If you’re living in Australia or somewhere else where it doesn’t snow you probably have no idea why people need running gloves. The reason, is really quite simple and practical: It is painful when temperatures get low, your hands freeze.
The right pair of running gloves should feel comfortable without much chafing and keep your hands warm. This does not mean that they are only useful for cold weather, even though its usually the primary purpose of running gloves.
Sometimes when you’re doing trail runs there is a lot of debris, rocks, twigs from trees that get in the way amongst many other objects. They provide an essence of safety and lets admit it, sometimes they look quite cool. Here at JogTunes we’ve reviewed some of the best running gloves and compared them against their various features. Check it out below.
Best Running Gloves Compared And Reviewed
Screen Friendly
New Balance Lightweight Gloves
Warm + Breathable
Unigear Lightweight Running Gloves
Best For Cold
SIMARI Winter Gloves
Thinner Option
Under Armour Men’s Armour Liner 2.0 Gloves
Layerable
OutdoorEssentials Touch Screen Running Gloves
1. New Balance Lightweight Touchscreen Warm Running Gloves
Key Features
- Firm Grip
- Touchscreen Compatible
- 100% Polyester
Reasons to buy
- Lightweight
- Very responsive touchscreen paddings
Reasons to avoid
- Rips easily
- Hard to wash
- Does not keep much warmth
For runners who do not like bulky gloves, the New Balance Lightweight Touchscreen Warm Running Gloves is a great option. Made with a 100% thin layer of Polyester, these gloves are very lightweight and made to fit perfectly on your hands without any bumps or lumps.
Furthermore, its firm grip design allows you to run very efficiently without worrying about the stillness of the gloves on your hands. It is very comfortable to wear and does not give any itchy sensation that can hinder you from performing very well in your runs.
The New Balance Lightweight Running Gloves also comes with a touch screen pad feature on each of its thumbs. This feature is to ensure that you can use your phone while wearing gloves. Furthermore, compared to other touchscreen-compatible gloves, the New Balance Lightweight Running Gloves has one of the most responsive paddings that are compatible with all kinds of touch screen technologies.
However, when it comes to durability, the New Balance Lightweight Running Gloves have a tendency to fall apart. Since it is made from a thin layer of polyester, the gloves can easily rip, causing holes, especially in the thumb area and palm area. This flaw of the gloves makes it very inefficient for extreme running sports like triathlons.
Furthermore, it cannot be cleaned in a washing machine since it can rip easily. You need to wash the gloves manually. Washing them without ripping is very hard to do since any harsh stretch can easily cause rips and holes. Another inconvenience of the gloves is their incapability to keep warmth to your hands in the middle of cold places. This inconvenience is a big turn-off for runners who want to use these gloves in places with cold temperatures.
2. Unigear Lightweight Running Gloves
Key Features
- Breathable
- Soft and Lightweight
- Touchscreen-Friendly
Reasons to buy
- Protects hands from debris
- Very tight grip
- High durability
Reasons to avoid
- Uncomfortable internal stitching
- Cannot keep warmth
Made with thick silicone material, the Unigear Lightweight Running Gloves protect your hands from debris that might hurt you while running. This includes rocks, hails, twigs and even sharp objects that you might encounter along the way.
Even though the gloves are made with a thick layer of silicone, it is still very comfortable to wear. With their breathable design, the gloves make you sweat less and can prevent odor-causing bacterias and fungal infections from penetrating your skin. This feature is best for runners who have very sensitive skin and palms that sweat a lot.
The Unigear Lightweight Running Gloves also has a design that grips tightly on your hands. It has a pull-on closure at the wrist area to ensure that the gloves will not fall off regardless of how hard you run or how extreme the sport is. This feature also allows you to worry less about the gloves while running and focus more on your practices.
The design of the gloves also contributes to its lightweight and soft design that allows for more comfortability. However, the internal stitches of the gloves can be an inconvenience since it is exposed and hidden poorly. This minor inconvenience is the reason for the gloves’ high durability. With very high-quality stitches, the gloves do not rip off easily and are very durable in any situation.
The Unigear Lightweight Running gloves fail to keep warmth for your hands. Although it can provide heat, it cannot sustain it very well. Under half an hour under cold temperatures, the gloves fail to keep your hands warm and stiffness can occur from any minute. This feature is a big inconvenience for runners who are in very low temperatures and places that experience extreme winters.
