15 Best Weight Lifting Gloves of 2023 – [Ratings & Reviews]

Weight lifting, cross-fit, and even pulling on a rowing machine oar all have two things in common: you need a firm grip, and you’re liable to get blisters. To keep your grip secure and protect your skin, it’s important to have a good pair of gloves. But with all the options available on the market, how do you find the best weight lifting gloves?

We’ve scoured hundreds of reviews to find the best gym gloves you can buy online. To make our choices, we looked at weight lifting gloves for men, best weight lifting gloves for women, unisex gloves, and a few “glove-like” accessories that provide their own benefits. Whether you intend to use dumbbells, kettlebells, a home gym or cable machine or even for pull-ups – gloves help lifters to take the pressure off their bare-hands.

In the end, we came up with fifteen different gloves that represent the best of what’s available. We’ve chosen these gloves based on durability, ease of use, comfort, and utility. So without any further ado, let’s check out the best lifting gloves that money can buy!

Best Weight Lifting Gloves

1. Cobra Grips PRO

The Cobra Grips PRO’s are purpose-built for powerlifting free weights.

Key Features

• Multi-layered leather deadlifting glove
• Reverse-hook design
• One size fits all
• Available in 24 colors

Cobra Grips PRO are one-size-fits-all powerlifting gloves, with reverse hooks that extend from the wrist strap and curl back towards your palm. When you wrap your fingers over the hook, it’s virtually impossible to drop a dumbbell or barbell, which makes it easy to lift heavier weights without losing your form.

As we mentioned, these gloves are one-size-fits-all, but they fit most people. If you have very large hands, though, the hook might be a bit short for your needs. That said, almost everyone should find the Cobra Grips PRO easy to wear.

The wrist strap is easily adjustable, so you can tighten or loosen it to get the perfect fit for your comfort. It’s still very reliable, though, with a sturdy velcro fastener that locks tight and doesn’t slip. The gloves are on the pricey side, but you get what you pay for.

Pros

• A great choice for powerlifting
• Adjustable and versatile
• Comfortable, ergonomic design

Cons

• A little pricey

These gloves ensure a firm, reliable grip, so you’re free to push your limits to the max.

2. Xhaus

Xhaus are stitched from Lycra, which is comfortable, lightweight, and flexible.

Key Features

• Ventilated Lycra fingerless glove
• Silicon gel-padded palm
• Available in 4 sizes

Xhaus are made from lycra, rather than leather or nylon. This is a very flexible material, so it will flex effortlessly when you open and close your hands.

These gloves have thick, padded palms, which are injected with a silicone gel that provides plenty of padding, eliminating pressure points and making your weightlifting as comfortable as possible. This is particularly helpful when you’re lifting very heavy weights, which can easily dig into the base of your fingers.

If that’s not enough, these Xhaus gloves also have a rubberized pad on the palm to improve your grip. If you’re working with slippery bars, this is a great way to ensure that your grip stays secure. The rubber isn’t as tough as a leather palm cushion, but considering the reasonable price it’s more than durable enough.

Pros

• Strong wrist support
• Powerful, firm grip
• Comfortable and well-padded
• Manufacturer’s money-back guarantee

Cons

• Sizes run to the small side

These gloves come with a manufacturer’s money-back guarantee. Don’t like them? Send them back.

3. Muscle Composition

As you might have suspected, Muscle Composition provides excellent wrist support.

Key Features

• Goat leather fingerless glove
• Flexible four-way fabric back
• Available in 7 sizes
• Available in black or black and white

Muscle Composition Gym Gloves with Wrist Support feature an extra-long wrist strap that wraps around not once but twice. This provides extreme levels of support, virtually impossible to twist or bend. There’s also a second strap located on the back of your hand, which can be adjusted tighter or looser for a truly custom fit.

These gloves are constructed from tough, rugged goat leather that can be dyed either black or white. This material is tougher than all but the highest-quality cowhide and can stand up to a ton of abuse. The backs are constructed from a four-way flexible fabric that will mold itself to virtually any hand. It’s also breathable, so you’ll get some ventilation and sweat relief.

Pros

• Well-ventilated backs
• Rugged goat leather construction
• Comfortable and well-padded

Cons

• Cheap stitching

These gloves are constructed from durable goat leather, tough enough to be your daily driver for years.

4. Atercel

Atercel offers excellent breathability, so your hands will remain dry through even the most intense workout.

