Skateboarding gloves, also known as sliding gloves, are an important piece of safety gear for skaters that are often overlooked.
Learn what they are for, when you need them, and the different types to choose from.
What Are Skateboarding Gloves For?
Skateboarding gloves were created to protect skaters’ fingers and palms.
Their durable fabric and plastic pucks for your palms and fingers keeps your hands from getting hurt so you can recover quickly.
They protect you during tough falls that are bound to happen when practicing new tricks and stunts.
They can also come in handy if you wish to perform different types of power slides while skating downhill.
When to Use Gloves
Skaters at all levels—beginner to pro—use skateboard gloves.
They benefit you any time you pick up your board, touch the ground to slow down, or skate on extremely chilly days.
Skateboard gloves also give you a competitive edge when performing high-skill tricks, as they make it easier to grip the board.
All beginner skaters should wear wrist pads, as these are the best for protecting the bones in your wrists when falling.
Gloves are great, but not quite as effective for preventing fractures—they’re better for protecting against road rash.
You can pair many skateboard gloves with wrist guards if you are a beginner and some skateboard gloves come with wrist guards built in.
Types of Skateboarding Gloves
Learn about the different kinds of skateboarding gloves to determine which is best for your style of skating.
A general rule of thumb while shopping is to try to strike a balance between durability and comfort.
Wrist Guard Gloves
Wrist guard gloves offer full protection of the bones in your wrists and skin on your hands and lower arms in the case of a fall.
Two types of wrist guards exist—hard shell and soft shell.
While soft shells are less bulky and a bit more comfortable, they offer less protection than hard shells.
Some of these types of gloves come with interchangeable wrist guards, allowing you to switch them out without having to buy a new pair of gloves.
When shopping for this type of glove, choose a pair that is comfortably snug and allows your fingers to move and easily grip your board.
Sliding Gloves
Sliding gloves are named after exactly what they are made for—allowing you to slide on your longboard.
They ensure both safety and enjoyment when you are working on this skill since the best method of learning how to slide is using your hands on the pavement to balance and control the slide.
This often leads to falling on them, which is painful when they get ripped up by the road.
Sliding gloves are the perfect protective barrier between your body and the street.
They are made out of leather or synthetic materials that cover your palms and fingers while maintaining your ability to grip the board. Their insertable pads are replaceable so you can get new ones if you wear yours out.
Most will also feature some sort of plastic sliding surface to decrease friction with the road.
Full Finger Glove
Full-finger gloves provide optimal protection as they cover the entire hands, including the full length of all ten fingers.
They’re great for protecting the skin on your hands and wrists.
You’ll likely see these out there more than you see half-finger gloves, but some people complain about their comfort.
Half Finger Glove
Half-finger gloves cover your palms and the base of your fingers, but not the rest.
They are much less common than full finger gloves.
Skaters who use these appreciate the increased freedom for their fingers. These kinds of gloves can be found in many different materials, from leather to fabric.
How to Size Your Gloves
Typically, size charts for skateboard gloves will be based on the width of the user’s hands.
In order to determine the width of your hand, measure the fullest part of your palm (not including your thumb).
Generally, you’ll see sizes ranging from a small (seven-inch hand width) to an extra-large (eleven-inch hand width). Check the sizing chart for the specific gloves you are checking out, as sizing varies by manufacturer.