Another feature of the Unigear Lightweight Running Gloves is its touchscreen-friendly paddings. This feature means that the gloves are compatible with touchscreen technologies however it does not perform very well. It can touch but delays often happen that can be very irritable to the wearer.
3. SIMARI Winter Gloves
Key Features
- No-Slip & Humanized Design
- 95% Polyester and 5% Spandex
- Touchscreen design
Reasons to buy
- Very comfortable
- Great for winter runs
- Highly durable
Reasons to avoid
- Only waterproof
- Bulky
- Not breathable
When it comes to giving warmth and heat to your hands, the SIMARI Winter Gloves are the best option for you. Made with 95% thick Polyester mixed with 5% Spandex material, the gloves are guaranteed to give you heat for your hands and sustain it for hours. This feature is perfect for runners who live in areas with cold temperatures and places that experience extreme winters.
The materials used for these gloves offer a tight and comfortable design that keeps your hands from experiencing frost bytes and finger stiffness that you can get from spending too much time in cold places. This combination of Polyester and Spandex gives the gloves a very durable build that can resist scratches and damages from pointy objects.
However, since it is built to offer maximum heat and warmth for your hands, the gloves are expected to have a very bulky design. This bulkiness allows the heat to be trapped inside the gloves. Furthermore, this bulkiness also gives the gloves a non-breathable feature, meaning air cannot enter inside the gloves. This feature makes the gloves inefficient in places that experience changing weather conditions.
The SIMARI winter gloves are also water-resistant. This feature means that it can only withstand low levels of water like spills, rains and snow. It cannot stay efficient in underwater adventures like diving and snorkeling.
Another feature of the SIMARI winter gloves is their No-slip and humanized design, which means that the gloves are made to fit perfectly for any kind of hand. The gloves stick to your hands as if it is another layer of your skin. The fingertips of the gloves have touchscreen paddings to remain efficient even when using your phone or any other touch screen technology that you need to track your runs, like smartwatches and physical fitness trackers.
4. Under Armour Men’s Armour Liner 2.0 Gloves
Key Features
- Thin and fitted liner Polyester
- Ribbed Wrist cuffs
- UA Storm Finish
Reasons to buy
- Comfortable
- Lightweight and Breathable
- Not Bulky
Reasons to avoid
- Rips off easily
- Weak stitches
- Low durability
The best thing about the Under Armour Men’s Armour Liner 2.0 Gloves is their lightweight and breathable design. Made completely with a thin layer of Polyester, the gloves can accompany you in mundane situations.
Its breathable design allows you to worry less about sweating too much since it allows air to freely enter the gloves through very small holes. This feature can also prevent odor-causing sweats and fungal infections, which can be very inconvenient for you and for runners who have sensitive skin.
The overall design of the gloves has been deemed to be stylish. It is not bulky and fits perfectly in your hand as long as you get the size that is for you. Its thin and fitted liner Polyester material gives a very stylish design without compromising its comfortability. However, when it comes to durability, the Under Armour Men’s Armour Liner 2.0 Gloves is not the perfect candidate.
It has weak stitches that can easily let go and cause ripping and holes. This is a major inconvenience especially to runners who engage in extreme physical sports and activities. If not used properly, the seams of the gloves can wear off and the touch screen padding can fall off.
Another feature of the Under Armour Men’s Armour Liner 2.0 Gloves is its Ribbed wrist cuffs to ensure the tightness of the gloves and avoid falling off from your hands. This is perfect for activities like running practices, walking your pets or even indoor exercises.
The gloves are made with a UA Storm finish that can resist water spillages and melting snow. However, it can only resist liquids for a short time. Extended exposure to water can cause discomfort to you and can trap the liquid inside the gloves which can cause bad odors.
5. OutdoorEssentials Touch Screen Running Gloves
Key Features
- Made from Spandex, Silicone and Polyester
- Pull On Closure
Reasons to buy
- Comfortable
- Stretchable
- Perfect Fit
- No Lumps and bumps
Reasons to avoid
- Delayed touch-screen effect
- Cannot protect hands from small debris
Compared to other running gloves, the OutdoorEssentials is one of the few gloves to be made from stretchable materials. Made from the combination of three well-known glove materials, this product is part Spandex, Silicone and Polyester.
