Author: Tanya Shaiko (6 years of Oly Lifting & Training experience)
Reviewed by: Oleksiy Torokhtiy (Olympian with 21 years of Oly Lifting experience)
No matter whether you’re a recreational gym-goer, pro lifter, or fitness athletes, you need to protect your hands during high-intensity workouts and weight-training sessions. Especially, it matters to women who want to keep their hands well-groomed and manicured even when doing sports. Workout gloves are essential gear to bring extra hand support and protection and enable athletes to perform efficiently and longer without wrist strains and blisters.
So, if you’re searching for durable and functional sports gloves, we present you with the list of the best workout gloves for women that includes gear of various designs and specs. Choose the most fitting pair of workout gloves to show your potential while doing strength or functional training drills.
In a hurry?
In a hurry?
In a hurry and can’t keep reading? How about you check out the
Mechanix Original® Women’s Gloves
Mechanix Original® Women’s Gloves - best workout gloves for women will become handy during any type of workout.
Top 8 Best Workout Gloves for Women Reviewed
- MECHANIX ORIGINAL WOMEN'S GLOVES - Top Pick
- Contraband Pink Label Women's Gloves - Runner-Up
- Mava Sports Cross Training Gloves - Best with Wrist Support
- PICSIL RX Carbon Hand Grips - Best Grips
- Bear Grips Full Finger Workout Gloves - Best Full Finger
- Harbinger Pro Wrist Wrap Gloves
- RIMSports Workout Gloves
- Fit Active Sports New Ventilated Weight Lifting Workout Gloves
1. MECHANIX ORIGINAL WOMEN'S GLOVES — Top Pick
- Type: any kind of workout, weight training
- Sizing: S-L, finger length: S 3 ⅞ - 4 ⅛, L 4 ⅜ - 4 ½; palm width: S 2 ⅛ - 2 ½, L 3 - 3 ⅜
- Material: TrekDry® material, synthetic leather palms
- Color palette: black, pink camo
- Closure type: thermoplastic rubber hook-and-loop wrist closure
Mechanix Original® Women’s Gloves are our top pick choice of high-quality workout gloves from a leading company that has specialized in manufacturing protective handwear for more than 30 years. These best workout gloves for women will become handy during any type of workout by improving the athlete’s performance and gripping without limiting hand and finger movements while working with bars, kettlebells, or climbing the rope. Also, you get a reinforced thumb and forefinger for better grip and glove durability.
They come with a seamless form-fitting design that prevents chafing and irritation between the fingers. These gloves have synthetic leather palms and generally are made from TrekDry® material that provides constant breathability to your hands, yet stays cool. Speaking about the closure type, here we have a thermoplastic rubber wrist closure with an industrial-strength hook and loop adjustment that guarantees a secure and comfortable fit. So, you can be sure that gloves won’t slide down when you train with weights.
Photo by @you1dsn
These gloves will improve your work with bars, medicine balls, barbells, and other weighty gear. Besides sports, they can be worn for repairing, gardening, or any home improvement work providing maximum dexterity.
The manufacturer recommends choosing a small size for a tighter fit if you’re between sizes.
Positives:
Seamless form-fitting design
Touchscreen option thanks to synthetic leather elements
Velcro-wrist fastener keeps gloves fit in the hands
Could be better:
Your hands may feel sweaty because of the rubbed material on the inside of hands
Too long thumbs and bulky fingers
No stretch
2. Contraband Pink Label Women's Gloves — Runner-Up
- Type: weight lifting, rowing, working with weight machines
- Sizing: XS-L (hand circumference 5-6” - 8-9”)
- Material: amara leather/ silicone palm, mesh polyester
- Color palette: black with gray, pink, purple inserts
- Closure type: hook-and-loop velcro closure
This gear is our best weight lifting gloves for women from Contraband Sports differ from the prior model by their superb grip features. That means you'll get grip-lock small padding with the silicone rubber bead pattern throughout the palm combined with medium-sized padding to vouch for excellent enhanced grip and protection. So, you won't slide all over the floor when performing burpees, push-ups, and wall walks.