Key Features:

• Lycra fingerless glove
• Silicone-injected, microfiber-backed palms
• Available in 6 sizes

Atercel are the second lycra glove on our list, and just like the last one, they’re very flexible. This isn’t just a great feature for workouts; it also makes sizing easier, since they’re stretchy enough to be a bit forgiving in this regard. They didn’t skimp on cushioning, though; they injected silicone into the palms and backed them with microfiber for even more padding and comfort.

The downside of these gloves is the wrist strap, which doesn’t provide as much support as you might like. That said, they’re very easy to put on and take off, so you won’t need to waste any time struggling with your gloves.

Pros

• Soft and well-padded
• Flexible and breathable
• Manufacturer’s money-back guarantee

Cons

• Poorly-reinforced wrists

These gloves are exceptionally soft and comfortable, a great choice if you prefer a soft touch.

5. Mava Workout 

Mava Sport have an open back, which allows for plenty of flex and stretch.

Key Features

• Leather fingerless open-backed glove
• Sweat-wicking neoprene lining
• Silicone-padded
• Available in 5 sizes
• Available in 7 colors

Mava Sport Cross Training Gloves are designed to provide as much flexibility as possible, while still protecting your palms with a thick, leather cushion. Their palms are injected with a silicone gel, which helps keep your hands cool and comfortable.

If you’re looking for gloves for kettlebells, CrossFit, or other exercises that require a lot of flexibility, these gloves are hard to beat. They feel less like gloves than simple grips with strong wrist supports. The open backs allow for plenty of ventilation, another cooling feature that cuts down on sweat.

These gloves have a rigid fit at first, and some users find them uncomfortable. That said, they get more flexible with use and are extremely comfortable after a short breaking-in period. The wrist-straps stay tough and rigid, though, because they’re extra thick. This means you’ll get exceptional support, even when the rest of the glove is nice and supple.

Pros

• Comfortable and lightweight
• Durable construction
• Breathable and flexible
• Plenty of wrist support

Cons

• A little pricey

These gloves are a little pricey, but they’re well worth it if you’re into CrossFit or kettlebells.

6. JerkFit WODies

JerkFit WODies are narrow palm cushions that slip over your three middle fingers and secure to your wrist with a sturdy leather strap.

Key Features:

• Fingerless with wrist strap
• Synthetic leather construction
• Available in 4 sizes
• Available in 8 colors

The JerkFit WODies are a unique offering for weightlifters who want to maintain full freedom of movement. Rather than a fingerless design, JerkFit got rid of fingers altogether and created a slim palm pad that only slips over your three middle fingers, and doesn’t go any higher than the webs of your fingers.

These gloves are perfect for CrossFit, kettlebells, or even for bodyweight exercises like chin-ups and gymnastics. They’ll keep your palms safe from blisters, without the need for heavy padding or restrictive fingers. The wrist band measures 2 inches in width, providing stiff support to keep your form straight.

The palm itself is constructed from a non-slip synthetic fiber, rather than leather. This allows for plenty of grip but doesn’t provide as much padding as a thicker glove.

Pros

• Tough, durable construction
• Allows for full freedom of movement
• Great for any kind of workout

Cons

• A little pricey

These gloves allow for plenty of flexibility and protection, without restricting your fingers.

7. GumPaws

GymPaws Gym Grips are unorthodox palm pads that slip over your fingers for a secure fit.

Key Features:

• Padded leather pad
• Leather finger loops
• One size fits all
• Available in 18 colors

GymPaws Gym Grips aren’t technically gloves at all. They’re circular leather pads that cushion the top halves of your palms and the lower halves of your fingers. On the plus side, this provides protection where you need it most, without the bulk of a full glove. On the downside, Gym Grips don’t protect the heel of your palm or your thumb, so depending on your workout routine they may or may not be of any use.

Gym Grips secure to your hand with a set of four leather finger loops, which will be an adequate fit for most individuals. This is fortunate since they have a one-size-fits-all design. It also makes them very easy to put on and take off, because you don’t need to worry about long fingers or a fully-enclosed palm getting stuck to your hand.

Pros:

• Allows plenty of ventilation
• Easy to put on and take off
• Durable, versatile construction

Cons:

• Doesn’t protect your entire palm

If you’re a fan of minimalist solutions to everyday problems, you’ll appreciate these gloves.

8. Nordic Lifting

The Nordic Lifting gloves are built for versatility, so if you need gloves for CrossFit two days a week and weightlifting three days a week, they’re an ideal choice.

Key Features

• Leather half-finger glove
• Breathable mesh back
• Available in 5 sizes

Nordic Lifting are designed to provide a balance of cushion and flexibility, which has its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, they’re suitable for just about any workout imaginable. On the other hand, they’re not the best choice for anyone workout.

