT

Many gloves on the market only have small velcro straps to stop the glove slipping off. Depending on what activities you will be doing, additional wrist support is a great idea, as it helps distribute the pressure and weight throughout your wrists and hands, minimizing the risk of injury. However, having the additional material on your wrists means there is the potential for it to limit your ability to move naturally, which can affect your performance. Check here for more details.