Best Climbing Gloves of 2026
* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
Climbing gloves are an essential piece of equipment for any serious climber. Designed to protect the hands from the rough and abrasive surfaces encountered while climbing, these gloves are made from durable materials that provide excellent grip and protection. Whether you're climbing a sheer rock face or scrambling up a steep slope, a good pair of climbing gloves can make all the difference. With features like reinforced palms, adjustable cuffs, and breathable fabrics, these gloves are built to withstand the rigors of climbing and keep your hands comfortable and protected throughout your ascent. So if you're looking to take your climbing game to the next level, be sure to invest in a quality pair of climbing gloves.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 10 Climbing Gloves
PETZL CORDEX Leather Climbing Gloves
The PETZL CORDEX Climbing Gloves are designed to offer you lightweight durability with their premium goat skin leather, which balances toughness with easy hand movement. The gloves feature stretch nylon on the back, keeping your hands cool and ensuring a snug, comfortable fit throughout your climb. A low-profile neoprene cuff with Velcro closure lets you adjust the gloves securely around your wrist, so they stay put during use. Plus, a reinforced carabiner hole lets you easily clip the gloves to your harness when you’re not wearing them, keeping them handy and safe. These gloves help you stay comfortable and efficient on every climb or rappel.
Black Diamond Crag Half-Finger Gloves
BD Crag Gloves are perfect for climbers who need protection without sacrificing dexterity. The breathable stretch mesh fabric keeps your hands cool and comfortable, while the knuckle padding provides extra protection. The synthetic leather palm and fingers are reinforced with an index finger and thumb crotch for durability. The hook-and-loop cuff closure with a pull-on/clip-in loop ensures a secure fit. These gloves are CE certified to EN 420 and EN 388 (2131), and available in women's specific sizes and colors. With BD Crag Gloves, you can climb with confidence and comfort.
Black Diamond Transition Climbing Gloves
The Black Diamond Transition Gloves are designed to help you handle ropes with ease during climbing, belaying, or rappelling. They offer great hand protection while still letting you move your fingers freely, perfect for sport and multi-pitch routes. The gloves feature a strong goat leather palm that gives you a firm grip and resists wear from ropes and gear, making them last longer. Plus, the breathable stretch mesh on the back keeps your hands cool and comfortable, even during long climbs. With an adjustable wrist strap, these gloves stay securely in place and are easy to take on and off between climbs.
Intra-FIT Lightweight Climbing Gloves
The Intra-FIT Climbing Gloves are designed to give you a secure fit with no extra space, which helps improve your grip and keeps you safer while climbing. If you prefer a looser feel, you can choose a bigger size. These gloves are built tough with a synthetic leather palm and extra padding, especially around the thumb area, so they last longer even with heavy use. They also keep your hands comfortable thanks to a breathable spandex back that lets air flow and soft padding on your knuckles for protection. Plus, a handy terry cloth patch on the thumb lets you wipe sweat away easily. These features combine to make climbing easier and more comfortable.
PETZL CORDEX PLUS Climbing Gloves
The PETZL CORDEX PLUS Gloves offer a great balance of durability and comfort, perfect for climbing and rappelling. Made with premium leather, these gloves are soft and ready to use right away, so you won’t have to deal with a break-in period. The design includes extra leather in key areas like the back and palm, which makes them tough without feeling bulky. You’ll appreciate the extra padding in the palm that protects your hands from heat during repeated rappels. Plus, the simple velcro closure makes putting them on and taking them off quick and easy, so you can focus on your climb.
Ocun Crack Gloves Pro
The Ocun Crack Gloves are specially made for serious rock and crack climbers who need both protection and performance. These gloves use a stretchy microfiber suede material that fits comfortably and lets you move freely while climbing. They also feature a sticky rubber called CAT 1.5, which gives you extra grip to hold onto tough surfaces securely. The design includes a single elastic strap and finger loops that keep the gloves snug and precise on your hands, while the thumb cover offers extra protection where you need it most. Overall, the Ocun Crack Gloves help you climb with confidence and control.
HYCOPROT Fingerless Outdoor Gloves
The HYCOPROT Fingerless Gloves are designed for various outdoor activities, providing durability and comfort. Made from 100% knitted nylon, these gloves are lightweight and breathable, ensuring your hands stay cool and protected. The added cushioning and palm protection enhance your grip while safeguarding your hands from potential injuries. With an adjustable wrist strap and a quick-detach design, you can easily put on or take off the gloves, allowing for convenience during your adventures. Whether you're hunting, motorcycling, or climbing, these gloves are a reliable choice for your outdoor needs.
Intra-FIT Climbing Gloves
These Intra-FIT Outdoor Gloves are designed to enhance your climbing experience. Made from premium goat skin, they offer a perfect balance of durability and dexterity, ensuring comfort during use. The padded palm protects from heat during long rappels, while the stretchable spandex provides improved dexterity. The anatomically curved fingers and soft neoprene cuff with Velcro design offer flexibility and comfort, allowing you to work without constraints. With a built-in carabiner hole on the cuff, you can easily attach them to your harness for quick access.
