Give Mother Nature the driest middle finger she’s ever seen with our favorite waterproof motorcycle gloves of the year.
If you want to tour the world on two wheels, you better be prepared for rain. On our recent trip through Vietnam, the crew and I probably spent about half our time riding through either wet or rainy conditions, and good waterproof gear made all the difference.
While keeping your core as warm and dry as possible should always be your first priority, we probably don’t have to tell you that wet hands can ruin your ride in short order.
To that end, waterproof motorcycle gloves help make the most out of less-than-ideal conditions and should be a part of your gear list for any serious two-wheeled touring.
| Waterproof Gloves: | Summary: | Price: |
Klim Badlands GTX |
The set most of our tour guides use in bad weather. Expensive but quality. | CHECK PRICE |
Dainese Scout 2 GoreTex |
Best cold weather waterproof combo on a budget. | CHECK PRICE |
Alpinestars Corozal V2 Drystar Gloves
|
Not for cold weather but beats the rain. riding. | CHECK PRICE |
Rev’it! Mosca H2O
|
Best option for people looking for warm weather waterproof riding. | CHECK PRICE |
100% Hydromatic |
A waterproof option for our pure offroad riders out there. | CHECK PRICE |
In short, any motorcycle glove with a quality waterproof/breathable membrane will be effectively waterproof. With that being said, it’s important to understand that pretty much anything shy of rubber gloves or plastic bags can’t keep water at bay forever, so let’s take a moment to set some realistic expectations here.
GoreTex is generally considered the most high-performance waterproof membrane on the market, and considering the premium we have to pay for it, it damn well better be. In our experience, a solid pair of GoreTex equipped gloves will keep outside moisture at bay for a full day’s ride.
"Can escape our home base in Oregon without a little drizzle"
At some point, however, a long enough downpour will overwhelm even the mightiest three-layer GoreTex membrane. The build-up of moisture on the outside surface of the glove, combined with the buildup of heat and sweat inside the glove, will always lead to wet hands eventually.
The hallmark of a good waterproof motorcycle glove is to be “waterproof enough” to keep rain at bay for a few hours, then “breathable enough” to return to a fully dry condition in between showers.
When you’re riding a motorcycle, moisture comes at your hands from two directions. Rain falling from the sky blows forward onto your gloves as you ride (although with enough fairing or the right hand guards, much of this can be alleviated), and rain beading off your jacket rolls down your arms toward your hands.
In our experience, the most reliable way to lock out moisture is by layering a full-length gauntlet-style glove underneath the sleeve of a waterproof jacket. By tucking the glove under the jacket, you prevent rain from rolling down into the vulnerable opening of the glove, and by cinching down the wrist of the jacket itself, you seal out the lion's share of rain coming at you head-on.
It’s important to note that some gloves out there use a “double gauntlet” system that’s designed to go over your sleeve, but this is the exception rather than the norm.
Whether you choose to wear our gloves over or under your sleeve is up to you, but we recommend tucking the opening underneath your sleeve for optimal comfort and the best possible seal.
It used to be the case that any glove with a three-layer GoreTex membrane was the gold standard in waterproof motorcycle gloves. While GoreTex is still just as good as ever, it’s important to note that many proprietary membranes from brands like Alpinestars, Dainese, and Rev’it now deliver nearly identical results, and often for less money.
Do your research, read the reviews, and when in doubt, make sure to keep that receipt. For what it’s worth, we’ve yet to experience an actual failure in the field from a GoreTex glove though, so if peace of mind is what you’re after, there’s no doubt that any garment with that big black diamond tag will get the job done.
Below we’ll highlight five of our current favorite models for a wide variety of conditions, as well as what makes each worth having. Before we dive into the details though, let’s take a moment to cover a few of the most common questions about waterproof motorcycle gloves we hear out on the road.
The Klim Badlands GTX is the one waterproof motorcycle glove we’ve put more miles on than any other, and is hands-down our top recommendation for adventure riders everywhere.
An utterly bulletproof glove through and through, the Badlands GTX is easily the most advanced all-terrain glove we’ve ever slipped our hands inside of.
On the weather protection front, Klim integrates both a Gore-Tex membrane and the latest Gore-Grip technology into the Badlands. The presence of Gore-Grip is important to note here, as it’s a proprietary technology that binds the inner linings and insulation of the glove to the outside shell, delivering a slip-free grip for improved feel and control at the bars.
We won’t deny that the Klim Badlands GTX is by far the most expensive glove on our list, but we also don’t mind sharing that everything about these gloves is the definition of “latest and greatest.”