Even if you feel some slipping on the palm area and can't hold weighty items securely, just clean it with dish liquid and water to remove dirt and oils. So, your grip will be renewed easily.
For those women who have long nails, now it's not an issue to take off the gloves quickly. Equipped with finger tabs in the middle and ring fingers that enable putting the gloves off in a moment.
Photo by @this_girl_never_gives_up
Thanks to the fingerless design, lightweight breathable lycra, and its absorbing features, your hands will stay cool and dry during intense training sessions. With light to medium padding, you'll be able to grip a bar or dumbbell well without slipping.
Concerning sizing, the manufacturer says that if you're in between sizes, it's better to choose a size down for a tight fit, and size up if you prefer looser gloves.
Positives:
1-year warranty and money-back guarantee
Wide Velcro closure for secure wrist stabilization
Small pull tabs are helpful when your hands are sweaty after the workout
Could be better:
Don’t tighten the wrist area because the Velcro closure is situated on the arm
Poor finger stitching
3. Mava Sports Cross Training Gloves - Best with Wrist Support
- Type: weight training, HIIT, fitness
- Sizing: XS-XL (palm circumference: 6.0-6.9" - 9.4-10.2")
- Material: 70% neoprene, 2% silicone, 24% leather
- Color palette: black with colorful edge strips
- Closure type: hook-loop closure
Mava Sports training gloves for women are distinguished from alternative models by their open-hand half-finger design, and 18" wrist wrap that you can adjust for better protection from injuries. They're highly breathable due to the construction, and also provide good grip thanks to leather and silicone padding. You won't suffer from calluses and blisters thanks to the good cushioning of the palm protector and grip strengthener.
A built-in wrist wrap is a great option to prevent wrist strain while performing strength training, WODs, bar exercises, or push-ups. These gloves are durable enough: they are double-stitched with reinforced seams.
Photo by @_sandy_land_
This is a unisex model that will fit well for men's and women's hands. Both beginners and experienced gym attendees benefit from training with these open-design gloves.
Positives:
30-day money-back guarantee, free exchange, and full refund
Perfect for heavy lifts due to superb wrist support
Have half-open hand design that vouches for breathability and hand stabilization
Could be better:
Rubber grip can make your palms sweat much
There's no support around the thumb
4. PICSIL RX Carbon Hand Grips - Best Grips
- Type: weight lifting, powerlifting, calisthenics, gymnastics
- Sizing: S-XL (3-3.5" - 4.5")
- Material: synthetic carbon fibers
- Color palette: black/red, black/orange
- Closure type: velcro strap
PICSIL is a highly sustainable brand that started its history by creating hand grips and now you can find diverse sports equipment, i.e. lifting belts, wrist wraps, grip pads, straps, and speed ropes. All the products are made from recycled fibers and degradable materials.
When picking up gym gloves, we wanted to show you these RX Carbon hand grips that visually differ greatly from our best women's workout gloves on the list. This innovative gear is crafted from synthetic carbon fibers that guarantee a light weight of 90g only with 1.8 mm thickness and great protection for the whole hand. The grips provide an athlete with high control over the bar or other weight training equipment.
With superb wrist support due to a strong velcro strap, 3 holes for fingers, and durable yet light and thin material, these grips can withstand any intense workout. They won't lose their properties with regular flexing or molding.
They'll serve you as armor that protects you from scars, calluses, abrasion, and friction. With a bit of chalk, this handwear helps to grip the pull-up bar, barbell, or kettlebells much better without ripping hands apart.
Photo by @fanis_gogoulos
With superb wrist support due to a strong velcro strap, 3 holes for fingers, and durable yet light and thin material, these grips can withstand any intense workout. They won't lose their properties with regular flexing or molding.
They'll serve you as armor that protects you from scars, calluses, abrasion, and friction. With a bit of chalk, this handwear helps to grip the pull-up bar, barbell, or kettlebells much better without ripping hands apart.
