Best Weightlifting Gloves With Wrist Support & Grip (Updated 2021)
Weightlifting gloves are great aids to your big lifts and can offer wrist support and grip so your gains never suffer.
Weightlifting gloves are popular workout tools for those who lift big or who seek the most protection for their hands. We wear gloves all of the time, whether it be cold weather, painting our house, or cleaning with certain products and your workouts in the gym should be no different. Wearing lifting gloves is a personal choice made by some to assist in their workout, but others feel it interferes with certain exercises and choose to not use them. It is all a preference on how you feel, your intended goals, and your scheduled workout.
We’ve put together a list of the Best Weightlifting Gloves for 2021 so you can have the best in terms of wrist support, grip, and overall comfort. Finding the right pair can be challenging but this list will hopefully help narrow down your search so you only get the best possible lifting gloves around.
Best Weightlifting Gloves For 2021
Best Lifting Gloves Overall
The best weightlifting gloves overall will offer great support and grip, while also being comfortable and providing ventilation for increased breathability that you want to see out of the best gym gloves.
Fit Vikings Workout Gloves
Fit Viking weightlifting gloves are designed to offer overall support and versatility by covering your palm but allowing for free finger and thumb movement. The enhanced grip will maintain a solid hold on the bar to keep you lifting big and for longer without the unwanted pain. An added 2 inch wide and 16 inch long wrist wrap provides for comfort and protection while encourages wrist support and an increased grip. Made from natural cow leather and a Velcro strap the stitching makes this a durable glove for any type of exercise.
Fit Vikings Workout Gloves are great for offering protection and enhanced grip with comfort and versatility for all your workouts.
Pros
- The leather is a solid barrier between the bar and your hand
- It does prevent sweating with nice ventilation
- They will dry quickly and are fairly durable
Cons
- The leather is thick so working to find a solid grip can be challenging
- Depending on your hand size, the finger loops may feel uncomfortable
- The Velcro wrist strap has rigid edges and may dig into your skin
Price: $16.99
Best Lifting Gloves For Bodybuilding
Bodybuilders should use the best gym gloves to greatly enhance all exercises, especially as you look to build perfect symmetry with weightlifting gloves with wrist support.
Harbinger Pro Weightlifting Gloves
Harbinger Pro Wrist Wrap weightlifting gloves comes with solid palm protection with integrated wrist wraps for wrist stabilization and increased strength benefits. The genuine leather palm is padded with resilient open-cell foam and vented to minimize sweat. Having your fingers free can help increase contact for a better grip and the wrap around thumb protection consists of leather. Double stitched for durability, this will minimize sweating and enhance protection for those big lifts.
Harbinger Pro Weightlifting Gloves offer a genuine leather palm with great cushioning and ventilation while still providing for awesome grip support.
Pros
- The fit is great for a comfortable and snug feel
- The high quality leather mixed with the wrist wraps make this a great value for a weightlifting glove
- From a reputable company in Harbinger
Cons
- Durability comes into question and the padding is thin
- The palm vents don’t offer much breathability
Price: $24.99
Best Lifting Gloves For Wrist Support
While lifting gloves do support your hands, having that added wrist support can protect this vulnerable area from any potential pain or injury.
Portzon Weightlifting Gloves
Portzon weightlifting gloves offers these half finger outdoor gloves for ideal versatility. Having your fingers free, combined with a strong, durable glove, it reinforces wrist support, finger joints and provides for great flexibility and dexterity. Stitched well and breathable, the dual-layer synthetic leather palm offers a great grip and the Velcro strap allows for movement and dexterity for the best efficiency. The convenient hook and loop allows for easy size changes and an additional pad gives you added hand and knuckle protection.
Portzon Weightlifting Gloves are premium and durable material designed to provide comfort and breathability with mesh for a comfortable workout.
Pros
- A comfortable design and a great grip
- They provide for palm protection with the versatility of having your fingers free
Cons
- Those with smaller to average sized hands may find this too big
- They tend to be a little tight causing more sweating than desired
Price: $17.03
Best Lifting Gloves For Pull-Ups
Pull-ups are a great exercise to build strength and size and working with gloves to enhance support and grip will help you see your desired PRs with weightlifting gloves with wrist support.