Essentially, they’re a great option if you want to wear the same gloves for multiple workouts, or if you’re a beginner and want to figure out what you like and don’t like.

These gloves are very reasonably priced, especially considering how thick the leather is. While the palms are exceptionally well-padded, the backs are constructed from a lightweight mesh fabric, which is very flexible and breathable. The only thing we didn’t like was the stitching, which isn’t very tough and can tear easily under repeated stresses.

Pros

• Durable palms with thick cushioning
• Comfortable fit
• Flexible, breathable back
• Excellent wrist support

Cons

• Low-quality stitching

These gloves are a great choice for beginners who want the most versatile gloves possible.

9. Harbinger Power

The Harbinger Power’s are made of mesh fabric, allowing for plenty of flex and breathability.

Key Features

• Mesh fingerless glove
• Cushioned palm and fingers
• Reinforced leather
• Available in 5 sizes
• Available in black or green

Harbinger Power Non-Wristwrap Weightlifting Gloves are a unique entry on our list. While they look like a vanilla workout glove from the outside, they’re designed to protect the heel of your hand and the base of your thumb. This isn’t to say that they don’t protect the rest of your hand. They do. But the main attraction is for protection on chin-ups and curls, which can rub your thumb raw over time.

Other than the palm, the rest of the glove is constructed from mesh fabric. This is exceptionally flexible, and also breathes well, which helps your hands stay relatively cool throughout your workout. The grip is also very secure, with a rubbery finish that’s virtually slip-proof. As an added bonus, these gloves can be machine tumble-dried, which means you won’t need to go without them for a day while they hang dry.

Pros

• Stretchy and flexible
• Extra padding on the thumb
• Non-slip grip

Cons

• Dye can seep out and stain your palms

These gloves are great for curls and chin-ups, where your thumbs can require extra protection.

10. Steel Sweat

Steel Sweat have a unique microfleece lining that wicks sweat away from your palms.

Key Features

• Flexible neoprene fingerless glove
• Sweat-wicking microfleece palm lining
• Double-stitched seams
• Available in 6 sizes
• Available in 3 colors

Steel Sweat has an innovative design that includes Steel Sweat’s patented microfleece fabric liner. This material is very flexible and soft and is designed to channel sweat away from your palms to the outside of the gloves. Under most circumstances, it works very well, but if you sweat to the point that they’re totally saturated, the liner gets sticky and makes them hard to remove.

Because of the materials used, these gloves can be safely machine washed and dried, for easy cleaning. They also have double-stitched seams, which resist tearing and will last longer than virtually any gloves on the market. And the velcro wrist closure is very secure, so your gloves won’t slip when you’re doing heavy lifting.

Pros

• Comfortable, padded palms
• Plenty of grip
• Flexible, breathable material

Cons

• Can stick to your hands when you sweat

If you want the driest pair of gloves on the market, this pair is a fantastic choice.

11. Fit Active Sports

Fit Active Sports have an open back, which makes them both breathable and flexible.

Key Features

• Neoprene fingerless open-back glove
• Open back is dry and flexible
• Silicon-printed neoprene palms
• Available in 6 colors

Fit Active Sports Ventilated are designed to offer as much protection as possible while cutting bulk down to a bare minimum. They cover all of your palm and thumb, as well as the bottoms of your four other fingers. The open-backed design allows for plenty of airflow, as well as giving your sweat a place to escape.

The shell of the glove is stitched from flexible, durable neoprene, which is tough enough to get the job done without being so stiff as to become unusable. The palms themselves are coated with additional silicon-printed neoprene, which gives them a strong grip on virtually any surface.

Whether you’re lifting a barbell or working with kettlebells, you’ll have plenty of stickiness in your palms. If that’s not enough, these palms are also water-resistant, so they won’t absorb any sweat that the last person left on your gym equipment.

Pros

• Supportive wrist straps
• Tough, durable palms
• Open back is very flexible and keeps your hands dry

Cons

• Velcro strap is not very strong.

If you’re looking for a flexible glove that still offers plenty of protection, these should be at the top of your wish list.

12. NICEWIN

The NICEWIN’s are built with reinforced knuckles, to protect the backs of your hands from injury.

Key Features:

• Lycra fingerless glove
• Leather-reinforced knuckles
• Thick, layered palm pads
• Available in 4 sizes
• Available in 3 colors

NICEWIN Unisex Padded are engineered to protect not only your palms but the backs of your hands and your knuckles. They still feature a half-finger design, but your first knuckles will be well protected. The fingers also have loops on the backs, making them easy to remove in a hurry.

