Motorcycle Gloves For Heated Grips
Updated on | By Mohit Chauhan
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Our editorial content is reader-supported. If you click on some of our links, we may earn a small commission. Learn more here.Riding a two-wheeler in harsh winters is not easy. You may need a heated motorcycle glove that can keep your hands warm or a heavily insulated winter glove that is designed to withstand sub-zero temperatures.
However, not every motorcyclist can get accustomed to riding while wearing these heavily padded gloves. And even if they do, maneuverability often gets restricted.
So, in such situations, a lightly padded glove can be utilized on the heated grips of the motorcycle.
As such, even a track racer or a daily commuter can enjoy the warmth on his hands by wearing these gloves. All while receiving the same amount of protection and abrasion resistance they expect from these protective gloves.
In today’s blog, we’re going to introduce you to some of the ideal motorcycle gloves to pair up with your heated grips. So, with no further ado, let’s get straight to the point.
Best Motorcycle Gloves For Heated Grips
Alpinestars SP-Z Drystar Gloves
Bridging the gap between traditional sport-touring gloves and SP Series racing gloves, SP-Z is ideal for racers and sport-tourers who are looking for a motorcycle glove that can be accompanied with their heated grips.
A mid-to-full gauntlet Dry-Star leather glove bonded together to be a multi-season sports glove, the Alpinestars’ SP-Z is one of the most recognized gloves that is both reasonably priced as well as fully protective.
Just about everything about this glove screams competition! That’s the DNA of SP-Z. So, if you are one of those riders who loves to record his lap on a race track, or fly through the straight tarmac roads on a sports bike, this is one great option for you.
Speaking about its construction; these are made from durable full-grain leather. Plus, it incorporates Drystar Performance technology. Owing to which, all the layers in the glove are bonded together into a single fabric. As a result, you get a thin chassis which promotes good level of dexterity as well as sensitivity around the handlebars.
And due to this thin construction, these gloves work perfectly well around the heated grips.
As for the fitment, we recommend opting for a size larger than what you normally wear. Currently, these are available in 6 different sizes starting from “S” to “3XL”.
And as for colors, the primary color offered is black while a choice between white, red, and yellow is offered as the secondary color. You can also opt for a complete black variant if you want.
Coming to the protection, these gloves offer a lot of safety features. The entire leather construction is blended with polyamide fabric. Further, the palm and thumb has been reinforced to provide extra resistance to abrasion.
Plus, the outer hand has been padded near the landing zones to deliver additional security to the rider. You also get a finger bridge between third and fourth finger that protects your little pinkie in the event of a slide.
The knuckles are reinforced with durable TPU material, and the back hand as well as the fingers are padded with thin EVA foam that absorbs energy and dissipates it throughout the hand. This also helps reduce the vibrations that are often felt while riding at high speeds.
Now, the cuffs are designed using TPR’s that serve two functions. First, it raises the entire profile of the glove, and second, it protects the wrist from any kind of impact. In addition, there is an adjustable Velcro closure on the cuff that ensures a snug fit.
To enhance the riding comfort, there are stretchable accordions over the fingers that assist while throttling or operating the levers. You also get pre-curved finger construction that reduces the possibility of fatigue or arm pump. And since these gloves incorporate Drystar membrane, they are completely waterproof and thus ideal for winter riding conditions.
On top of that, these gloves provide touch screen compatible finger tips in case you wish to operate your cell phone on the go.
Lastly, you get reflective inserts at the back to increase the overall visibility.
Price: $149
Highlights:
- Drystar waterproof membrane
- Padded energy absorbing EVA foam
- Full-grain leather construction
- PU knuckle protectors
- Touchscreen compatible finger tip
- Ideal for sports touring and track racing
Alpinestars Belize Drystar Gloves
Not only does Alpinestars’ showcase line of gloves designed for the track that are packed with all the reinforcements to make you feel like Valentino Rossi, but also more conventional models designed for the street, like the Belize Drystar, which combines protection and comfort in a single glove.
In fact, these gloves are designed to perform just as well on a rough trail as they do on a straight highway. And it wouldn’t be surprising at all if you prefer to call them adventure gloves rather than sport gloves.
Made to offer superior protection for demanding adventures, these all-leather gloves feature a waterproof, breathable Drystar membrane that is bonded along the palm and fingers for optimized sensitivity around the handlebars.
A good thing about this membrane is that it lasts a very long time on gloves even if you subject them to a lot of wear and tear.
Moreover, this all-leather construction delivers exceptional resistance to abrasion and incorporates strategic reinforcements and accordion panels for maneuverability.
Furthermore, apart from leather, these gloves feature a multi-material construction consisting of a stretchable polyamide fabric and perforated leather at the back.
