This article was updated in October 2026.
Driving gloves have a history of being essential for everyday driving, up until the last 60 years or so. Designed to combat kickback and the discomfort of wooden steering wheels, driving gloves of the past were meant to protect the driver’s hands.
Advancements in steering smoothness have rendered driving gloves’ practical function moot, but that doesn’t detract from the feeling of badassery behind the wheel.
While you do need certified racing gloves to get into racing, and winter gloves can keep your hands warm, normal driving gloves are mostly just for show. That’s not particularly bad, though; that “show” can invoke a sensation of improved connection with your vehicle. A new pair of slick motorsport mittens can make you feel like you’re tearing through the Italian countryside or enjoying a throwback cruise down a coastal road.
We think anything that helps you enjoy driving is worth having, and a good pair of driving gloves certainly has its aesthetic benefits. So even though you aren’t muscling a giant wooden steering wheel along a winding road, there’s nothing wrong with feeling like you are. Throw on a pair and see for yourself.
No matter the situation, a good set of driving gloves can elevate your experience behind the wheel. Here are some of our favorites.
These gloves are perfect for those teeth-chattering first minutes in the car during the dead of winter. Nobody likes holding a cold steering wheel.
If warmth is your goal, take a look at these old-school-style wool pop-top mittens from Hot Shot. One of our editors recommended them and noted the leather padding on the palm to be helpful when cruising. The pop-top function can be handy when navigating a touchscreen—a necessity in cars these days.
These gloves aren’t exactly marketed toward driving, but they should be. They’re lightweight and feature silica beads on the palms to add some grip at the wheel. They’re built to be warm, with wind and waterproof features so you can use them outdoors too. If anything, these would be a great choice for those first frigid 10 minutes in your car while you wait for the heat to rumble to life.
These sharp-looking hand warmers are made with polyurethane leather and wool for a nice toasty choice. Alepo also claims that all of the fingers will work on a touchscreen, which is a very nice feature. If you’re looking for affordable warmth and a classy driving style, these are for you.
These gloves from Elma are widely regarded as one of the best choices in their price range. Constructed with hairsheep leather, they’re built to be flexible and durable over time. There are two different options for interior material: cashmere and fleece. Cashmere is typically softer and warmer, while fleece is more durable. Either way, these gloves bring excellent style and warmth at a reasonable price.
Not all of us can enjoy a heated steering wheel in the morning, but these might be the next-best thing. Featuring a rechargeable 3000mAh battery that’s designed to last up to eight hours, the gloves include three heating levels that can be activated at the touch of a button. Heating elements surround your palm, fingers, and back of your hand to make sure every digit is toasty. Touchscreen pads on the index fingers are a nice plus.
If you want to full-send your cold-weather driving glove game, these might be the top choice. Hestra’s reputation for quality is well-known in winter circles, and these function well as a pair of driving gloves for those frigid outings. A lining of Primaloft Gold aims to keep your paws warm even when wet, and a shell of hairsheep leather keeps them looking snazzy even when the patina sets in. An investment, sure—but a good set of gloves is something everyone enjoys.
Whether you want to channel your inner vintage racer or just look classy in the McDonald’s drive-through, these stylish driving gloves will make you feel like you own the road. These gloves vastly improve based on price, so if you want a set to last for years, don’t shy away from top quality.
These driving gloves from Pratt and Hart are a great no-fluff, minimalistic driving glove that gets the job done. These feature plenty of ventilation holes and touchscreen-compatible pads on the thumb and pointer fingers. They’re designed to fit snugly with the snap of a button and an elasticized wrist strap.
If you’re looking for a quality pair of driving gloves that won’t break the bank, these mitts from Riparo hit the sweet spot. They’re handmade with reverse-stitched genuine leather, so they’re assembled to last. There are a ton of different colors to choose from, so you’ll be able to match your ride’s vibe easily.
As if we thought leather couldn’t feel any better, we tried a pair of these gloves from Opinari. Made with highly prized Peccary leather, the gloves feature top-tier fit and finish. Truly, they’re excellent.
Opinari offers many different color options, and you can request the fingerless variety by leaving a note in the cart section as you check out.
The stringback design is historical, dating to the wooden-steering-wheel days of the 1950s and '60s. Autodromo has replicated this well, creating driving gloves with genuine sheep leather and a cotton crochet back. You’ll definitely want to measure your hand for the best fit, as Autodromo says they’re meant to feel ‘poured on.’
Café Leather takes great pride in their leather-selection process, and this transitions to their driving gloves flawlessly. The Tritons are their icon, and for good reason: They’re modeled after the classic racing gloves of old. For a more personal touch, Café Leather claims that the leather will evolve over time, creating a unique patina—we think that’s pretty neat.
Channeling centuries-old heritage, Dents creates exemplary English driving gloves. The Delta is their most popular pair, but add in a bit of touchscreen-compatible leather treatment, and you get the Silverstone. Stylish, quality materials, and the ability to reroute Maps on the fly? Sounds like a perfect combo to us.
Safety is the most important thing on the racetrack, and gloves that are up to regulations are essential. Check out these options, which were all recommended by track-loving members of the Hearst Autos staff.
The Land is Sparco's entry-level racing glove, coming in at an affordable price while earning FIA and SFI approval. They’re a great recommendation for budget-conscious racers and track-day shenanigans, as one of our editors suggested. To aid in performance, the palm features new suede anti-slip grips with reinforced stitching.
These racing gloves are another great option for entry-level track use, and they are also SFI and FIA approved. Alpinestars crammed a bunch of technology into these, including silicon printed grips on the palm and fingers, heat-transfer logos for lighter weight, and an aramidic-fiber main shell for high levels of protection against flames and heat. And as a bonus? They’re FIA 8856-2018 approved, the newest standard of protection, and for a good price.
This set of gloves from OMP seems to be popular with our track-day staff. They’re true racing gloves for the track, and are approved to the latest FIA 8856-2018 standard, which is the benchmark for racing apparel safety. They’re a bit on the pricey side, but if you want uncompromising safety, these are worth the consideration.
The Gear Team helps readers make informed purchasing choices about automotive gear, tools, and accessories through hands-on product evaluations and comprehensive testing. Car and Driver’s renowned testing standards mandate that we use all products we feature and that our findings and recommendations are based on personal experience and knowledge—not hype. We won’t claim to have tested something we haven’t, and we’ll never recommend a product we wouldn’t buy ourselves.
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Collin Morgan is a Commerce Editor at Hearst Autos, where he presents the best gear for your automotive endeavors. He has been a technician in the trenches of Midwestern automotive repair, explored the automotive shrines in central Italy, and now enjoys making slow cars go fast around various Michigan racetracks.
Extracted and lightly reformatted for readability. · Source: pt