Seibertron Climbing Rope Gloves
The Seibertron Climbing Gloves are designed to fit you perfectly by using both your palm length and circumference for sizing, ensuring a comfortable and secure fit. You’ll find it easy to measure your hand by checking from your palm base to the middle fingertip and wrapping around your knuckles. The gloves come in a range of sizes from XS to XXL, so you can pick the one that suits your hand best. With these gloves, you get a durable and reliable grip that supports your climbing, rescue, or outdoor activities by matching your hand size precisely.
Intra-FIT Climbing Gloves
The Intra-FIT Rope Gloves are perfect for all your climbing adventures. With a durable black synthetic leather base layer, these gloves are built to last. The top quality PU reinforcement provides excellent abrasion resistance and grip, ensuring you can confidently tackle any surface. The EVA padded rope channel guarantees a tight grip and better protection while climbing. The breathable spandex with neoprene knuckle pad offers a flexible and comfortable fit, allowing you to focus on your climb without any discomfort. The elastic cuff with velcro provides a secure and adjustable fit. With the Intra-FIT Rope Gloves, you can climb with confidence and enjoy the convenience of a glove designed specifically for climbing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can you boulder with gloves?
In most cases, it is not recommended to boulder with gloves. The friction and grip of our skin are crucial for bouldering, and normal gloves can hinder dexterity and sensitivity on the wall. However, gloves may be used in specific climbing styles, such as crack climbing, to protect the skin.
2. Can you belay with gloves on?
Yes, you can belay with gloves on. Full-finger belay gloves can keep your hands warm, protect your skin, and provide better control while rappelling. They also help prevent skin abrasions when handling the rope during belaying.
3. Can you lift heavier with gloves?
Lifting gloves can help take pressure off your hands and allow you to exceed your grip capacity. By relieving some strain on your hands, gloves can help you lift heavier weights for a longer duration.
4. How do you protect your hands when rock climbing?
To protect your hands when rock climbing, you can use climbing balm or salve such as Climbskin Hand Cream. These products provide protection against splitting and improve grip for sweaty hands. Apply the cream 1-2 hours before climbing, wash your hands after climbing, and reapply the product to keep your skin moisturized and ready for your next climb.
5. How tight should climbing gloves be?
Climbing gloves should have a comfortable fit. They should not be too tight across the back of the hand and palm, while also leaving some space at the tips of the fingers to maintain dexterity.
6. Are sweaty hands bad for climbing?
Sweaty hands can be challenging for climbing as they can make the skin soft and reduce friction. It is important to keep your hands from becoming too sweaty during a climbing session. Using chalk and waving your hands during rests can help keep the skin dry and tough.
7. Why wear gloves with no fingers?
Fingerless gloves are designed to protect the palm and wrist while leaving the fingertips exposed. They are helpful for tasks that require precision. Fingerless gloves can be worn as a base layer or on milder days when full coverage is not necessary.
During our climbing gloves research, we found 24 climbing gloves products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 34,686 customer reviews through our big data system to write the climbing gloves list. We found that most customers choose climbing gloves with an average price of $29.21.
The climbing gloves are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of climbing gloves, including PETZL, BLACK DIAMOND, Intra-FIT, Ocun, HYCOPROT. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 169 consumers with an average rating of 4.9.
Michael Daley is a founder of a climbing club. As a climbing expert, he's well-versed in all topics related to travel, including climbing accessories. He loves everything related to climbing and often shares his experience online.
Climbing Gloves Comparison Table
|
#TOP1
|
#TOP2
|
#TOP3
|
#TOP4
|
#TOP5
|
#TOP6
|
#TOP7
|
#TOP8
|
#TOP9
|
#TOP10
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | PETZL | BLACK DIAMOND | BLACK DIAMOND | Intra-FIT | PETZL | Ocun | HYCOPROT | Intra-FIT | Seibertron | Intra-FIT |
| Material | Leather | Faux Leather | Leather, Nylon | Synthetic | Leather | Nylon | Nylon | Leather | Cotton Blend | Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, Faux Leather, Neoprene, Polyurethane, Spandex |
| Size | Large | Large | Large | Medium (Pack of 1) | Medium | Medium | Large | Large | Medium | Medium |
| Sport | Climbing | rock climbing | Climbing | Climbing | Climbing | Climbing | Hiking, Hunting | Climbing | Sailing | Climbing |
| Glove Type | Outdoor | climbing | climbing | Climbing | Receiver | Climbing | sport-fingerless | Climbing | Climbing | Climbing |
| Age Range (Description) | Adult | Adult | Adult | Adult | Adult | Adult | Adult | Adult | Adult | Adult |
| Color | Beige | Black | Natural | 2359 | Tan | Red | Black | Normal | Full Finger Black | Black |
| Special Feature | Lightweight | Lightweight | Thermal | Half Finger | Lightweight | Extra Grip | Breathable, Lightweight, Slip, Windproof | Lightweight | Adjustable | |
| Hand Orientation | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous | Ambidextrous |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| FTB Score |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Where to Buy |