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Riding a motorcycle is basically like having free air-conditioning. Once you get a little wind in your hair, that 90-degree day starts to feel a lot cooler, and if we’re being honest, who cares what the thermostat says if you’re having a good time?
Of course, that’s assuming you’ve got the right summer motorcycle gloves on.
Being hot and sweaty is no fun, but sweaty hands suck particularly hard. If you’re still rocking full leather gauntlets, insulated touring gloves, or something else that feels like sticking your hand in a furnace, here are a few of our favorite light and breezy options to keep your hands happy while you’re twisting the wick.
Summer Motorcycle Gloves Quick List:
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Roadworthy and wildly affordable. | CHECK PRICE |
| New version upgrades ventilation while keeping its CE-2 Level protection | CHECK PRICE | |
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Held Air N Dry II Motorcycle Gloves
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Full gauntlet protection that's breathable and 100% waterproof | CHECK PRICE |
| Bombproof protection with premium materials. | CHECK PRICE | |
| Full leather protection and style meet excellent airflow. | CHECK PRICE | |
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Redesigned for 2025 with more airflow, more stretch, and improved comfort. | CHECK PRICE |
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Dirt-friendly features without any tradeoffs in on-road protection. | CHECK PRICE |
Our Favorite Motorcycle Gloves for Summer
Plain and simple, a good pair of summer motorcycle gloves should do two things: keep you cool, and keep you safe. Here's our picks that do exactly that.
1. Alpinestars SMX 1 Air V2
Safety-wise the Air V2s punch way above their price point and deliver reliable protection where you need it.
At the top of the hand and throughout the palm and fingers you get soft full-grain leather, the knuckles are covered by an uninterrupted strip of carbon fiber.
Alpinestars’ SMX Air series has been many a rider’s first pair of summer motorcycle gloves, but even if you’re a veteran motorcyclist, they bring a ton of value to the table.
The SMX-1 Air V2 is a particularly budget-friendly pick, and if you’re shopping for something around the $60 mark, these are tough to beat.
"Testing out Alpinestars SMX-1 Air V2 Summer Gloves while riding the Washington BDR" Additional reinforcement comes courtesy of synthetic goat skin leather at the palm and along the vulnerable outer seam.
Everywhere else on the glove you’ll find highly breathable mesh and elastic panels designed to optimize comfort and keep air flowing freely.
Now, this is an extremely budget-friendly option, so it feels a little unfair to take shots at it here, but there are definitely a few compromises you’ll want to consider if these summer motorcycle gloves are on your shortlist.
The first is that although they’re 100% road worthy, they’re lacking the high-tech safety features of the more premium gloves on this list. There are no hard TPU sliders at the palm, and you’re definitely not getting any Superfabric at this price.
We’ll also mention that while Alpinestars did a great job of adding reinforcements without adding cost, they achieve it by using synthetic leather in those areas rather than natural full-grain goat or kangaroo leather.
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Alpinestars SMX-1 Air V2
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2. Dainese Mig 3 leather gloves
Dainese updated their ever-popular Mig C2 summer motorcycle gloves this year, and the latest iteration is their best yet.
The original Mig gloves were always a great hot-weather option, but Dainese managed to upgrade the airflow even further without losing the CE-2 level safety certification of the original.
More 3D mesh has been added to the low-risk zones at top of the wrist and the ends of the fingers, while the outgoing model’s all-synthetic suede palm has been beefed up with more full-grain leather in the areas you want it.
"Garrett out creating our newest route option in Vietnam"
There’s still a healthy base layer of synthetic suede throughout the palm for optimal comfort, but the reinforced portions look and feel much more protective now.
Aside from that, much of the Mig 3 is still the summer motorcycle glove you know and love.
It’s still got the split hardshell knuckle protectors that provide impact protection without limiting flexibility, the side seam is still well protected with double-stitched full-grain cowhide, and the glove still gives the svelte European fit Dainese is known for.
The latest model also boasts Dainese’s latest Smart Touch material at the finger and thumb, so the Mig is now fully touchscreen-friendly.
As far as cons go, the only real complaint we have is the price. The new Mig 3 is about $10 more than the outgoing model depending on where you shop, and while that’s nothing outrageous, the Mig is no longer a “sub $100 glove.”*
Dainese also swapped out the previous Mig’s silicone finger grips for the new Smart Touch material, so while we consider it a welcome tradeoff, riders who aren’t using touchscreen devices may lament the loss of extra grip at the levers.