These gloves offer excellent support for your wrists. The bands are wide and durable, and tough enough to support the base of your hand during curls, chin-ups, triceps extensions, and other workouts that require a stiff grip. Unfortunately, the stitching is cheaply sewn, and comes apart easily under significant stress.

That said, the palms are very well-engineered, with a three-layer design that’s exceptionally comfortable. The inner fabric layer is soft and comfortable, the middle leather layer provides strength, and the outer layer of silicone provides a rubbery, secure grip.

Pros

• Strong, supportive wrists
• Non-slip palm pads
• Tough, reinforced knuckles

Cons

• Cheap stitching

These gloves are available in three attractive colors: black, red, and blue.

13. Cobra FIT

The Cobra FIT has a reverse-hook design that’s made for powerful gripping on dumbbells and barbells.

Key Features

• Multi-layered leather deadlifting glove
• Reverse-hook design
• One size fits all

Cobra FIT are the second pair of gloves on our list that have a reverse hook, which makes them ideal for lifting very heavy weights. The hook adds some thickness to the design, which might be a challenge for people with smaller hands. That said, this won’t be a problem for the majority of people.

The design leaves your fingers completely exposed, so you get plenty of airflow and flexibility, and can easily use your fingers for other tasks. The gloves are easy to put on and take off. Simply release the wrist strap and pull on the hook. Other than that, there’s no effort involved.

Pros

• Strong, supportive wrist
• Provides a secure grip for deadlifting
• Keeps your fingers free to move
• Easy to put on and take off

Cons

• A little pricey

These gloves are one size fits all, so you can click the “Buy” button without needing to consult a size chart.

14. VBG VBIGER

The VBG VBIGER‘s are thick, tough, and durable.

Key Features

• Lycra fingerless glove
• Non-slip silicone palms
• Available in 2 sizes

VBG VBIGER Workout Gloves are constructed with a long strap that wraps all the way around the back of your hand to fasten at the base of your pinky. This provides plenty of support, both to your wrist itself and to the back of your hand. The only significant downside is the fact that there are no loops for easy removal, so if you’ve got sticky gloves you’ll have to roll them off from the cuff.

These gloves are constructed from lycra, which means they’re not just breathable, but also flexible. In addition, the palms are coated with a non-slip silicone material, which prevents your barbells or dumbbells from slipping in your grip. This keeps you both safe and comfortable.

Pros

• Strong wrist and back reinforcement
• Non-slip grip
• Flexible, breathable construction

Cons

• No finger loops for removal

These gloves offer a secure grip at a lower cost than many pricier options.

15. Trideer

The Trideer’s are constructed from soft, comfortable microfiber.

Key Features

• Microfiber fingerless glove
• Silica gel-padded
• Available in 3 sizes
• Available in 3 colors

Trideer Workout Gloves are unisex gym gloves that are designed to provide as much cushion as possible. They’re stitched from microfiber rather than neoprene or leather, which makes them exceedingly comfortable and flexible. The palms are injected with silica-gel padding, which serves two purposes; it provides extra cushion and helps your hands to stay cool.

As with most of the gloves on our list, these feature wide, sturdy wrist straps that provide a lot of support, essential whenever you’re doing heavy lifting. The only complaint we’ve run into is that the outer padding tends to flake over time, but they’ll still last a good long while before this becomes a significant problem.

The pull tabs on the fingers make these gloves easy to remove, even when your hands are sticky with sweat from an intense session.

Pros

• An ideal choice for heavy lifting
• Comfortable and well-padded
• Durable, versatile construction

Cons

• Padding is prone to flaking and peeling

These gloves are a great choice for activities like heavy bench presses, which require plenty of padding.

Bottom Line

So, which are the best gym gloves?

It entirely depends on your needs, but the most important consideration is the size. Pay close attention to the manufacturer’s size chart and measurement instructions. Not everyone’s sizes are the same so just because you wear a medium in one brand doesn’t mean you’ll be a medium in another brand. Getting the size right the first time can save you the trouble of making an exchange.

Another important consideration is what exactly you’re trying to do. For example, hook-style grips are a fantastic choice if you’re lifting a lot of free weights, but they’re not going to be a good choice if you’re doing cross-fit or working with kettlebells.

Conversely, a light pair of fingerless gloves will keep your palms from blistering, but won’t necessarily improve your grip as much. Look for a pair of gloves that work well for your workout routine, and you’ll do just fine.

For more fitness product reviews & needs, visit our homepage – fitnessequipment.reviews.