In this article I’m going to cover the best options for men’s summer MTB gloves.
From lightweight no-feel MTB gloves, to padded and protected downhill MTB gloves, the entire range of possible gloves are featured.
Personal preference aside, a high-quality MTB summer glove needs to have a number of features, no matter what discipline of mountain biking you prefer; XC, downhill, enduro, or all round trail riding.
It should have a good fit, without any excess material getting in the way of you and your handlebars. And you also don’t want the glove bursting at the seams, because you hardly get into them.
The materials used should be durable and breathable at the same time, especially important for summer gloves. And you will see all major brands using the same kind of tried-and-true materials to achieve this desired effect. Whether it’s AX Suede, Clarino, or some other synthetic product.
If you prefer lightweight gloves the upper construction should feature lightweight mesh fabric. In the case of protection, you’ve got D30, Airflex, EVA foam, and TPR rubber.
Some gloves come in a variety of colors, others, especially the most expensive ones, might not have any. The prices range from below 20 USD upwards to 80 for pro-level downhill MTB gloves.
So without further ado, here’s my list for the best men’s summer MTB gloves.
100% Cognito Gloves
The 100% Cognito Gloves are lightweight MTB summer gloves with knuckle protectors.
Like a number of other gloves featuring added protection, these gloves use D30 material, which is a multi-density foam meant to harden with impact.
Furthermore the gloves have a Clarino™ synthetic leather palm with silicone on the index and ring finger.
The cuff is closed using a velcro strap. Naturally the gloves are touchscreen compatible.
A simple enough set of gloves in a number of attractive colors to protect you against a quick whip of a branch across the knuckles. Don’t expect them to save you from crashing into a rock though (no glove will).
- Knuckle protection, multiple colors available, minimal lightweight design
- Velcro wrist strap might not be for everyone
100% Ridecamp Gloves
The 100% Ridecamp Gloves are hard-wearing summer gloves with an exceptional fit.
The upper construction made from stretchy Nylon is very soft to the touch and the synthetic palm with pull-on cuff provides excellent levels of traction and grip.
The price for this high-end mountain bike with touchscreen compatibility is reasonable enough.
The gloves feel seamless because they are basically seamless. With such a perfect fit and no seams to speak of, the gloves score very high in the comfort category. And as such, make for a great MTB summer cycling glove for all-round trail riding.
- No-feel glove, virtually seamless, superb summer glove
- None
100% Geomatic Gloves
The 100% Geomatic Gloves feature protection in the form of small TPR pyramids embedded in the upper construction. This design looks like the gloves Jean-Claude van Damme wore in Kickboxer, so it’s a plus in the design department for me.
TPR is a soft kind of rubber, and the fact that they dot a large area, means a larger area is protected while the glove can still flex easily enough. The TPR also extends towards all fingers (except the thumb).
It features the same Clarino™ synthetic palm as the Cognito gloves but rather has a slip-on cuff versus one using velcro.
100% makes well-designed gloves. Coming in many great color options this slim-fitting glove is for the fashion-minded. And to be honest, who doesn’t want to make a statement on their bikes. I know I do.
- Awesome design with knuckle protection
- None
Giro Trixter Gloves
That good MTB summer gloves don’t have to be ridiculously expensive is exemplified in the Giro Trixter Gloves.
The pre-curved microfiber AX Suede™ synthetic leather palm is cut in such a way that it fits your hand perfectly. With the absence of any padding whatsoever, this is the minimal glove for those trail riders who prefer to have as much handlebar feedback as possible, but still wear some protection.
I’m familiar and have used a lot of material used in cycling apparel, but this is the first time I heard of the AX® Bolt fabric for the fourchettes (material between fingers). Giro claims this aids in keeping your hands cooler than average on hot summer riding and I believe I have to agree, because these are exceptionally airy gloves.
In my experience, touchscreen functionality improves as you ride, and I have a general habit of licking my gloved thumb before trying to use my mobile phone. But even with sucking my thumb like a 4-year old I couldn’t get these gloves to get a consistent feel with my phone.
