5 Best Motocross Gloves With Knuckle Protection


So you are you looking for maximum protection for your kuckles and hands whilst riding your dirt bike? I myself love gloves that have a good amount of protective material around the parts of the hand that take a hit whilst i’m riding trials through the woods.

In a rush? My favourite is the FX Bomber – check out the latest price on Amazon here

You want a glove that ticks all the boxes, not only giving the protection you are looking for but also comfort, with both the fit and weight of the glove working together and being offered at a reasonable price. If you can get that is it not the ultimate glove for trail riding?

The glove that with the ultimate protection is the FOX Bomber MX 20. Moulded plastic knuckle and finger protection, double layered Clarino palm, silicone grip lever finger and well priced.

During this article we shall take a look the top 5 rated gloves which will include talking about their features and price. Towards the bottom i have included a small glossary about the materials used to create the gloves and will explain what each material does and what it is capable of.

Top Picks – Gloves With Knuckle Protection

1FOX Bomber MX 20
2Klim Mojave Pro
3Alpinestars MegaWatt
4FOX Bomber Lite
5Alpinestars SMX-1 Air v2

1. FOX Bomber MX20

Available in 7 sizes, and 5 awesome colours this is my favourite glove, hands down! Giving the rider serious protection with rock hard knuckle moulds, more than adequate comfort and for a very reasonable price.

Main Features:

  • Moulded Plastic Ballistic Knuckle Protection
  • Moulded Cuff with Hook and Loop Closure for a secure fit
  • Double Layered Clarino Palm
  • Silicone Grip for lever fingers
  • Perforated Goatskin Leather provides a breathable skin on top of the hand
  • 5 colours – Grey, Navy Blue, Black, Flo Orange and what FOX call Black Black
  • 7 Sizes – S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL

Pricing:

FOX retail these for $60 or £50 if you are in the UK. For the glove I think that is a very good price point and I can see why it is a very popular glove. They can be found on Amazon for a little less.

FOX Glove Sizing Info:

FOX take their glove size measurment from the tip of the middle finger down to the base of the hand.

Image Source: FOXRACING.COM

Summary:

If you are looking for the ultimate protection from your glove when riding trails then I would go for this all day long. From style, to pricing and of course the armour the glove offers all make this a tough one to beat .

2. Klim Mojave Pro

This is another awesome glove and provides a great level of protection. The reason it sits at number 2 on my list is a couple of things. One is the price, it is higher than the FOX Bomber by quite a way and I don’t personally feel the increase in price is warranted. Secondly the type of protection, although it is very good it is not 100% solid like the moulded plastic of the bomber.

Main Features:

  • 5 Colours – Red, Orange, Grey, Blue and Black
  • Poron XRD™ protection for knucles and fingers
  • 6 Sizes – SM, MD, LG, XL, 2XL, 3XL
  • Perforated Leather Palm- Increases air flow and provides grip
  • TPU and Velcro Wrist Closure

Pricing:

These are priced at $80.00 although at the time of writing this post they actually have an offer on the Klim Website that offer them for $47.99 which is an amazing price. If you manage to bag them at the discounted price fair enough, otherwise I think the price tag is a little on the high side???

Klim Glove Sizing Info:

Klim size their gloves by taking your palm measurement. Do this by the widest part which is normally from between the thumb and index finger being as close to the base of the thumb as possible. Then measure the circumference by going around the palm , over the back of the hand and back to the beginning. This measurement can be crossed reference with their sizing chart.

image source: Klim.com

Summary:

Comfy well fitting glove with the awesome Poron XRD material as protection. Priced higher than the leading FOX Bomber but a consideration if you have the budget.

3. AlpineStars MegaWatt

The latest version of the MegaWatt glove from AlpineStars combines moulded plastic for the knuckles with TPU on the fingers. In many respects it is similar to the FOX Bomber with a Clarino palm and the hard knuckles set into leather. They give you silicon over the fingers for grip of the levers manufacture them into a pre curved shape so when you get them out the box they feel broken in on the first use.

