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Buying dirt bike gloves may seem pretty simple–just find some that look cool and which fit your hand; however, I am actually pretty picky about my dirt bike gloves. I think it’s worth spending some time looking at what’s available before just grabbing a pair.
Most dirt bike gloves are not protective enough for the off-road riding that I do. Often when I fall off my dirt bike, I fall on poky sagebrush or rocky ground and cut up my hands. However, there are some good dirt bike gloves on the market that I can recommend. My favorite gloves are the Fox Bomber Gloves, available on Amazon.com (pictured above). These have an extra protective polycarbonate knuckle section, a thorn-proof padded interior, and even a finger that is compatible with touching a smartphone. They cost a little more, but they are totally worth it in my opinion. That’s my top pick.
I really like the blend of materials Fox used on these gloves. There is neoprene at the cuff, webbing around the sides on top to increase airflow, perforated leather for durability, and double-layer clarino on the areas most likely to wear through. They are really awesome gloves.
Dirt Bike Gloves with Medium Protection
If you aren’t riding off-road and you don’t mind getting your hands cut up periodically, but you do want some type of glove, I’d recommend the Fox Dirtpaw Gloves (available on Amazon). They offer some knuckle protection made of lycra, which is far better than just normal material, but not as bulky as the polycarbonate knuckle protection on the gloves I recommended above.
These gloves are less expensive than the Bomber gloves, which is a major bonus. I see these gloves as being for those who want something more than a very thin layer of material between them and the ground, but who want to reduce the bulk of their protective gear as much as possible.
Another option in this price category is the Leatt gloves. I generally really like Leatt gear, but I can’t recommend their gloves. They are overly expensive, don’t offer sufficient protection on the palms, and look weird. Not recommended.
Very Lightweight Dirt Bike Gloves
Some people think of dirt bike gloves as being mostly about keeping a good grip on the bars and wicking away sweat, but don’t really want any protection from their gloves. That’s a perfectly valid opinion. After all, I seriously doubt my gloves will ever protect my hands from any serious bone break or anything of the sort. I just wear protective gloves because I was tired of getting my hands cut up nearly every time I went riding.
But if you’re riding motocross on a track and not off-road, you don’t have to worry so much about falling on sagebrush and loose rock. So for riders who predominantly ride on a track, I’d just recommend a simple dirt bike glove like the Thor Invert gloves or the 100% iTrack. If you basically just want grip, then just pick some that fit you and look cool.
Tactical Gloves: A Budget Option with Extra Protection
There isn’t anything special about how a dirt bike glove is made. You may find that tactical gloves offer even more protection at lower prices. While they may not quite have the look of a normal dirt bike glove, they can be really functional. One other thing to check before buying tactical gloves for dirt biking is that they have good thick padding in the webbing between the thumb and the forefinger.
I own quite a few pairs of tactical gloves for airsoft and shooting, and there are some really great options that double as dirt bike gloves. My favorite tactical gloves are these off-brand ones on Amazon.
Be careful when buying tactical gloves that they have sufficient breathing and wicking of sweat. You certainly wouldn’t want a fishing style glove because they would get too hot and sweaty when out dirt biking.
Dirt Bike Gloves for Early Spring and Late Fall Riding
Your hands will unquestionably be the first part of you to get cold when riding in the colder months of the year. Here in Idaho, riding in March and November can get really chilly.
I highly recommend getting a pair of cold weather riding gloves for these situations. I like something simple like the Fox Forge Cold Weather Gloves, but if you want to go fancy and high-end, you can get some really sweet heated gloves from Volt on Amazon. I don’t own the Volt gloves, but I’m really tempted to buy some because my hands are the first part of me to get cold, so if I could keep my hands warm, I’d have another few weeks of riding available to me each year.
Conclusion
There are a lot of good options out there for riding gloves. It can be tempting to just go to your local store and buy some simple thin gloves for $20. If you only ride on dirt bike tracks, then that’s probably fine. But if you ride off-road at all, then I recommend something with better protection to keep you from getting cut up every time you tip the bike.
For me, I’ll stick with the Fox Bombers.
If you’re looking for good quality dirt bike gear, I have other pages like this one recommending my favorite helmets, chest protectors, and other dirt bike protective gear and accessories on the recommended gear page of this site. It’s all the battle-tested gear that I love.