Best Summer Motorcycle Gloves: Breathable Protection

Living in Thailand, where “hot” is an understatement, I’ve tested the limits of motorcycle gloves. I’ve had them quite literally melt off my hands, tear open, and turn in to ink factories. 

I’ve seen what actually keeps my hands cool and dry and what turns them black. So whether you’re riding in swampy Florida weather or across the great deserts of the American Southwest, I can help you pick the gloves to keep your hands comfortable and cool. 

Here’s the truth about summer motorcycle gloves, from someone who lives 10/12 months a year in scorching heat:

1. “Breathable” is a fantasy. Focus on ventilation instead. Truly breathable motorcycle gloves don’t exist, but gloves that let the wind through are priceless – look for thin material between the fingers and perforations in the leather. 
2. Protection is non-negotiable, even when it’s hotter than asphalt. Road rash doesn’t take a summer vacation. Don’t sacrifice safety for a fleeting breeze. 

Before we get into the gloves, let’s get one thing straight:

Do Not Buy the Most Rated Motorcycle Gloves on Revzilla 

I bought the most rated gloves on Revzilla – Alpinestars SMX-1 Air V2 Gloves – in 2022 for a ride across the USA. They’re often touted as the summer glove, but for me, they were a blue-handed disaster. I wrote a review after three years of ownership to tell my whole story: Alpinestars SMX-1 Air V2 Gloves Review. 

While these worked well and kept my hands relatively cool for the first summer of use, from then on the ink bled like crazy – and no matter what I tried to stop it, it only got worse. 

So, if the most popular choice is a bust, what should you wear? Let’s explore some real alternatives, gloves that will actually keep you cool and comfortable without turning you into a Smurf.

Choosing the Best Summer Motorcycle Gloves

To find the right summer gloves, think about your riding. City streets? Open highway? Twisty backroads? Each scenario demands slightly different features. Let’s focus on two key categories for hot climates:

• Urban Heatwave Warriors (Maximum Ventilation): These gloves are all about airflow for stop-and-go city riding and sweltering commutes. Mesh, minimal bulk, and maximum breathability are the priorities.
• Highway Heat Beaters (Balanced Ventilation & Protection): For highway riders, these gloves balance ventilation with more robust protection. They’ll have more leather and armor than urban gloves, but still prioritize keeping your hands cool at speed.

Let’s dive into some top picks in each category. And a great budget option are the ones below: the Alpinestars Celer V3 that I wore across the USA in 2022!

Urban Riding

When city riding turns into a slow-motion sauna, and every red light feels like an eternity in a convection oven, you need gloves that feel like a breath of fresh air – or at least, as close to fresh air as motorcycle gloves can get.

Here are two top contenders designed to keep your hands from turning into sweaty, overheated messes:

Klim Mojave Gloves [ADV Style]

The Klim Mojave Gloves aren’t just named “Mojave” for marketing flair; they’re genuinely built for desert-level heat. Imagine strapping tiny, personal air conditioners to your hands – that’s the level of ventilation we’re talking about here. 

The secret weapon is the fully ventilated mesh backhand. It’s not just a small mesh panel; it’s the entire back of the glove, engineered to catch every bit of airflow and channel it directly to your hand. You can actually feel the breeze coursing through these gloves, even at slower speeds.

The palm is crafted from a perforated synthetic leather. This is key – Klim understands you still need abrasion resistance, but they’ve maximized airflow even in the leather sections. You get knuckle protection, a must-have for any motorcycle glove, but it’s a vented and flexible TPU design that doesn’t block airflow. The fingers are also perforated, and the overall construction is incredibly lightweight and flexible. These gloves feel broken-in from day one, conforming to your hand like a second skin. 

And for those urban commutes where you’re constantly consulting your phone’s GPS, the index finger and thumbs on these gloves are touchscreen compatible. And you get a little pull tab to make it easier to pull these on. 

These are summer weight gloves, so don’t go wearing them in the winter unless you’re using heated grips and a thick liner inside. Thankfully they’re so cheap you can afford to buy another pair for colder weather and more serious protection!

Klim Mojave Gloves

Klim Mojave Gloves provide superior control, durability, and ventilation for aggressive riding in hot conditions.

Pros:

• Excellent airflow for hot weather
• Durable synthetic leather palm for longevity
• Touchscreen-compatible for convenience

Cons:

• Limited insulation for colder conditions

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Pando Moto Onyx Gloves [Urban Style]

For riders who appreciate a minimalist aesthetic and want urban ventilation with a dose of modern-retro style, the Pando Moto Onyx Gloves are a seriously cool choice. 

These gloves are all about understated style and clean lines, but don’t mistake their minimalist looks for a lack of performance. They’re cleverly engineered to provide ventilation and protection. 

The Onyx gloves are crafted from fully perforated 0.8mm thick cowhide leather available in black, grey and brown. The “fully perforated” part is crucial here. It’s not just a few tiny holes; the entire leather shell is designed to breathe. This perforation, combined with the supple nature of the cowhide, creates a glove that feels surprisingly airy, especially once you get moving. 

