Summer motorcycle gloves have one main job. They let air reach your hands while the leather still covers them. A good summer pair has vents that pull air in and push warm air out. It uses thin leather. It also stays snug when your hands get damp. Below, you will find what to check and which vented pairs to look at.
Many riders search for "best summer motorcycle gloves". There is no single right answer. The right pair depends on where you ride, how hot it gets, and how the glove fits your hand.
Key takeaways
A good summer glove does three things. It lets air in and out through vents. It uses thin leather that feels light. And it fits close, so it does not slide around when your palms sweat. Get these three right and the glove will help keep your hands cooler on hot rides.
Air flow comes first. A solid leather glove traps heat. Vents give that heat a way out. On a moving bike, air enters through one opening. It then leaves through another.
Leather weight comes next. Thin leather holds less heat and moves with your fingers. You feel the bar and the levers better.
Fit matters more in summer than you might think. Sweat makes leather slick inside. A loose glove can shift on your hand. A glove with a wrist strap and a cuff closure stays in place.
When you compare gloves from any brand, you may see the code EN 13594. This is the European standard for motorcycle rider gloves. It has two levels, Level 1 and Level 2. You can read a summary on the BSI page for EN 13594. Check the label of any glove to see if it states a level.
Vents are small openings that let moving air pass through the glove. On most MotoSpeeds city gloves, the vents sit in the rubber knuckle protector. Air intakes take air in. An exhaust port lets warm air leave. The air moves over the back of your hand as you ride.
The city pairs share this build. The are a clear example. Their rubber protector has air intakes and an exhaust port built in. The same idea appears on the Bravo Black, the two short black pairs and the BMW S1000 RR pair.
The race gloves work in a similar way. The use molded knuckle air intakes and exhaust ports. Molded means the vent is shaped into the hard knuckle part.
Vents only work when air is moving. At a stop light, the air flow drops. On the move, the flow picks up again. For more on this, read how vents work in riding gear.
Vents and perforation are not the same thing. A vent is a set opening, like an intake and an exhaust port. Perforation is a pattern of many tiny holes punched into a leather panel. Air seeps through the holes over a wider area. Vents move air along a path. Perforation lets the skin of the glove breathe.
The stock MotoSpeeds pairs use vents. If you want perforation, you can choose . Their ventilation options are perforation panels, air intake vents or vent zippers.
Leather is not too hot for summer if it is thin and vented. The city pairs use cowhide that is 0.8-0.9 mm thick. Thin leather is lighter and bends more easily. Paired with vents, it helps air move over your hand.
Thicker leather adds weight and holds more heat. Race gloves often use more layers in key spots. The TPU race pair uses full-grain cow and goatskin. It has a double layer of leather on the palm, knuckles and fingers.
Lining also matters. The city pairs have an aramid lining, often sold under the name Kevlar. Aramid is a strong man-made fiber. It is used in many kinds of riding gear. The race pair has an aramid jersey lining on the palm, the inner top of the hand and the thumb. Jersey is a soft knit fabric.
So if you want summer motorcycle leather gloves, look at two numbers and one feature. Check the leather thickness. Check what the lining is. Then check for vents.
A summer glove should feel snug but not tight. Sweat makes the inside slick, so a loose glove can slide. Look for a pre-curved palm and fingers, a wrist strap and a cuff closure. The MotoSpeeds city pairs have all three. They come in sizes XS to 3XL.
Pre-curved means the glove is shaped like a hand that is holding a grip. Your fingers do not have to fight the leather to curl around the bar. This helps on long, hot rides.
The city pairs close in two places. A Velcro strap sits at the wrist. A Velcro closure also tightens the cuff. Pull both firm before you ride.
To pick a size, measure your hand and compare it to the size chart. If you sit between two sizes, try both if you can. Leather can soften a little with wear.
The Blue Shadow, Bravo Black and both short black pairs are unisex. Men and women can wear them, and the XS size suits smaller hands.
City gloves and track gloves handle heat in different ways. City pairs keep things light, with thin cowhide and vents in a rubber knuckle protector. Track pairs add more parts for hard riding, with molded vents, stretch panels and a padded cuff. Choose by where you ride most.
For city rides, look at the . The Blue Shadow, Bravo Black and two short black pairs all use the same vented build. Their sliders on the palm, thumb and fingers sit on poly-foam, a soft foam backing.
For hot track days, look at the . The TPU pair has an FST knuckle, which stands for Friction Shield Technology. It uses a dual density mold, which means two layers of different hardness. It also has TPU finger sliders. TPU is a tough, bendy plastic. A foam padded cuff panel sits at the wrist.
Cuff length is another choice. If you want a glove that ends at the wrist for quick stops, read our guide to short cuff motorcycle gloves for city riding.
Start with the Blue Shadow, the pair made for summer. Then compare the other city pairs, which share its vented build. For the track, look at the TPU race pair and its sister pair. If you want perforation or your own size, look at the custom gloves.
This unisex pair comes in black and blue. It uses 0.8-0.9 mm cowhide with an aramid lining. The rubber protector has air intakes and an exhaust port. Sliders on poly-foam cover the palm, thumb and fingers. It has flexible knuckles, a Velcro wrist strap, a Velcro cuff and nylon safety stitching. Sizes run XS to 3XL.
The are an all-black pair built for cruiser and city riding. They use the same thin cowhide, vented rubber protector and Velcro closures. The and the add TPU sliders on poly-foam.
The are a men's pair in blue, red and white. They share the thin cowhide, the vented rubber protector and the TPU sliders.
This race pair uses full-grain cow and goatskin. It has molded knuckle air intakes and exhaust ports, plus stretch inserts in key zones. Its sister pair, the , sits in the same race range. Sizes run XS to 3XL.
The custom gloves let you pick kangaroo, cowhide, sheep or goat leather. You can choose perforation panels, air intake vents or vent zippers. With the Custom Size option, they are made to your measurements. See how to measure before you order.
Sweat and sun are hard on leather. After a hot ride, open the closures and let the gloves air-dry at room temperature. Keep them out of strong sun and away from heaters. Wipe off dirt with a damp cloth. Do not put leather gloves in the washing machine.
Turn the cuffs open so air can reach the inside. Do not stuff wet gloves into a bag. Once they are dry, a little leather conditioner can help keep them soft. Store them in a cool, dry place. Check the vents now and then, and clear out any dust or bugs.
Yes. The Blue Shadow, Bravo Black and both short black pairs are unisex, so they fit men and women. They come in sizes XS to 3XL. The BMW S1000 RR pair is cut for men. All of these pairs use thin cowhide with vents in the rubber knuckle protector.
The vented city pairs are unisex, and they start at size XS for smaller hands. The custom gloves come in men's, women's and unisex versions. They also have a Custom Size option, so they can be made to your measurements. Use the size chart to compare your hand size first.
Not if the leather is thin and the glove has vents. The city pairs use 0.8-0.9 mm cowhide. Their rubber knuckle protector has air intakes and an exhaust port. This setup helps air move over your hand while you ride. On a hot day at a stop light, any glove will feel warmer.
On the MotoSpeeds city pairs, the vents sit in the rubber protector over the knuckles. The air intakes let air in, and the exhaust port lets warm air out. On the TPU race pair, the vents are molded into the knuckle part.
Look at the Gloves with TPU Protection. They have molded knuckle air intakes and exhaust ports. Stretch inserts in key zones help the glove bend with your hand. They also have an FST knuckle, TPU finger sliders and a foam padded cuff panel. Sizes run XS to 3XL.