Even with that minor issue, I’m hard-pressed to do anything but praise these excellent MTB summer gloves. Especially considering the super-friendly sub-20 USD price. I challenge you to find a better glove in the same price category, you won’t be able to.
- Extremely affordable, lightweight, cool summer glove
- Finicky touchscreen functionality
Giro DND Gloves
The Giro DND Gloves are another exceptional pair of MTB summer gloves.
This time around the AX Suede™ synthetic leather palm features gel padding, whereas the Trixter gloves did not.
I especially like the reinforced fingers, because that’s exactly the place where my gloves always start to fray. Even though these gloves don’t feature a velcro strap which wears out the delicate mesh even faster.
The cuff features are reinforced pull-on parts, which makes slipping them on your hands a lot easier. And there’s a 2-inch slit on the side of the palm, which makes pulling them off easier as well, without detracting from the snug feel.
They are the best-selling MTB gloves from Giro on Amazon and I understand why. There allround nature, durability, comfort and fit for a reasonable enough price is hard to resist, especially when compared to alternatives which cost twice as much.
On top of that there are a huge number of color options, so there’s bound to be one that color-matches the rest of your outfit.
- Amazon best-seller, affordable high-quality summer glove, huge number of colors available
- None
Hestra All Mountain Sr. Gloves
The Hestra All Mountain Sr. Gloves is a seriously well-made dedicated mountain bike glove from this Swedish family-run company.
The knuckle protection is achieved by a hard insert. The front of the fingers have some added material as well. Where it matters the glove is reinforced with Clarino™ synthetic leather.
Although not water resistant or equipped with windblocker fabric, the glove offers good protection in various chillier temperatures, especially when your body has warmed up itself.
As for the design, you either hate or love the high contrast black-beige paneling. There’s no other design to choose from. Whatever your preference, the fact this is a high-quality mountain bike glove is unmistakable.
- Unique design, superb build quality, durable, knuckle protection, can be used in chillier temperatures
- Not the coolest
Leatt 4.0 Lite Gloves
The Leatt 4.0 Lite Gloves are gloves that feature Airflex impact gel across a large top section of the gloves and the outer two fingers.
The grid-like structure is meant to absorb and disperse the energy of a possible impact, lowering the risk of injury, which has earned them an official certification for protective equipment.
It won’t mean you can prevent a boxer fracture when slamming into something immovable. No glove can. But it does mean that Leatt has taken the subject of protection seriously, with these gloves as a result.
The rest of the glove is anything but bulky with a virtually seamless Nanogrip palm for excellent bar feel and grip. So these gloves are excellent for maintaining maximum control in combination with protection for downhill riding.
- High quality knuckle protection, seamless grip
- None
POC Resistance Enduro Gloves
The POC Resistance Enduro Gloves are meant for long rides in the saddle and offer stronger, more durable fabric than the companions on this list.
Even with enduro sitting in the name, any form of protection is missing from these gloves. So I would almost argue, they are just as well suited for XC or all-round trail riding.
I’ve chosen to feature the glove with the slip-on cuff, but should you prefer there’s also a version with a velcro strap.
These are not cheap gloves, but for a price that’s almost twice as much you’d normally pay for the average glove, you do get a piece of equipment that’ll survive your next crash (probably).
- Minimal, lightweight but durable enduro glove
- Pricey, not for big hands
POC Essential DH Gloves
The POC Essential DH Gloves are pure-bred downhill mountain bike gloves with EVA foam impact protection covered by four-stretch lycra.
A seamless vented palm with virtually no cuff ensures maximum grip and dexterity because that’s what you’d want flying downhill.
Touchscreen compatibility and silicone strips on ring- and index finger come with the territory of being a summer cycling glove for mountain biking.
With only black to choose from and a hefty price tag for this functional glove, it means you prefer function above form for your downhill adventures.
- Built to last, glue-on grip, EVA foam knuckle protection, high-quality downhill glove
- Pricey, single black design
POC Resistance Pro DH Gloves
The POC Resistance Pro DH Gloves are padded gloves for downhill mountain biking. Every mountain biker has had sudden crashes that come out of nowhere, leaving you wondering what just happened.