Positives:
Adapt well to the curves of the hand
Made from lightweight carbon fiber
Can be washed with other sports clothes in the washing machine
Could be better:
Can irritate the skin in the wrist area because of the firm strap
5. Bear Grips Full Finger Workout Gloves - Best Full Finger
- Type: weight training, fitness, cross-training workouts
- Sizing: XS-XXL (6.5-7.2" - 10.0-11.0" palm circumference)
- Material: faux leather
- Color palette: black/gray
- Closure type: hook
Bear grips women’s lifting gloves are incredibly versatile and fit diverse use cases: you can wear them for your everyday cross-training sessions, HIIT, working with weights, and also for any house maintenance processes.
They come with touchscreen tips that enable you to use your device without putting them off. Breathable holes on the fingers will keep your hands ventilated, so you won't feel overheated in the palm area. Gel-padded palms protect your hands from excessive pressure during tough workouts. Additionally, these grips are equipped with a pull tab to put them on and off easily.
Photo by @philhibbard
They're intended to be form-fitted without being bulky, and you'll feel a more natural grip while wearing them. Speaking about the construction, the grips have a two-toned design: on the backside, there's a soft, stretchy, and form-fitting material that vouches for a snug fit. On the palm side, your hands are protected by leather and extra gripping gel inserts to keep your grip securely in place.
Additionally, with the triple stitching and 4-way flexibility threads, they're highly durable and can serve you for a long time.
Positives:
Availability of the touchscreen tips
Excellent padding and grip features that make them work well for HIIT
Not bulky in fingers
Could be better:
Need to readjust them because there's no wrist strap for better support
Not for extra weights workouts because the seams can go apart on the thumb
- Type: WODs, lifting weights, powerlifting, weightlifting
- Sizing: XS-XXL (6-6.5" - 9.5"+)
- Material: leather, poly/cotton
- Color palette: black
- Closure type: hook and loop
Starting from its foundation, Harbinger gloves became very popular among weight lifters and strength trainers thanks to their reinforced innovative wrist stabilizing technology.
That’s why we chose them as one of the best women’s weightlifting gloves with integrated wrist wraps to stabilize wrist joints for support when lifting weights. They're fully adjustable, so you can change the fixation rate depending on what exercise you plan to perform.
Photo by @bonjournorah
Neither full-finger, nor fingerless, these gloves come with a ½ finger length for a more secure grip of the bar, still protecting hands from scars, abrasion, chafing, and other injuries. The thumb has a two-layered inside leather cover to protect it from strain during heavy pulling exercises.
Vent holes on the palm for better ventilation and heat release during intensive WODs. Layered padding with open-cell foam adds more protection and durability.
Positives:
Thumb support and wrap provide enough stability to lift more weight
Can withstand even Olympic weights, i.e., wide grip overhead
Truly sized, snugly fitted
Could be better:
Leather on the palms becomes slick over time
Need to loosen up when performing push-ups to increase wrist mobility
- Type: fitness, weight training, general workouts
- Sizing: XS-XL (2.0" - 3.5"+ palm circumference)
- Material: lycra, spandex, leather
- Color palette: black
- Closure type: hook and loop
Equipped with the diagonal velcro strap, these women’s training gloves can be worn together with your smartwatch. Leather cushioning on the palm and thumb prevents blisters and calluses occurrence after regular intensive training.
RIMSports gloves are lightweight and absorb sweat well, so you won't feel overheated during prolonged sets and your hands will stay dry. Additionally, anti-slip grip cover vouches for secure gripping when working with weight machines, free weights, ropes, medballs, and other gear that you can drop occasionally during the workout.
Photo by @ricsportmode
RIMSports gloves are pretty durable: they can withstand any high-intensity workout for a long period and, what's more, they're machine washable. Due to their fingerless design, they can fit both men and women, beginners in WODs and experienced athletes.