Main Features:

  • PU Knuckles
  • TPU Finger protection
  • Silicone print for 3 fingers
  • Pre-curve Construction – comfort straight out the box
  • 2 colours – orange and black or total black
  • 6 sizes – S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL

Pricing:

Listed at $60 on the Alpinestars website. This pricing is up there with other top end gloves and it is my opinion that perhaps with the features it offers maybe it is very slightly to high in comparison to others.

AplineStars Glove Size Info:

Like the Klim gloves, Alpinestars measure the circumference of the hand. They recommend measure both hands and taking the largest result. Then compare to the table below.

Image Source: AlpineStars.com

Summary:

Not a bad glove at all and very close to the other front runners. Compared to the Bomber they have made the finger protection from TPU instead on PU, which is the hard moulded plastic.

They do have vents in the knuckle moulds though which is cool. Also the silicone is a little shy on the index finger of the right hand glove because it is shaped into the Alpine Stars logo and that’s the way it sits.

The pricing is up there with the Bomber so the main difference is the TPU but on the flip side it arguably offers more flexability which could be something to consider depending on your type of ride.

Colour options are limited compared to the competition but I do really like the orange and black combo.

4. FOX Bomber Lite

The little brother to the top ranking FOX Bomber. The lite offers a stripped back version with tough plastic knuckle protection. Unlike the individual moulds on the Bomber MX 20, the bomber lite knuckle guard is a complete single piece of moulded plastic that is inserted into position and stitched material around it holds it in place.

The palm benefts from a single layer of Clarino that has little holes added right in the middle to allow for air flow.

Running the inside between the fingers you will also find perferated material to allow the glove to breathe.

The cuff is made from Neoprene and has a simple hook and loop fixing to make an easy and secure fastening.

You’ll find silicone on the index and middle fingers to allow for lever grip but you do miss out on top side finger protection, but I really the love look of them.

Features:

  • Solid moulded knuckle protection
  • Clarino palm
  • Easy cuff fastening
  • Silicone finger grip strips
  • Flexible design using Stretch Cordura®
  • 4 Colours – Black, Navy Blue, Black and Orange, Flame Red
  • 5 Sizes – S, M, L, XL, 2XL

Pricing:

$45 – A decent price for what is on offer. – Check the latest price here on Amazon

FOX Sizing Info:

As with all FOX gloves you measure from the middle fingers tip down to the base of the hand.

image source: Foxracing.com

Summary:

If it was maximum protection I was looking for then I would probably take this glove in Flame Red. In this post I’ve ranked it forth because of the lacking finger protection but that considered I think it’s a fair price. So if you are not fussed about the reduced armour then this maybe for you.

5. AlpineStars SMX-1 Air v2

The SMX1 has knuckle armour constructed from polymer and is very tough. The main glove is made from leather which is the best material for riding on tarmac/concrete but as we are looking at trail riding gloves may not be the best option. They have added holes for airflow on the fingers and mesh on the tops for the same reason.

They have additional padding around the palm and fingers to give extra abrasion protection and comfort.

Features:

  • Constructed from Premium Leather
  • Solid Polymer Knuckle Armour Guard
  • Perferated Leather for Air Flow
  • 3 Colours – Black, Black and Red, Black and Yellow
  • 6 Sizes – S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL

Pricing:

$60 from the AlpineStars website

AlpineStars Glove Sizes

The sizing for all AlpineStar gloves is done by measuring the circumference at the widest part of the hand. The recommend measuring both then using the largest of the 2 measurments for the sizing.

image source: alpinestars.com

Summary:

The SMX1 Air V2 is perhaps for those who trail ride but want a glove that will give could protection on the road also. It is primarily marketed towards the urban rider but is used by people for trails.

The knuckle protecion element is great but it doesnt provide finger armour and the price is high for whats being offered when you consider other models in this post that provide more for the same price.