Coming to the safety, the Belize Drystar incorporates PU-coated reinforcements as well as abrasion-resistant TPU sliders on the palm and thumb. At the knuckles, a molded matte carbon reinforced hard shell ensures complete impact protection in case of a fall. While, the little pinkie is protected with Arshield reinforcements made of aramid fiber and polyamide.
Coming to the fit, these are available in 6 different sizes starting from “S” and going all the way to “3XL”. As for colors, you get two options; Anthracite-Red & Tobacco-Red, with black being the primary color in both of them.
At the palm, Belize is deliberately made thinner, with some perforations on the top, which gives it more feel and tactility. Besides, there is a lot of stretchability between the thumb and palm that aids the rider while throttling and also increases the overall comfort.
And owing to this thin construction on the underside, they can be easily utilized on motorcycles with heated grips throughout the winters.
Another striking feature of these gloves is the wrist closure system, which is new to Alpinestars and features stretchable strap that can be easily tucked under the jacket sleeve.
And besides the touchscreen compatible fingertip, there are large reflective prints at the front to increase the visibility of the rider.
Last but not least, these gloves comply with the European safety standards (CE level 1).
Price: $179
Highlights:
- Made from polyamide fabric and perforated leather
- Carbon reinforced hard knuckle
- Stretchable strap wrist closure system
- Waterproof Drystar membrane
- Arshield reinforcements
- CE level 1 certified
Scorpion EXO Tempest Gloves
Coming to the next glove in our list, we have the EXO Tempest glove from Scorpion.
So, with the Tempest, riders can enjoy long distance motorcycle touring both in winters as well as spring. Most of the insulation on these gloves is located at the back of the hand, this makes them perfect to be utilized with heated motorcycle grips.
In fact, the palm does not have any kind of insulation at all, and because of this, majority of the heat dissipated by the heated grips is transferred to the rider’s hand.
As for fitment, Scorpion gloves traditionally have an American fit. However, with the Tempest gloves, we recommend going one size up from what you normally wear since these gloves have a European fit.
And just like Alpinestars, it comes in 6 different sizes to choose from, starting from “S” all the way up to “3XL”. However, there aren’t many options in terms of colors, as Scorpion only offers a black version on this model.
Now, there’s one thing we really like about the Tempest. And that is its good value for money. In fact, you won’t find a lot of motorcycle gloves under $100 that offer so many safety features and all-around comfort.
Speaking of construction, the palm is made of goatskin, which provides excellent tactile feedback on the handlebar. Furthermore, these gloves are lined with waterproof Hypora liner that ensures your hands stay nice and dry.
At the back, the Tempest sports a 4-way stretchable fabric that not only provides for an excellent fit, but is also very comfortable against the skin.
These gloves are also equipped with double closures. You get two Velcro closures for a secure fit and two cuffs in case you want to add one layer under your jacket. Furthermore, there are drainage holes near the cuff that allow water to channel through in case it rains.
Truth be told, these features are normally seen in premium gloves. A top-end glove at this price point is definitely a great bang for the buck!
You also get an accordion stretch at the back of the hand for added breathability and comfort. Plus, there are reflective piping to increase the visibility of the rider. And although the knuckles are made of hard molded plastic, they offer a good level of protection just like any touring glove.
In addition, both the index fingers have visor wipers in case you need to wipe your helmet on the go. While the finger tips and palm are provided with silicone grippers for a secure hold.
All in all, the EXO Tempest from Scorpion are a great pair of touring gloves that can be utilized with heated grips on a long-distance tour.
Price: $89
Highlights:
- Waterproof Hypora lining
- Dual wrist closures
- 4-way stretch fabric
- Double gauntlet with drain holes
- Dual visor wipers
- No insulation over the palm to accompany heated grips
REV'IT! Kryptonite 2 GTX Gloves
Enough of the gauntlet gloves. Let’s take a look at something short and suave.
The Kryptonite GTX gloves from REV’IT or should we say the ‘Batman’ gloves are designed to resist the harsh cold weather in particular. They are a perfect companion for both short urban commute as well as long multi-day adventures.
And make no mistake, these are not a big bulky pair of winter gloves, but a complete all-rounder in terms of protection and performance. They feature a two-layer insulated liner: the first, made of Thinsulate, is a gold standard in the industry, while the second, made of drum dyed goatskin leather, ensures a great deal of comfort and protection.
Couple this with a Gore-Tex membrane, and you can easily ride on a rainy day even in the middle of September!
If this is the first time you have heard of Gore-Tex, let us give you a quick run-down. Gore-Tex is pretty much the benchmark in waterproof membranes. It prevents water from entering inside the glove, while at the same time ensures that any sweat buildup inside the glove evaporates quickly. In other words, Gore-Tex membrane provides a comfortable and moisture-free environment inside the glove at all times.