Positives:
Low rise wristband enables you to wear your fitness watch
Diagonally oriented velcro makes them compatible with other gym gear
Low break-in period
Could be better:
Stiff leather pads on the fingers: it feels like the ends of finger holes cut on your fingers when doing deadlifts
The velcro strap may protrude and is quite long
- Type: gym workouts, weight training, cross-training
- Sizing: XXS-XL (5.5-6.0” - 9.5-10.5” palm circumference)
- Material: neoprene
- Color palette: black
- Closure type: hook and loop
Fit Active gloves are designed as full palm, finger, and thumb protection with built-in wrist velcro wrap, at the same time they are open-hand that vouches for a high level of ventilation. Rubber padding on the palms and silicone-printed neoprene bring extra grip and comfort when training with heavy barbells, kettlebells, or performing pull-ups, T2B, ring dips, etc.
Photo by @fitactivesports
These gym gloves for women are highly versatile: everyone can wear them to take up sports or continue improving their technique in lifting weights. The manufacturer states that they're good for practicing Olympic lifts, i.e. clean and jerks, snatch, etc because they provide athletes with superb wrist stabilization.
Positives:
Full palm and fingers protection
The only gloves with open hand design in the list
Excellent protection thanks to thick palm padding
Could be better:
Too much padding making difficult to make any exercises that involve gripping the weight
Poor support for wrists because of loose construction
Subscribe!
Get more reviews about training equipment, special offers and discounts from different stores.
What Are the Benefits of Using Workout Gloves for Women?
Provide Extra Support for Hands and Fingers
Generally, the majority of workout gloves come with extra palm cushioning and have a velcro wrist strap that hugs tightly your wrist, making it feel more stable. Some suppose it can prevent strains and injuries, others consider it as a rehab item if having some wrist issues, but still performing weight training.
Tips From the Champ
Olympic Weightlifting Champion
Improve Grip on Weights
Holding heavy weights can be challenging and it happens that the majority can drop a barbell, dumbbell, or weight plates occasionally because they get their hands sweaty. So, workout gloves are designed with the palm area being reinforced and constructed specifically to provide an athlete with a firm grip. Also, they're made from durable, lightweight, and breathable material to absorb sweat, keep hands dry, and prevent overheating while tough lifts.
Reduce Hand Pain and Injury
Sports gloves are a barrier between your hands and the lifting gym gear, by preventing the development of calluses and blisters over time. Despite the fact that blisters are a common issue among lifters, this is a natural way to build skin resistance to the friction with the weights.
Gloves can also help to prevent warts occurrence when you are working out with shared weights. It matters especially if you have a cut or scrape on your palm, so you can have some virus transmitted onto your hand, resulting in a thickened area of skin.
When Do You Need Workout Gloves for Women?
Many female gym attendees don't consider wearing gloves for their training sessions. But adding a pair of gloves can influence the efficiency of exercise performance, not only when lifting weights, but also by providing extra grip while doing functional exercises, i.e., pull-ups, burpees, rope climb, working with med ball, or using weight or rowing machines.
There's no exception who should wear gloves: they can be useful both for newbies in WODs, and experienced serious athletes, both men and women. Wearing gloves is about getting additional support and protection during intensive training.
What to Look For in the Best Workout Gloves for Women?
Wrist Support
As usual, gym gloves have wrist straps that help to adjust them tightly on your hand by avoiding odd movements and sliding during the workout. The integrated wristband should stabilize athlete's wrists to minimize sports injuries and strains, yet provide enough mobility to be able to perform exercises effectively.
Design and Coverage
You can find several types of gloves: full-finger, half-fingered, and fingerless gloves. The choice may depend on what type of training you intend to perform, what weights you prefer to work with, and generally your preferences. It's up to you to decide whether you want to cover the full hand, or leave three-quarters of your fingers to expose, or don't want your fingers to be limited with material and extra cushioning.