Knuckle and palm protection is subtly integrated, maintaining the clean lines of the glove. You get a flexible TPU knuckle guard that’s discreetly hidden under the leather, providing impact protection without disrupting the glove’s sleek profile. They use a split armor design on the palm, with stiffer plastic on the outer palm (where impact is more likely) and slightly softer armor on the inner palm near the thumb. 

The short cuff design is perfect for urban riding, slipping easily under jacket sleeves and contributing to the glove’s overall minimalist feel. Touchscreen compatibility is built into the thumb and index finger, a practical feature for navigating city streets and managing your devices on the go. The Pando Moto Onyx gloves are a standout option for riders who want a glove that looks as good off the bike as it performs on it, offering a blend of style, ventilation, and urban-appropriate protection.

Pando Moto Onyx Gloves

Pando Moto Onyx Gloves blend protection, comfort, and style for everyday riders.

Pros:

• 0.8mm cowhide leather with perforation for ventilation
• TPU knuckle guard and PU palm slider for impact protection
• Touchscreen-compatible fingertip for easy device access

Cons:

• Short cuff may not suit all riders

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Highway Riding

For highway riding, the demands on summer gloves shift slightly. While ventilation remains crucial to combat heat buildup at speed, you also need a more substantial level of protection for longer rides and potentially higher-speed incidents.

Highway heat beaters aim to strike the balance between airflow and serious protection. Here are two excellent choices that excel in this category:

REV’IT! Sand 5 Gloves

The REV’IT! Sand 5 Gloves are the evolved successor to the popular Sand 4, taking an already excellent summer weight glove and refining it even further. REV’IT! focuses on the below essential attributes in all their gloves.

Like their predecessor, the Sand 5 gloves are designed to be true all-rounders, excelling in a wide range of riding conditions from daily commutes to highway touring and adventure riding. The core construction is with supple goat leather in key abrasion zones and air mesh panels on the tops of the finger and hand for plenty of ventilation. Stretch fabric panels between fingers make these gloves melt away (in a good way). 

Ventilation gets a significant boost in the Sand 5. The ventilated TPR knuckle protector is redesigned for even greater airflow, and ventilation panels are now incorporated into the fingers and thumb. The overall effect is a glove that feels noticeably cooler and more breathable than the Sand 4, especially in stop-and-go traffic or slower riding conditions. 

Protection is still a REV’IT! priority. The Sand 5 gloves retain the robust TPU palm slider and thumb slider, Temperfoam padding, and reinforced areas at key impact points of the Sand 4. Subtle but smart upgrades include a new, more streamlined cuff closure for improved fit and comfort under jacket sleeves, and an updated touchscreen fingertip design that is reported to be even more responsive and reliable.

The Sand 5 gloves continue the Sand series’ legacy of versatility, offering a truly exceptional balance of ventilation, protection, comfort, and all-weather riding performance. They remain an ideal choice for riders who want one pair of gloves that can handle almost any type of riding – as long as it’s hot! – with confidence and comfort.

These are as close to a dirt bike glove as you’re going to get in terms of airflow, but with the protection of a proper adventure glove. 

Plus, they are eligible for REV’IT’s crash replacement program – tear them up in a crash and REV’IT will replace them!

REV'IT! Sand 5 Gloves

Lightweight, breathable, and protective adventure gloves for all-terrain riding.

Pros:

• Superior ventilation for maximum airflow
• Advanced knuckle protection for impact resistance
• Enhanced grip and flexibility for better control

Cons:

• Limited wrist coverage due to short cuff

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Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 Gloves

The Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 Gloves represent the latest evolution of Alpinestars’ awesome GP Plus R series, and they take the track-inspired protection to an even higher level. 

These gloves are designed for riders who demand top-tier protection, whether for spirited street riding, canyon carving, track days, or sport touring, but still want some airflow going through there. 

Full-grain leather forms the main chassis, providing exceptional abrasion resistance across the entire glove. But Alpinestars has strategically increased the perforation zones on the V3, with larger and more numerous perforations on the top of the hand, fingers, and sidewalls. 

Protection is, as expected, at the forefront with the GP Plus R V3 gloves. You get a newly designed, even more robust TPU knuckle protector, Alpinestars’ signature finger bridge (now on the third and fourth fingers to further minimize finger roll and separation in a crash), a reinforced TPU palm slider, and extensive padding and reinforcements throughout the glove. The V3 now features a double closure system for enhanced security and a more precise, adjustable fit around the wrist and gauntlet cuff. 

Stretch accordion panels on the fingers and thumb are redesigned for improved flexibility and dexterity straight out of the box. The gauntlet cuff offers extended protection and is ergonomically shaped to integrate seamlessly with sport and race suit cuffs. 

While still firmly positioned as a sport/track glove, the Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 gloves offer a surprising degree of warm weather versatility – a great choice if your preferred place to ride is often hot and humid. 

Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 Gloves

Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 Gloves deliver top-tier protection, comfort, and control for high-performance racing.