Conclusion – Best Gloves For You

From the gloves I have ranked here there is something for most people. It is primarily for people looking for the best gloves with knuckle armour for which the FOX Bomber MX 20 is head and shoulders above the rest in my opinion.

Other options allow you to find a glove suited to your needs, a glove with more fleixbility but slightly less protection may be what you are after, and for this the Bomber Lite maybe exactly what you need. There are also options to suit varying budgets.

I would say that whatever you choose to buy, research the glove and match it to your requirements then when you are ready make a purchase from a trusted retailer. That may mean going direct or shopping locally where you can try the glove on before buying. Counterfiet products do exist online and you don’t want to compromise safety to save a few quid.

Common Glove Material Explained:

Ever wondered what materials are in your motocross gloves? Gloves comes with a range of different materials used to make them and the manufacturer will design the gloves with combo of these to suit the purpose of the glove. Pricing will play a part as cheaper alternatives can be used to offer varying degrees of protection on the same area.

Below you will find a list of the common materials used in the glove manufacturing process, the type of areas they are typically used for, benefits th matrials offers to the rider and any negatives.

Neoprene

Neoprene is actually a brand name that many people use to describe the product called polycloroprene, like people in the UK at least say hoover when meaning vacumm.

Polycloroprene is basically a synthetic rubber. Its not breathable and doesn’t wick away moisture. It does retain heat, is very stretchy and is good at with standing a wide range of temperatures.

It is often used in motocross gloves in the body, generally the cuff area.

ProsCons
Stretchy, giving a comfortable fit Not breathable means it will fell sticky and sweaty
Relativley cheap to useRetains heat which can make your hand too hot and uncomfortable if to much of the glove is made from it.
Easy to work with – flexible, easy to cut, stitch together
Weather proof – can withstand water and mud. Easy to clean

Clarino

Just like neoprene this is a brand name. It is artificial leather that looks like suede and common for glove making. Unlike real leather this stuff is happy being washed.

The usual place to find this on your gloves is the palm of the hand and can be used in layers to give more protection and a padded feel.

PROSCONS
BreathableNot the most durable
Washable
Comfortable – soft

TPU

This stands for thermoplastic polyurenthane and is the stuff used on some gloves to create protective areas. It is essentially a cross between rubber and plastic so takes qualities from both. Its bendy like rubber but has a degree and hardness.

They use this stuff on areas to create things like knuckle and finger protection which works but isn’t the best form as there are alternatives that are solid.

PROSCONS
BendyNot as tough as other materials used for the same purpose
Lightweight
Impact Resistant

Silicon

I’m sure most know what silicone is. For those that dont it is a polymer based material that is mixed with other elements depending on the use. In the case of gloves it gets used to act as grip on places like the palm and underside of the fingers. Adding this to fingers that control levers is the norm.

Foam

Another common material. Obvisouly used for padding.

Poron XRD™

This is a soft padding made up of polymers with amazing impact absorbtion properties. When the material is at rest it is soft to the touch making it bendable and plyable. When it is under impact the polymers react in a way that turn it into a firm surface which asorbs the force. Clever stuff.

The material lends itself to be used in areas that need the extra protection, like knuckles and fingers. It is also super lightweight.

PROSCONS
Amazing impact resistanceCost more than other materials
Lightweight
Contours around the hand
Soft / Comfortable

Micro Perforated Leather

Leather that has been punctured with loads of little holes that make it a great breathable material.

PROSCONS
PlyableNot impact resistant
Easy to work with
Relativley cheap

Moulded Plastics

Plastic that gets moulded into shapes to help protect certain areas of the hand. Knuckle protection made from moulded plastic is the hardest modern day material used on the motocross glove.

The main downside which is obvious is the fact it doesnt bend so can feel alot less comfy then say Poron XRD. Clever design can minimise this though.

Used over the knucles and outer finger.

PROSCONS
Very tough Restrictive
Relativley cheap

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