Material
Good workout gloves are designed from several types of fabric on their front and back sides. Leather palm guarantees gloves durability and better grip, although it requires proper maintenance. Neoprene gloves are thermal and water-resistant at the same time: they can keep hands dry by absorbing excess sweat and cool by preventing overheating. Silicone or rubber pads and inserts improve gripping and prevent slipping while in the workout.
What’s the Difference Between Workout Gloves for Men and Women?
Generally, there's no big difference in gloves for men and women, the vast majority are designed as unisex ones. No matter if they’re male or female workout gloves, this gear aims to improve athlete's performance and outcomes. Although, some manufacturers separate men's and women's gear by making female models smaller, lighter, and with more catchy designs and bright colors. You can see separate sizing charts for men and women and it's not surprising: women have smaller hands. Thus, this is the only great difference between them.
FAQ
Should Gym Gloves Be Tight or Loose?
Workout gloves should better be snugly fitted and not move around on your hands. If they're loose, it may result in blisters and calluses occurring because the material may chafe your skin. So, before buying a pair of gloves, it's better to try them on and see whether they fit your palm circumference, don't bunch up, and are tightly around fingers without excessive material. They should make movements easy and improve grip, but not to slide down during your WOD.
Are Workout Gloves Better Than Bare Hands?
Some like working out with gloves, the rest prefer lifting weights without them. They say that extra material between their hands and the bar just holds them back from improving their technique in performing power cleans and jerks, as well as from developing a stronger grip.
Meanwhile, the etching on barbells and dumbbells is known as knurling, and is made for getting a better grip. With gloves, you can lose your full power and simply you can't feel the bar itself well.
Many athletes state that they're able to adjust weights properly and feel the grip when their hands are in direct contact with the weight.
With bare hands, lifters succeed in making jerks more aggressively, at the same time, there are fewer chances of getting injured thanks to proper grip.
Why Are Workout Gloves Fingerless?
Fingerless gloves are designed to protect your palm and wrist, leaving your fingertips open to help you perform specific exercises with high precision. You get better finger dexterity and control, allowing you to use a full range of motion of your hands. This enables athletes to hold weights in the most comfortable position.
Conclusion
- Hand-grip strength of young men, women and highly trained female athletes // Pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17186303/
- 5 Ways to Protect Your Wrists While Weight Lifting // Verywellfit: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-protect-your-wrists-while-weight-lifting-5498651
Why Trust Us?
- Author
- Reviewer
Girl Power, Blog Contributor
Experience: 6 years
Best Results: Snatch - 61 kg,
C&J - 78 kg
I'm Tanya, and I love lifting weights. 6 years ago, I picked up Olympic weightlifting and fitness. Weightlifting is a unique sport because it's just you against the bar. There are no teammates to help you out; it's all on you.
I'm also passionate about helping other women achieve their fitness goals. That's why I started my blog and write some products reviews. I want to show other women that they can do anything they set their mind to!
If you have any questions/suggestions/any other inquiry, you can reach out to us via email - reviews@torokhtiy.com
Experience: 21 years
Best Results: Snatch – 200 kg,
C&J - 240 kg
My name is Oleksiy Torokhtiy. I am a professional athlete with 20 years of experience in Olympic weightlifting. I have won multiple European, and World titles and have taken part in two Olympic Games (Beijing 2008, London 2012).
After finishing my career, I have committed myself to coach, and as of 2022, I’ve hosted 200+ weightlifting seminars all over the globe. I’m the founder of an international sportswear and accessories brand, Warm Body Cold Mind (my motto), author, and creator of a series of training programs and eBooks.
If you have any questions/suggestions/any other inquiry, you can reach out to us via email - reviews@torokhtiy.com
This article was written by our qualified author and proofread by an expert with proven experience. When writing the article we've used our expertise and data from authoritative, scientific, and evidence-based sources. The list of references is provided at the end of the article.
Our team of authors and experts includes professional athletes (Olympians, winners of European and World titles), PhDs in Sports Science, certified coaches, sports nutritionists, CSCSs, physiotherapists, and others. Read more about the team here, and more about how we test here.