Pros:

• Superior abrasion resistance with full leather construction
• Dual-density knuckle and palm protection for impact safety
• Pre-curved design for optimal ergonomics and gri

Cons:

• Limited ventilation for extremely hot conditions

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There are some tradeoffs that just can’t be solved, and ventilation + protection on the hands is one of them. For riders who want to absolutely maximize both ventilation and top-tier sport-level protection for highway riding, you might just want two pairs of gloves. 

Keep the Alpinestars GP Plus R V3 gloves as your primary choice for spirited riding, canyon roads, or track sessions where maximum protection is paramount. And then carry a second, more aggressively ventilated pair like the REV’IT! Sand 5 gloves or Klim Mojave gloves for longer highway cruises, commutes, or extremely hot conditions where airflow becomes the priority. This dual-glove approach ensures you’re always equipped with the ideal hand protection for the specific riding scenario.

Comparison Table

Buying Guide: Zeroing In On Your Perfect Summer Gloves

With these excellent summer glove options laid out, how do you pinpoint the perfect pair for your specific riding needs and preferences? Let’s break it down with a quick buying guide to help you make the right decision:

1. Deep Dive into Your Riding Style: Seriously analyze your typical riding. Are you primarily an urban commuter battling stop-and-go traffic and city heat islands? Do you spend most of your time carving through twisty mountain roads at speed? Or are you a long-distance highway rider, racking up miles on the open road? Understanding your primary riding style is the first step to choosing the right glove category. If you’re a true hybrid rider, splitting time equally between city and highway, then a more protective glove might be your best all-around choice.
   
2. Ventilation: Make it Your #1 Priority (If You’re Riding in Heat): In hot and humid climates, ventilation isn’t just a “nice-to-have” feature; it’s absolutely essential for comfort, focus, and even safety. When temperatures soar, sweaty hands can lead to discomfort, fatigue, and reduced grip on the controls. Actively seek out gloves designed with maximum airflow in mind. Look for features like extensive mesh panels (especially on the backhand), perforated leather (on fingers and palms), and ventilated protectors. Don’t just rely on marketing buzzwords; read reviews and look closely at the glove’s construction to assess its ventilation potential.
   
3. Protection: Never Compromise, Even in Summer: It’s tempting to prioritize ventilation above all else when the heat is oppressive, but never, ever sacrifice protection. Road rash and injuries don’t care if it’s July. Ensure that your summer gloves still offer a solid baseline of protection. Essential protective elements include knuckle protection (hard or semi-hard armor), palm sliders (to protect the heel of your palm in a slide), and reinforced palms and fingers (typically with extra layers of leather or abrasion-resistant materials). CE certification levels can provide an objective measure of a glove’s protective capabilities.
   
4. Consider the Features that Matter to You: Beyond ventilation and protection, think about the features that will enhance your personal riding experience. Touchscreen compatibility is incredibly convenient for urban riders who rely on GPS navigation or phone apps. Cuff style (short cuff vs. gauntlet) is a matter of personal preference and jacket compatibility. Adjustability features like wrist straps and cuff closures can help you fine-tune the fit and security of the glove. Reflective elements can enhance visibility for nighttime riding. Think about your typical riding scenarios and choose features that will genuinely make your rides more comfortable and convenient.
   
5. Become a Review Detective: Read Widely, But Read Critically: Online reviews are a valuable resource, but approach them with a discerning eye. Read reviews from multiple sources, and pay attention to trends in rider feedback. Are multiple reviewers praising the ventilation of a particular glove in hot weather? Are there consistent comments about sizing or fit issues? Crucially, try to focus on reviews from riders who live and ride in climates similar to yours. A review from someone riding in cool, dry conditions might not be as relevant as a review from a rider battling heat and humidity.
   
6. The “Try-On” Test: If Possible, Experience Them Firsthand: The absolute best way to determine if a glove is right for you is to try it on in person. Visit a local motorcycle gear shop if possible and physically try on different gloves. Pay attention to the initial fit and feel. Is the glove comfortable right away, or does it feel stiff or restrictive? Check the dexterity – can you easily operate controls and manage zippers and buckles while wearing the gloves? If you’re ordering online (which is often necessary for specialized gear), make absolutely sure that the retailer has a clear and easy return policy. Don’t be afraid to order a couple of different sizes or models to try at home, knowing you can return the ones that don’t fit perfectly.
   

Pro Tip for Conquering Extreme Heat: Two Pairs

For riders in truly scorching climates, or for those planning long rides in hot weather, consider adopting the “two-glove” strategy. Carry two pairs of summer gloves with you. 

Midway through your ride, or whenever you feel your gloves starting to get damp with sweat, swap to the fresh, dry pair. This simple act of switching gloves can dramatically improve your comfort and prevent your hands from becoming excessively sweaty and uncomfortable. 

While one pair is on your hands, the other pair can be stashed in a ventilated pocket or pannier, allowing them to air out and dry. This “glove rotation” technique keeps hands high and dry even if you sweat a lot.