Further reading: Guide to motorcycle gloves
In addition, Kryptonite features a Gore-Grip technology, owing to which, the Gore-Tex is bonded with additional liners present in the glove to form a single layer of fabric. This provides extra grip on the handlebars and also allows rider to use heated grips if he wants.
As for fit, Kryptonite is a textile glove (55% goat leather, 33% polyamide, 7% polyester, 5% polyurethane) with a modest amount of stretchability. And they fit roughly between American and European size. As such, we recommend to all our American riders out there to go one size up from what you normally wear. You can choose between 7 different sizes, starting from “S” to “4XL”.
And as for colors, these are only available in black.
Coming to the features; you get a touch tech finger which allows you to work on any kind of touchscreen device. The knuckles are protected using PWR|shell, while the thumb and the palm area are protected by self-contouring Temper foam.
And in order to offer an unsurpassed resistance against abrasion or tear, the palm is also knitted with PWR|shield, which is an in-house production of REV’IT.
In addition, laminated reflections are present at the back of the hand as well as on the little pinkie to increase the overall visibility of the rider.
Altogether, the real plus of Kryptonite gloves is their ease of use and their versatility owing to the combination of textile as well as goat leather. So, they are an excellent and practical option for both winters as well as springs.
Price: $169
Highlights:
- Thinsulate G insulation
- Gore-Tex & Gore-Grip technology
- Waterproof and warm gloves
- Tri-fleece liner
- Hard-shell knuckles
- Ideal for touring, urban commuting, and adventure riding
Alpinestars Equinox OutDry Gloves
The Equinox OutDry gloves from Alpinestars are another great pair of winter gloves that go perfectly well with heated grips owing to their highly efficient Primaloft insulation.
So, what you get with these gloves is a heat-bonded OutDry waterproof laminated shell that provides an impenetrable layer with no seams. And this layer prevents water from entering the gloves, thus ensuring a fully insulated and dry environment.
Incorporating 100grams of Primaloft insulation at the back of the hand and 60grams at the palm, these gloves maintain an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio.
Besides, the insulation at the palm is deliberately reduced by Alpinestars in order to give you a better tactile feedback around the handlebar. Owing to which, a lot of heat also gets transferred from the heated grips.
As for fit, the design and cut are more of a European style, so you may have to opt for a size larger (if you are an American). Currently, they are available in 6 different sizes (Small to 3XL), with black being the only color to choose from.
Advice: You can also try Alpinestars’ Patron Gore-Tex gloves if you are looking for a glove without insulation.
Now, coming to the technicalities, the Equinox incorporates a multi-panel main chassis consisting of stretchable polyamide fabric. At the back you have a softshell construction, while at the palm you get a leather main construction.
The wrist boasts a single hook-and-loop grip closure with a long gauntlet type cuff construction that ensures a snug fit as well as adequate amount of protection.
The knuckles are made from molded polymers that offer class-leading protection as well as comfort.
Additionally, you will find accordion stretch inserts around the finger tips that assist while operating the controls and also reduce the possibility of fatigue. Plus, there are PU coated reinforcements around the palm and thumb that add to the overall grip of the glove.
Furthermore, there are suede reinforcements with an additional layer of foam padding around the landing zones of the palm that provide the much-needed slide protection in the event of a fall.
You also get a finger bridge between the third and fourth finger that protects your little pinkie in case of a slide.
On top of that, you get touchscreen tips on both the index finger as well as the thumb, especially useful in case you need to zoom-in or zoom-out on your mobile screen.
Another great feature is the water windshield wiper that is located on both the fingers of your hand. Plus, there are multiple reflective prints all over the back to increase the visibility of the rider.
Most importantly, these are tested and certified to level 1 of the European safety standards.
All in all, these are an excellent pair of gloves that can be utilized over heated grips and are particularly suitable for riders who prefer a waterproof glove with some level of insulation. And given the price, these gloves are an excellent bang for the buck.
Price: $149
Highlights:
- Primaloft 100g and 80g insulation
- Heat-bonded shell construction
- Over-molded polymer knuckle
- Ideal for winters and rainstorms
- Long gauntlet cuff construction
- CE certified
Bottom line
So, these were some of the best gloves that can accompany your heated grips. This being said, there is one thing that you should be aware of. There are no particular motorcycles gloves that are built primarily for heated grips. Our selection was based upon the construction material as well as the level of padding around the palms. Ideally, a mid-season glove will accompany the heated grips perfectly.
And in case you wish to purchase a glove apart from the ones we have mentioned, you should keep this selection criteria in mind.
This brings us to the end of our editorial guide. Let us know in case you need some additional information. Take care & ride safe!