*Update, Dainese released the Mig 3 Air which is sub $100 but offers less protection.
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Dainese Mig 3 Leather Gloves
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3. Held Air N Dry II Motorcycle Gloves
The folks at Held make the impossible possible with the Air N Dry II glove. On the one hand, you've got a full-length waterproof gauntlet for maximum safety and protection, while on the other you've got enough ventilation to keep you comfortable all summer long.
The secret sauce to the Air N Dry II is its unique construction: the outside is made from a lightweight perforated fabric, while a separate inner "chamber" is fully protected by a waterproof-breathable GoreTex membrane.
"Our Patagonia Tours can get wet even in the height of summer"We also love that the Air N Dry II keeps bulk to a minimum by utilizing top-grade materials for slide protection. A kangaroo leather palm, Superfabric reinforcements, and perforated Cordura fabric leave nothing up to chance while maintaining that summerweight feel.
As is often the case with Held gloves, the Air N Dry II's main drawback is cost, and these summer gloves typically retail for just over $300.
That hurts a lot less if you think of them as "two gloves in one," a single-glove solution that'll get you through spring and summer for years to come, rain or shine.
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Held Air N Dry II Gloves
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4. Klim Badlands Aero Pro
Klim’s “Badlands” line of adventure gear is widely regarded as the best in the business, and the Klim Badlands Aero Pro is the hot-weather version of their popular Badlands GTX glove.
Essentially what you’ve got here is all the same bombproof protection of the Badlands GTX, but you’re trading out the waterproof GoreTex liner for breathable perforated leather panels.
"Garrett Testing out the Aero Pro while riding in the heat of Vietnam this summer"Safety-wise, everything else is left intact here: You’re still getting that insanely rugged carbon/ceramic knuckle guard, the same XRD padding along your digits, and the same ceramic-printed palm slider that makes the Badlands GTX feel so indestructible.
Everywhere else you’re looking at full-grain leather, but with the added benefit of box-stiched seams, so there are no uncomfortable edges digging into your hands while you ride.
You’ll also get Klim’s fantastic Mult-e-Touch panels at the fingertips for touchscreen compatibility, and some extra low-profile reflectivity courtesy of 3M Scotchlite carbon black panels.
"Side note: Vietnam is beautiful as seen here lol"The Badlands Aero Pro is an impressive piece of kit, but it has its tradeoffs as well. The first is that it’s pretty damn expensive, especially for a short-cuff summer motorcycle glove.
The second is that although its perforated leather is well suited for airflow, we’ve got some concerns on how well it would hold up to asphalt compared to non-perforated material.
Klim does a good job of using non-perforated material in the most crucial areas (the heel of the hand in particular), but the thumb and fingers don’t look too confidence-inspiring.
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Klim Aero Pro Gloves
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5. Pando Moto Onyx Glove
While textiles and synthetics have come a long way in the last decade, the peace of mind that comes with thick all-leather construction is tough to beat.
Perforated leather is naturally the weapon of choice in a summer motorcycle glove, and Pando Moto's Onyx is currently our favorite option.
"Handsome retro style with performance to match." photo: Pando MotoPando Moto is a relatively new name in the casual gear space, but their "high style meets high performance" approach has earned them some notoriety.
The Onyx glove is a great example of what Pando does so well, combining some retro-cool flair with serious protection.
Slide protection comes courtesy of full 0.8mm cowhide construction, which is thoroughly perforated for maximum airflow.
Beneath the surface you'll find hard protection in the palm and over the knuckles, while additional padding is added over each of the fingers.
Perhaps our favorite part about the Pando Moto Onyx, however, is the price. Despite their stylish look and high-quality construction, these eye-catching gloves retail for just $100, and will only get better looking and more comfortable with age.
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Pando Moto Onyx Glove
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6. Klim Baja S4
Klim's Baja S4 gloves were always regarded as something of a hot weather masterpiece for their abundance of stretchy mesh combined with street-ready protection.
This year Klim gave the S4 a full redesign anyways, and they're by far the best Baja glove yet.
"The Baja S4's hard protection has been redesigned for improved comfort over the knuckles." photo: KlimSomehow Klim has managed to make the Baja S4's mesh backing even lighter and stretchier without sacrificing any strength, while also expanding its total surface area for even more airflow.