This means that the gloves are a tight and lightweight product that can fit any hand size. This feature is considered to avoid bulky designs that cause lumps and bumps to the gloves when worn by too large or thin hands. This is the reason why the OutdoorEssentials Running gloves are the perfect fit for any hand size.
Its Spandex, Silicon and Polyester based materials are also the reason why these gloves give a comfortable feeling to the runner. The gloves have tiny holes that allow for stretchability. These holes can let in some air circulate that prevent odor-causing sweat. However, this feature has a downside.
Since it has tiny holes for expansion, heat can get out of the gloves making the OutdoorEssentials Running Gloves inefficient for cold climates and places with extreme winter conditions.
The holes can also allow small debris to hurt your hands. The gloves are also not recommended for people who live in cold areas. The wrist area of the gloves is made with a pull-on closure so that the gloves are secured on your hands and gives a secure grip when holding objects.
Although made with a touchscreen padding on each fingertip, the OutdoorEssentials Running Gloves do not deliver an effective touch to touchscreen devices. You need to press hard on the screen to navigate your phone while wearing the gloves.
6. Trailheads Running Gloves
Key Features
- Silicone Palm Grips
- Lightweight
- Wind resistant
Reasons to buy
- Offers wind resistance
- Great cold protection
Reasons to avoid
- Low durability
- Bad touchscreen compatibility
For runners who live in cold places and experience extreme winter conditions, the Trailheads Running Gloves is great pair to consider. Made especially for low-temperature climates, the gloves are made of thick silicone material that restricts the entrance of air. This feature also gives the gloves a wind-resistance feature.
Since it is not breathable, the Trailheads should not be worn in places in warm temperatures or tropical climates as it will amplify odor-causing sweat in your hands.
The fingertips of the Trailheads Running Gloves have palm grips that are made of silicone to ensure that you can have a tight grip on objects while holding them. This is also the feature that allows the gloves to be compatible on touch screens. However, some say that the touchscreen compatibility of the gloves is not that efficient since you need to press hard to navigate your phone while wearing the gloves.
The Trailheads inner lining is made from soft fabrics to ensure maximum comfort. With its smooth inside fabrics, the gloves prevent you from getting blisters. However, inner stitchings can lose very quickly if used improperly and washed using a washing machine. Its low durability can make holes and rips in the gloves if not taken care of properly.
Overall, the gloves have their ups and downs but with proper usage and caring, they can last longer and become an efficient product for your running needs.
7. Adidas Sevorn Running Gloves
Key Features
- Polyester and Spandex materials
- E-Tip touchscreen compatibility
- Climawarm Fabric
- Reflectorized Logo
Reasons to buy
- Great heat-trapping feature
- No-slip grip
- Very durable
Reasons to avoid
- Comes in one color only
For professional runners looking for the perfect running gloves, the Adidas Sevorn is what you are looking for. The many benefits of these gloves start with their materials. The palm area is made from silicone and spandex materials to ensure that the gloves can grip tightly to any surface that you hold. Its silicone and spandex materials also give extra protection to the palm area that prevents you from getting bruises or cuts.
The top part of the gloves is made from Climawarm fabric that lets in some air inside the gloves to prevent bad odors and fungal infections. Great for sensitive skins, these gloves also have a heat-trapping feature to ensure maximum warmth during cold seasons and for runners who experience extreme winter conditions.
Its stitches are very well crafted and do not lose easily. Since it has silicone, spandex and Climawarm fabric features, the gloves are not susceptible to scratches and holes. Its fingertips are also padded with touchscreen paddings so that you can use the gloves while using your phone. It has a reflectorized Adidas logo to signal cars during the night or early morning runs.
On the downside, it comes in only one color – gray.
8. Adidas Shield 3.0
Key Features
- 66% Polyester, 21% Nylon, 8% Spandex, 4% Mono Filament, 1% PU
- E-Tip Touchscreen
- CLD. READY Fabric
- Double layered cuff
Reasons to buy
- Provides sufficient comfort
- Highly breathable
- No-SLip Grip
Reasons to avoid
- Bulky
- One color only
Compared with the Adidas Sevorn Running Gloves, the Shield 3.0 gives maximum comfort. The backside part of the glove is made from CLD-ready fabric that can trap heat inside the glove and at the same time allow air to enter. This feature can also be found in the Sevorn, however, the Shield 3.0 is more breathable.