Fit Active Weightlifting Workout Gloves
Fit Active Sports weightlifting gloves will offer full palm protection with the benefit of finger loops for versatility and dexterity. Covering the entire palm, the high quality material will prevent against injuries and blisters while also acting as a water resistant and durable material. The wrist strap is great for support and the silicon printed neoprene palm design offers a tight grip for any of those big lifts. Comfortable and breathable, these gloves have nice ventilation and are easy to adjust.
Fit Active Weightlifting Workout Gloves offer full palm protection with built-in wrist wraps for comfort and tightness for all your workouts.
Pros
- The palms offer flexibility while staying durable
- The wrist straps are great for added stability
Cons
- Quality comes into question with some consumers and the fit may be slightly off
- This causes the grip to be off and not as tight as advertised
Price: $19.95
Best Fingerless Lifting Gloves
Some gloves cover your fingers while others allow for free movement to provide for more functionality when it comes to certain exercises.
Mava Sports Cross Training Gloves
Mava Sports Cross Training Gloves have extra leather and silicone padding to offer the best protection from unwanted pain and blisters. Integrated wrist wraps offer nice support for all your lifts and a strong grip enhances comfort while giving you the best on the bar, dumbbell, or whatever equipment you’re using. Comfortable with nice ventilation, these gym gloves are perfect for those looking to go fingerless and have the best versatility in terms of movements.
Mava Sports Cross Training Gloves have extra leather and silicone padding with integrated wrist wraps for comfort and a strong grip.
Pros
- Great design and fit for comfort and versatility
- Minimalist design does reduce sweating and these offer good ventilation
- Wrist wraps are perfect for that added wrist support
Cons
- More length in the palms would be nice
- Rough edges do require constant adjusting
Price: $14.99-$24.81
Best Lifting Gloves For CrossFit
Those who regularly engage in CrossFit should consider a pair of gym gloves to help tackle any workout the circuit throws your way.
Glofit Freedom Workout Gloves
Glofit Freedom workout gloves offers enhanced protection with a hollowed out back design perfect for breathability and freedom. These gloves have a cushioned pad with silica anti-slip points for increased friction and stability during movements. The double layer palm design enhances comfort and durability while also protecting your hands from abrasions. The hook and loop closure secures a nice fit and the Velcro wrist wraps adjust for personal comfort while not sacrificing support.
Glofit Freedom Workout Gloves are breathable and flexible with an adjustable wrist strap and convenient features so you can workout with ease.
Pros
- They are comfortable, breathable, and flexible for your workout needs
- The palm fabric lifts easy and provides for a good grip
Cons
- Sizing may be slightly off and they may be too tight for comfort
- Quality comes into question for some users as well
Price: $9.99-$14.99
Best Lifting Gloves For Women
While workout gloves for men and women are very similar, those geared towards women can offer slightly different benefits that will allow you to tackle all your gains.
SIMARI Workout Gloves
SIMARI weightlifting gloves offer full hand protection and wrist support with an added thick foam palm pad to act as a buffer for any high impact exercise. The palm is made from microfiber to provide for great durability, but the back of the hands are made of air mesh for breathability and comfort. The humanized design works to maximize comfort and functionality by providing sturdy wrist protection, reusable Velcro, soft sponge pads, and towels on the thumbs for easy on and off access while being lightweight and breathable. They are designed for power and are suitable for any type of workout.
SIMARI Workout Gloves fully protect your hands but are breathable and suitable for all workouts with their incredible wrist support.
Pros
- Great for any workout and all experience levels
- The nonslip grip and breathable fabric, coupled with the wrist support, make this a great glove
Cons
- They don’t offer as much protection as advertised which is disappointing
- Durability comes into question as the palm pad is very thin
Price: $9.98-$19.98
Benefits Of Weightlifting Gloves
When it comes to using weightlifting gloves, there are many benefits associated with them that can greatly impact all your gains. A comfortable pair will not only enhance your support and grip but make you feel confident as you lift that heavy weight. Benefits of the best gym gloves include:
- Enhance grip: Work for better grip on the barbell or whatever weight you use to not overwork those muscles that don’t need to be used (1).