The hard overlays on the back of the hand have been redesigned to get more air to your hands as well.
If you've owned a pair of S4's in the past, you'll know their one shortcoming was that the hard knuckle protection felt a bit restrictive, and could create pressure points after a few hours.
We're happy to report that the redesigned layout solves that issue by flexing more naturally along the back of the hand.
In fact our only complaint with the redesign is that Klim has removed the pull tab at the base of the glove, a feature we particularly appreciated for sliding the gloves on over sweaty hands with ease.
They didn't raise the price over the outgoing model though, so we'll call it a "fair tradeoff" and leave it at that.
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Klim Baja S4
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4. Rev'It Dirt 4 Gloves
The Rev'It Dirt 4 might be the ultimate short-cuff adventure glove for the summer months.
Designed with off-road use in mind, yet built with enough protection to survive a high-speed get-off on pavement, they're just what the doctor ordered for serious ADV riders.
"Rev'It's Dirt 4 gloves are dirt-friendly but fully street-ready."On the dirt front, the Dirt 4's get a single-layer goatskin palm for maximum feel at the bars, as well as textured Pittard's synthetic overlays for added grip.
Airflow comes courtesy of 3D mesh at the fingertips and over the back of the hand.
Protection wise the full-grain leather palm gets additional padding and a hard slider in the heel as well as captive seams across the outside of the glove.
The hard knuckle protection is backed by Rev'it's cushy "Temperfoam" for added comfort and some extra impact protection.
The main drawback we've found with the Dirt 4 is that while it's well suited as a summer motorcycle glove, it can't quite match the airflow of something like the mesh-intensive Klim Baja S4 above.
It does offer significantly improved protection for pavement use though, so if you spend more time on the road than dirt it's a tradeoff worth considering.
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Rev-It Dirt 4 Gloves
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FAQs on Finding the Right Pair of Summer Motorcycle Gloves
What are the best motorcycle gloves for hot weather?
- When riding in hot weather, look for gloves with good ventilation, breathable materials, and lightweight construction. Some popular options include Alpinestars SMX 1 Air V2, Dainese Mig 3, and Klim Badlands Aero Pro.
What features should I look for in summer motorcycle gloves?
- Key features to look for include ventilation (mesh panels or perforations), lightweight and breathable materials, adequate protection (knuckle guards, reinforced palms), and a comfortable fit. Some gloves also offer touchscreen compatibility for convenience which we personally prefer.
Are leather motorcycle gloves suitable for summer riding?
- Yes, certain types of leather gloves are suitable for summer riding. Look for gloves that combine leather with mesh or perforated sections to ensure good airflow.
How do I choose the right size for motorcycle gloves?
- To find the right size, measure the circumference of your hand around the knuckles, excluding the thumb. Refer to the sizing chart provided by the glove manufacturer to find your size. A snug fit is essential for both comfort and protection. Too snug and it increases wrist and hand fatigue. Too loose, and it will slip off during a crash.
Can summer motorcycle gloves be waterproof?
- While most summer gloves prioritize ventilation and breathability, some models offer waterproof features through innovative designs. For example, the Held Air N Dry gloves feature a dual-compartment system that provides both ventilation and waterproofing.
Are there any affordable options for quality summer motorcycle gloves?
- Yes, there are several affordable options that still offer good protection and ventilation. The Alpinestars SMX 1 Air V2 is a budget-friendly choice that provides excellent value for its price.
Can I use motocross gloves for street riding in summer?
- While motocross gloves offer great ventilation and flexibility, they typically don't provide sufficient protection to withstand sliding on asphalt.
Are touchscreen-compatible motorcycle gloves worth it?
- Yes, if you frequently use your phone or GPS while riding, touchscreen-compatible gloves make it very convenient. Many modern gloves, like the Dainese Mig 3 and Klim Badlands Aero Pro, include this feature.
Our Final Thoughts on Summer Motorcycle Gloves
Choosing the right pair of summer motorcycle gloves can make all the difference between an enjoyable ride or having your riding buds laugh at you as you struggle to put on your gloves. Yes, even we were newbs at one point.
Stay cool, ride safe, and see you out there!
Got a favorite pair we didn't mention? Drop your recommendations in the comments! And if you're itching for more than just a gear upgrade, check out our latest tours and join us on the ride of a lifetime.
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