Klim even specs ceramic-printed Superfabric in the knuckles, palms, and gauntlet of the Badlands, providing unmatched abrasion resistance that outperforms even the thickest full-grain leather.
We’ve worn the Dainese Scout 2 GoreTex gloves through rainy tours of South America and on misty mornings in the Appalachian mountains, and they’ve yet to let us down.
They aren’t cheap, but they also lack nothing in terms of quality with their safety-first construction and name-brand GoreTex weather protection.
We love these gloves for chilly fall rides because they’re extremely wind-resistant while still maintaining a degree of breathability through their softshell construction.
A generous helping of synthetic Primaloft insulation around the fingers and through the back of the hand helps keep the feeling in our fingers, and we’ve only found the limits of these gloves in the coldest and wettest conditions (aka near freezing temps after hours of constant rain).
We’re also big fans of the Scout 2 from a protection standpoint, which is where less expensive waterproof motorcycle gloves often come up lacking.
Dainese specs hard impact protection in the knuckles and finger joints of these gloves, and doubles down on abrasion resistance with full grain leather reinforcements in the palm and a hard slider on the heel of each hand.
If you’re looking for one waterproof motorcycle glove to do it all, the Alpinestars Corozal V2 Drystar gets our vote.
A true jack of all trades, this short-cuff street glove is weatherproof, protective, and versatile enough to bounce between your firebreathing streetfighter and your favorite enduro in a single weekend.
Weather protection is provided courtesy of Alpinestars’ proprietary Drystar membrane, which while it isn’t the most advanced waterproof-breathable treatment on the market, has kept us dry through many a pop-up shower.
The rest of the glove’s construction is a smart balance of full-grain leather in slide-prone zones and textile everywhere else for maximum comfort and stretch.
The Corozal V2 isn’t quite as bombproof as our top picks safety-wise, earning a simpler CE Level 1 certification rather than our preferred Level 2, but it’s no slouch on protection either.
In addition to its generous use of goat leather, Alpinestars also equips the Corozal V2 with hard knuckle protection as well as EVA foam wrapped in the same aramidic fiber found in the brand’s flagship racing gloves.
Alpinestars Corozal V2 Drystar Gloves
Comfortable, affordable, breathable, and waterproof. That’s what the Rev’it! Mosca H2O gloves are all about, and they do it better than anything else at this price point.
Our favorite part about these gloves, believe it or not, is actually Rev’it!’s proprietary “Hydratex Z-liner” waterproof membrane. Hydratex is a tad less breathable than GoreTex, but in our experience it’s just as waterproof, so it makes sense in a lighter textile glove like the Mosca where airflow is relatively unhampered.
Aside from the smart design and material selection, we also appreciate that these summer gloves sport a single, uninterrupted slab of supple goat leather throughout the palm, which covers your bases for slide protection while still delivering that “second skin” feel we love in a minimalist summer glove.
We’ll also note that Rev’it only tacks on an extra $10 for the waterproof version of the Mosca, making this one of the most affordable waterproof motorcycle gloves you can buy from a premium brand.
Enduro lovers and dual-sport owners rejoice: The 100% Hydromatic does the unthinkable by bringing all-weather touring comforts to a hardcore motorcross-style glove. While the 100% Hydromatic is by no means suited for pavement use, it’s an absolute game-changer for off-roaders who ride rain or shine.
We’re particularly fond of the “Brisker” version of the Hydromatic, which adds a touch of foam and synthetic insulation to the backhand of the glove without interfering with your feel on the grips.
This is our favorite option to wear when getting dirty during the winter down in Baja, and for long days in the dirt with little to no pavement in sight, the Hydromatic is just what the doctor ordered.
We’ll also note that because the 100% Hydromatic is technically a “moto-style” glove rather than a street or touring model, they come in at moto-style prices.
That means that even the insulated Brisker model still rings in at under $50, so this waterproof motorcycle glove is a no-brainer to carry as backup in your tank bag.
While our top picks remain backed by to GoreTex gold standard, we want to take a moment to reiterate that proprietary liners have only gotten better over the years.
Truth be told, most legit waterproof/breathable membranes nowadays are all made using the same technology, which means real-world performance depends more on material quality and construction than any particular name-brand association.
With that being said, buying a proprietary liner from a premium brand like Dainese, Alpinestars, or Rev’it is a smart way to get a great glove for around $50-$100 less, so don’t let your budget keep you from riding rain or shine.
→Read More: Parking a Motorcycle: 6 rookie mistakes to avoid and 5 Motorcycle Rain Suits to keep you dry this rainy season.