Best Winter Motorcycle Gloves

A good percentage of the gloves you might find are often referred to as “three season gloves,” meaning they’re good for spring, summer, and fall riding, but they can’t keep you warm in the colder temperatures in the winter.

However, there are great cold weather motorcycle gloves on the market that are essential for any full-time rider should be aware of. Not only do these offer protection that is necessary for riding in general, but they also offer excellent warmth in the dead of winter.

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Best Cold Weather Riding Gloves List March 2021

Dropping temperatures can affect your riding in many ways, but one of the most critical for a motorcycle rider is numbness in your fingers, especially at higher speeds.

You simply must be able to handle your bike, as well as the controls, and if that movement is hampered, it is incredibly dangerous. When choosing a good cold weather riding gloves, make sure you find something that fits well, offers all the functionality that is pertinent to you specifically and fits into your budget.

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Top 5 Winter Motorcycle Gloves

Here is a list of the best winter motorcycle gloves to add to your motorcycle gear and keep your mits warm in the winter.

1. Highway 217V Radiant Heated Gloves – Best Winter Motorcycle Glove
2. Firstgear 12V Heated Gloves – Insulated Motorcycle Gloves
3. Rukka Imatra Gore-Tex Gloves – Windproof Motorcycle Gloves
4. Joe Rocket Wind Chill Cold Weather Riding Gloves
5. Scorpion Tempest Gloves

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Highway 217V Radiant Heated Motorcycle Gloves Review

If you’ve never considered battery powered gloves before, this could be a whole new frontier of gear for you, especially for winter riding.

With 100G Thinsulate and a Hipora liner that makes sure your hands stay nice and dry, a battery powered function keeps them toasty warm as well.

Genuine leather assures both comfort and durability while the armored knuckles assure you’re protected as well. The gauntlet on these gloves is adjustable, and fingers are pre-curved to reduce hand fatigue on those long rides. You can expect 4 hours of lithium battery life if you have these gloves set to low heat, 3 hours on medium, and 2.5 hours at the highest heat setting.

Pros Include:

• Breathable, windproof, and waterproof
• Excellent heat without the bulk of insulation
• Durable and long-lasting

Cons Include:

• Warmth is reliant on a good battery
• Bulky
• Too long for some riders

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Firstgear 12V Heated Motorcycle Gloves Review

Firstgear 12V Heated Gloves offers heat throughout the entirety of the glove itself without giving you that bulky winter glove feel.

Plugging into the jacket liner itself, you can also opt for an optional harness for the wiring that lets you adjust each glove’s temperature independent of one another. If you don’t have the Firstgear heated jacket liner, which is a separate purchase, then you’ll need a Y-Harness and Heat-Troller.

These gloves feature a Grade-A cowhide outer shell, a waterproof membrane that is breathable. Pre-curved fingers make sure you’ll be comfortable on the ride, and an elastic wrist with a hook and loop gauntlet closure is adjustable as well.

Pros Include:

• Always warm
• Reinforced palm protection
• Top features reflective piping

Cons Include:

• Inconsistent sizing
• Not waterproof
• Gauntlets not compatible with most riding jackets

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Rukka Imatra Gore-Tex Gloves Review – Windproof, Insulated Gloves

From Finland, where textiles are a specialty, the Rukka Imatra Gore-Tex Gloves offer a feature-packed three season cold weather experience. While the price is on the higher end of the spectrum, it is an investment serious winter riders are willing to make for the windproof, waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex they get in return.

Even more appealing is the fact that they are guaranteed for life, offer amazing comfort, and are completely insulated.

For even better energy management, the liner in this glove is created to soak up excess heat created by your hands when they get warmer, and then redistribute that warmth when they recognize that your hands themselves are cooling down. It’s important to note that this feature does not work in reverse in hot weather, as it is only for cold weather riding.

Pros Include:

• Construction is 100% leather
• Knuckles and fingers protected with a carbon feature
• Thumb and index fingers are touchscreen compatible

Cons Include:

• Smaller sizing than expected
• Waterproofing can fail
• Touchscreen compatibility feature doesn’t always work

If you want a set of warm motorcycle gloves without going the heated route, you cannot go wrong with this gore-tex set. 

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Joe Rocket Wind Chill Men’s Cold Weather Riding Gloves Review

With a cowhide outer shell, a waterproof midliner, and 100G Thinsulate, you know you’re getting a good cold weather riding glove right away.

For protection, Joe Rocket has added in functional knuckle armor with leather reinforcements throughout the entire glove, as well as a pre-curved palm and fingers for better grip on long rides.

The palm also features a nice gel material that helps to alleviate much of the road vibe that can sometimes be problematic in colder weather especially. You’ll also get a stylish look that goes well with a variety of other gear.

Pros Include:

• Excellent water resistance, which is critical in cold weather wear
• Great control manipulation and functionality
• Provides warmth without bulk

Cons Include:

• Sizes run small
• Thumb restriction can limit functionality
• Palm padding is thicker than what is found in non-cold weather gloves

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Scorpion Tempest Gloves Review

Scorpion Tempest Gloves are another three season glove, but think fall, winter, and spring when temps are much cooler. Ideal riders who use heated grips, you’ll find most of the insulation in the back portion of the glove as opposed to the palm area and the reasons are varied.

First, it allows the heat from the heated grips to better penetrate the glove, keeping your hands warmer.

Second, it alleviates the problem in maneuverability that can come with excess palm padding. You should remember that Scorpion features a European fitment which means you should order at least a full size larger than your norm.

Pros Include:

• Dual drain holes in a double gauntlet style
• Waterproof lining
• Dual visor squeegee

Cons Include:

• Palm sliders are missing
• Stitching can fail in
• Doesn’t work well with jacket sleeves

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My Vote for Best Winter Gloves for Motorcycle Riding

What are the best winter motorcycle gloves? The Highway 21 7V Radiant Heated Gloves get my vote for best in class best cold weather motorcycle gloves. It only makes sense to trade off bulk for an assurance that your hands will stay warm. If you’re in an area where it gets really cold in the winter, in Northern areas, these are going to be worth the investment for the regular rider. Insulation in other gloves can fail, and so can liners, waterproof functionality, and stitching. Knowing that you have a reliable source of heat is truly worth taking the plunge for, especially with a history of satisfied customers already in place.

The extra protection is also a plus and comes in the form of non-bulky features as well. The armored knuckles, for instance, are built into the glove itself, while the pre-curve in the important areas keeps your hands from getting really tired on long rides.

If, however, you don’t need the super warmth or windproofing provided by a set of heated or gore-tex gloves, the Scorpion and Joe Rocket gloves are a good choice to save a few bucks.