8 Best Workout Gloves for Women in 2024

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.

Top 8 Best Workout Gloves for Women Reviewed

1. MECHANIX ORIGINAL WOMEN’S GLOVES – Top Pick
2. Contraband Pink Label Women’s Gloves – Runner-Up
3. Mava Sports Cross Training Gloves – Best with Wrist Support
4. PICSIL RX Carbon Hand Grips – Best Grips
5. Bear Grips Full Finger Workout Gloves – Best Full Finger
6. Harbinger Pro Wrist Wrap Gloves
7. RIMSports Workout Gloves
8. Fit Active Sports New Ventilated Weight Lifting Workout Gloves 

Product	Total	Price/Quality	Design	Comfort	Stitching	Durability	Protection
MECHANIX ORIGINAL	58	9.5	9.5	10	9.5	9.5	10
Contraband	58	10	10	9.5	9.5	9.5	9.5
Mava	57.5	9.5	9.5	9.5	9.5	9.5	10
PICSIL RX	57	9.5	9.5	9.5	9	9.5	10
Bear Grips	56	9.5	9.5	9.5	9	9	9.5
Harbinger	55.5	9	9.5	9	9	9.5	9.5
RIMSports	55	9	9.5	9	9	9	9.5
Fit Active Sports	54	9	9	9	9	9	9

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

6. Harbinger Pro Wrist Wrap Gloves

• 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.

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. 

7. RIMSports Workout Gloves

• 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.

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.

8. Fit Active Sports Workout Gloves

• 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.

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.

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.

✅ 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?

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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

All in all, if you're in search of high-quality workout gloves, have a look at our top pick choice of the best workout gloves for women - Mechanix Original® Women’s Gloves. Having compared them with other popular gym gloves on the market, they'll bring you perfect grip and hand protection for performing any kind of exercise or workout. 

With Mechanix gloves, you'll succeed in doing more reps due to their functionality and great design. So, still have questions concerning the choice of workout gloves that will improve your performance and boost technique? Then, write to us immediately and our responsive sports geeks will be at your service.

Also read:

• Best Pullup Gloves
• Best Weight Lifting Gloves With Wrist Support
• Best Weightlifting Gloves
• Best Functional Fitness Gloves
• Best Deadlift Gloves

References:

1. Hand-grip strength of young men, women and highly trained female athletes // Pubmed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17186303/
2. 5 Ways to Protect Your Wrists While Weight Lifting // Verywellfit: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-protect-your-wrists-while-weight-lifting-5498651