- Provide support and stability: Give yourself the best chance when under so much weight to feel supported and stable using weightlifting gloves with wrist support (2).
- Offer better comfort: Lifting without gloves can cause slight pain and gloves will provide comfort while still being versatile for all your goals.
- Have quality ventilation: A good pair of lifting gloves will offer good ventilation so you don’t suffer from sweaty and uncomfortable hands.
- Increase confidence: Having a good pair of gloves can increase your confidence as you feel more supported with all your lifting needs to hit those massive PRs you want most.
Finding The Right Weightlifting Gloves
The best gym gloves come in all kinds of material from cotton, to leather, to other synthetic materials and finding the one that is most comfortable for you in terms of both wearability and functionality is more than important before executing those big lifts. Some provide padded support while others do not and that can be a make or break when it comes to interference. Look into ones that will support your most popular lifts. If you are a powerlifter, look into specially designed gloves for your sport, but if you are an all around athlete, check out the more versatile lifting gloves to find what works best for you.
Lifting Straps Vs. Gloves
Lifting straps vs. gloves is a debate among those in the fitness world and for good reason. Both lifting straps and lifting gloves serve a very similar purpose with slight differences, however. For the most part, both of these work to provide support and assistance to your lifts, but they work in different ways. Lifting straps work best with heavier weight and are good for powerlifting as these will work in tandem to the grip you already have with your hands. They provide great wrist support and prevent the weight from dropping completely if you should slip (3,4).
Lifting gloves on the other hand will work best for bodybuilding and are better for lighter weight, since your grip is with your hands. What gloves can do is relieve pressure, prevent calluses, and stop blisters during weightlifting as a result of the tough feel of the bar. While this really comes down to preference, at the end of the day, those looking to relieve pain and offer the best for bodybuilding should highly consider weightlifting gloves as a top choice.
How We Choose
When choosing the best gym gloves we look at a number of factors. The quality and durability of the product comes down to material and the companies and brands on this list reflect that the most. Material also ties into how comfortable these are because you want your gloves to be sturdy, but also comfortable and versatile to work best for all your lifts. We then look at the design, for some have closed fingers and others allow more free movement with your fingers. This is really a preference on how you feel and what you are looking for most in a pair of lifting gloves. Lastly, we look at price. We know these products can get expensive and we seek the best lifting gloves around while still being at an affordable price.
FAQ Section
What are the best lifting gloves?
Fit Vikings Weightlifting Gloves. These gloves are designed to offer overall support and versatility by covering your palm but allowing for free finger and thumb movement. The enhanced grip will maintain a solid hold on the bar to keep you lifting big and for longer without the unwanted pain.
Are lifting straps better than weightlifting gloves?
This is all a preference on how you want to workout and what your intended goals are. Weightlifting gloves will work better for bodybuilding, whereas lifting straps may work best for powerlifting. At the end of the day, they will both work for your benefit.
Do I really need to use weightlifting gloves?
No, but they can really aid in your weightlifting goals greatly. By protecting yourself against calluses and blisters, and offering the best support and stability for those big lifts, you give yourself the best chance at seeing those gains you want most.
Wrap Up
Lifting gloves can be beneficial aids to your lifts and work to give you the most effective and safest workout possible. If you are someone new to lifting gloves, there may be a trial and error period but eventually you will find what works best for you. From grip support, wrist stabilization, and improving proper form, lifting gloves can work wonders for your workouts.
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References
- Lee, J.; Sechachalam, S. (2016). “The Effect on Wrist Position on Grip Endurance and Grip Strength”. (source)
- Buhman, D.; Cherry, J.; Bronkema-Orr, L.; Bishu, R. (2000). “Effects of glove, orientation, pressure, load, and handle on submaximal grasp force”. (source)
- Cowan, J.; DeBeliso, M. (2017). “The Effects of Lifting Straps on Force Applied During the Power Clean”. (source)
- Hori, N.; Chiu, L.; Kawamori, N. (2009). “Pulling movement in weightlifting exercises from a biomechanical standpoint”. (source)