A buying guide to the best driving gloves you can buy, from Dents, Christophe Fenwick, Porsche Design, Riparo and other brands.
We'll be the first to admit that driving gloves are an anachronism. They stem from a bygone era of motoring — scarcely imaginable to someone driving a modern Lexus — when virtually all vehicular travel was an adventure and you needed specialized clothing and gear for the task.
If you were operating a vehicle back then, you were completely exposed to the elements. There was a high probability of having to perform some serious roadside maintenance to get yourself home. And driving over rutted roads for extended periods could leave your hands feeling exhausted. Driving gloves made a lot of sense.
Modern luxury cars are a revelation by comparison. Vehicles are climate-controlled and comparatively robust. Driving a Volvo XC90 to work can feel like spending time in a Scandinavian minimalist spa. Few people will really need driving gloves.But the a pair of the best driving gloves can still be useful — even if much of that use case is trying to look like Ryan Gosling in Drive.
Appearance: Driving gloves can be a stylish accessory, especially if you're driving a vintage British automobile — or a Morgan — that may also necessitate wearing a flat cap.
Better Grip: Your driving is only as good as your wheel manipulation. A good pair of driving gloves will be grippier than your bare hands, especially if perspiration gets involved on a hot day.
Cleanliness: We live in interesting times.You don't know who the last person to drive that rental car was, where their hands were and how thorough the cleaning process was.
Cold Weather: Winter is coming. Not everyone has a fancy heated steering wheel. A good pair of lined driving gloves can keep the blood flowing to the extremities.
Hand Fatigue: Driving gloves can ease tension on the hands over long drives, especially in a car with a steering wheel that vibrates.