Best Summer Motorcycle Gloves for Hot Weather

Quick answer: The best summer motorcycle gloves are perforated deerskin gloves like the Legendary ILL DOZER at $140 and the Deerskin Short Wrist Ventilated glove at $120. They flow air through real leather, so you stay cool without trading away the abrasion protection that mesh gloves give up. Neither is CE rated or armored; a mesh glove such as the Alpinestars SMX-1 Air moves more air and adds certified knuckle armor, but it puts fabric where you would rather have leather in a slide.

Hot-weather riding creates a trap: the gloves that feel coolest in a parking lot, thin mesh and fingerless fashion gloves, are often the ones that protect least in a slide. The right summer glove solves the heat problem without removing the leather. Perforation is how you do that.

Perforated leather vs mesh, why it matters

A perforated leather glove punches ventilation holes through a panel of genuine deerskin. You still have a continuous leather surface against the road; you just have airflow through it. A mesh glove replaces leather with fabric, which breathes but shreds on contact with pavement.

Type	Cooling	Abrasion protection	Verdict
Perforated deerskin	High	High	Best balance
Mesh/textile	Very high	Low	Cool but weak
Fingerless	High	Very low	Style only
Solid leather	Low	High	Too hot for summer

Best summer gloves to buy

ILL DOZER, best overall summer glove

The ILL DOZER at $140 (99 reviews, 4.90 stars) perforates the top panel and uses outseam stitching so seams sit away from your fingertips. It runs cool on a 95F day and still rides like a premium deerskin glove.

Explore the best motorcycle gloves from Legendary USA — American-made deerskin and cowhide riding gloves built for serious riders.

Deerskin Short Wrist Ventilated, best value

The Short Wrist Ventilated Touchscreen glove at $120 (117 reviews, 4.95 stars) adds a perforated back to the classic deerskin short-wrist, with touchscreen fingertips.

Ventilated Driving Gloves, best open-back feel

The Deerskin Ventilated Driving Gloves at $120 (83 reviews, 4.89 stars) use a classic open-back driving profile with full perforation for maximum airflow.

Deerskin Fingerless, for short slow rides

The Deerskin Fingerless gloves at $60 (126 reviews, 4.92 stars) max out airflow. Understand the trade-off: no finger coverage means less protection.

White Glove Series, for the hottest days

White leather reflects sunlight instead of absorbing it, so a white glove sits cooler on your hand than the same glove in black on a bright day. The Holy Blanco Ventilated Gloves at $115 (49 reviews, 4.84 stars) and the ILLEST DOZER White Outseam Gloves at $140 (48 reviews, 4.79 stars) are the ventilated versions, and the Cadbury White Touchscreen Gloves at $115 (77 reviews, 4.87 stars) trade some airflow for touchscreen fingertips. All three are unarmored deerskin and none is CE rated. A rider who wants certified knuckle armor with the ventilation should look at a summer sport glove such as the Alpinestars SMX-1 Air instead.

How to pick

1. Want one summer glove that protects and breathes? ILL DOZER.

2. Want the best cooling per dollar? Short Wrist Ventilated.

3. Love the driving-glove look? Ventilated Driving Gloves.

4. Riding in full sun all day? White Glove Series, Holy Blanco or Cadbury.

5. Only slow cruises? Fingerless, with eyes open on protection.

Beat the heat

Browse perforated and ventilated deerskin options in the Legendary USA gloves collection.

Frequently asked questions

Are perforated gloves good for summer riding?

Yes. Perforated leather gloves flow air through a panel of real leather, cooling your hands while keeping abrasion protection.

Are mesh gloves safe for motorcycle riding?

Mesh gloves are cool but offer far less abrasion resistance than leather. For highway speeds, perforated leather is a safer summer option.

Should summer gloves be touchscreen-capable?

It helps, you can use your phone or GPS without removing a sweaty glove. Models like the Short Wrist Ventilated include conductive fingertips.

Are fingerless gloves good for motorcycles?

Fingerless gloves maximize airflow but leave your fingers exposed in a crash. They suit slow cruising, not high-speed riding.

Shop the full selection of best motorcycle gloves at Legendary USA, handcrafted in the USA with premium leather for every riding style.