The EVA foam padding is sturdy enough on impact to protect your hands in these cases, but still offer flexibility so you don’t get the feeling you’re using a winter glove. The padding sits underneath a highly abrasion-resistant ceramic fabric covering the knuckles and outer three fingers.
The thin seamless vented palm offers silicone padding to take out the sting of jarring downhill sections, or for longer trail rides, which provides a perfect combination of grip and comfort.
It’s not my favorite design-wise. But design-preference notwithstanding, the quality and comfort of the glove is undeniable.
- Adjustable velcro strap for snug fit, extra padding for comfort on the bars, EVA foam knuckle protection, built to last
- Very pricey, single black design
POC Savant MTB Gloves
The POC Savant MTB Gloves are the opposite of the Enduro gloves from the same brand in terms of durability.
The extremely lightweight MTB summer glove sacrifices everything to be as minimal and non-obtrusive on your hands as possible.
They are truly gorgeous gloves in their simplicity, but you do have to wonder whether or not this extra light construction can stand the test of time or a crash.
But if you are a person who takes care of their products, doesn’t mind the premium price, and prefers safety above speed, this is the glove for you.
- Extremely airy, no-feel glove
- Delicate, expensive
Troy Lee Designs Gambit Gloves
Don’t be fooled by all the motocross pictures. The Troy Lee Designs Gambit Gloves are perfect fleece-lined soft-shell cold-weather gloves with D30 knuckle protection.
Though not designated water-resistant they can be perfectly used on chillier rides. I’m not the biggest fan of all the pieces of plastic on the fingers, but it seems both Fox And Troy Lee Designs have a penchant for these kinds of things. And I guess they offer some extra protection, for what it’s worth.
The palm is made from Clarino™ with a touchscreen compatible area on the tip of the index finger.
There are very few cold-weather gloves with knuckle protection like this one, so if you fall within that particular niche, these gloves are your best bet in providing warmth and protection.
- D30 knuckle protection, can be used in chillier temperatures
- Not the coolest
Specifications men's summer MTB gloves
Name | Sex | Type | Back | Palm | Padding | Insulation | Season | Buy at Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
100% Cognito Gloves | men | full finger | D30 knuckle protector | Clarino™ | none | none | summer | |
100% Ridecamp Gloves | men/youth | full finger | Nylon spandex | Clarino™ synthetic leather | none | none | summer | |
100% Geomatic Gloves | men | full finger | TPR knuckle protector | Clarino™ | none | none | summer | |
Giro Trixter Gloves | men | full finger | AX® Bolt | AX Suede™ | none | none | summer | |
Giro DND Gloves | men | full finger | 4-way stretch mesh | AX Suede™ | none | none | summer | |
Hestra All Mountain Sr. Gloves | unisex | full finger | Clarino™ | none | none | summer | ||
Leatt 4.0 Lite Gloves | men | full finger | Airflex impact gel knuckle protector | NanoGrip | none | none | summer | |
POC Resistance Enduro Gloves | unisex | full finger | none | none | summer | |||
POC Essential DH Gloves | unisex | full finger | Lycra w. EVA foam knuckle protector | none | none | summer | ||
POC Resistance Pro DH Gloves | unisex | full finger | Ceramic fabric w. VPD knuckle protector | silicone | none | summer | ||
POC Savant MTB Gloves | unisex | full finger | messh | none | none | summer | ||
Troy Lee Designs Gambit Gloves | men | full finger | softshell w. D30 knuckle protector | Clarino™ | none | fleece | summer |
Johan van Seijen
FoundeR Restoration.bike
Johan van Seijen is the founder of restoration.bike. His passion for cycling in general, and restoring older bikes turned into a website to share his knowledge with a broader audience. Starting out on his father’s road bike and riding classics as the Amstel Gold Race and Liege Bastogne Liege he has shifted his attention to trail, XC, and gravel riding since. No matter how much he loves writing about everything related to cycling, nothing beats actually using his ever-expanding bicycle collection.
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