The palm side of the gloves is made from 66% Polyester, 21% Nylon, 8% Spandex, 4% MonoFilament and 1% PU. This gives a stretchable feature to the gloves that can accompany more sizes of hands. The nylon, PU and MonoFilament materials give the gloves the no-slip grip feature that allows you to hold on to rough surfaces tightly and securely.
However, these features give the gloves a bulky style and design which can be inconvenient for some runners. The tips of the gloves are covered with E-TIp paddings to make it touchscreen friendly. The wrists of the gloves come with a double-layered cuff to ensure the tightness and security of the gloves to the hands.
Just like the Sevorn, the Shield 3.0 only comes in one color and one design.
How to Choose the Best Running Gloves Suitable For You
With a lot of unique features in each product, it is hard to tell which gloves you should buy to enhance your running experience. In choosing the best running gloves, you must consider these five features of the gloves. Make sure that you check each one of them carefully before buying your gloves.
Comfort
The running gloves should offer maximum comfort to your hands. Make sure that your whole hand is comfortable while wearing the gloves. The gloves should not be too bulky, too loose or too tight.
The wrist area should be protected and secured with a pull-on cuff so that they won’t fall off. Make sure that the fingertips are fit in their designated places to make sure that you can maximize movement with your fingers.
Breathability
Hygiene should also be at the forefront while finding the best running gloves. Too hot gloves can produce too much sweat that can give your hands bad odors. And sometimes these bad odors house bacteria and fungi that can irritate your skin.
Too breathable gloves can sacrifice the warmth of your gloves and might not be useful in cold weather. Make sure that the gloves generate an equal amount of breathability to ensure your hygiene.
Temperature Resistance
Make sure that you know your environment before buying your gloves. If you live in a tropical and hot climate, you should prefer breathable gloves that offer wind benefits. If you live in cold and winter climates, you should highly consider buying less breathable gloves and more heat-trapping gloves.
If you live in a climate that has both warm and cold weather, make sure to balance out the heat-trapping feature of the glove and its breathability. Avoid buying gloves that are not suitable for your environment.
Materials/Fabric
Polyester, Spandex and Silicone are the most popular running glove materials and fabrics. They can be elastic and stretchable to fit various kinds of hand sizes and shapes. Make sure that when considering the fabric and materials of your gloves, check if you have allergies or negative skin reactions with these materials to prevent future health problems.
Touch Screen Compatibility
With most of the devices nowadays being touch screens, your accessories should also be touchscreen-friendly. From phones to watches, everything now is touch screen so choosing non-touch screen-friendly gloves will give you a hard time in communication and phone usage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Running gloves can give a variety of benefits to you as a runner. It not only gives warmth but also gives your hands protection from debris like rocks and twigs. Running gloves can also prevent your hands from developing fungal and bacteria-causing infections.
Make sure that the gloves you want to use are the gloves that you need for your hands. Do not buy uncomfortable gloves or too hot gloves for they do not offer you maximum comfortability. Also, make sure that the gloves you are using are compatible with the environment you are in. If you live in a hot climate environment, use gloves that have breathable fabrics and materials. If you live in a cold climate environment, make sure to use heat-trapping gloves to protect your hands from frostbites and stiffness.
The best running gloves offer maximum comfort and at the same time protect your hands from any kind of infection and bruises. The fingertips of the gloves should also be covered with E-tips or touchscreen-friendly paddings so that you do not need to remove your gloves while texting or using your touchscreen devices.
Most running gloves are made from silicone and Polyester materials meaning they are already water-resistant. If other features that contradict this fact are present in the gloves like, holes in the gloves or cloth-based materials are used, you should check if the gloves are water-resistant. Only buy water-resistant running gloves especially if you live in a place with extreme winter conditions.
Both have their pros and cons. For one, Polyester is much more breathable than Silicone. On the other hand, Silicone is much tighter when it comes to grip compared to Polyester. Choose according to your taste and needs. Consider where you want to use the gloves and what environment you are in. Some gloves both have Silicone and Polyester materials in their fabrics so choosing between these two is not that much of a deal.
Marko Rakic is a trail runner and fitness enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. He is the lead writer for The Ultimate Primate and believes the best way to live a happy life is through constantly challenging yourself.