Sim racing gloves are an important piece of equipment for any sim racer. Why sim racers wear gloves we explain in this article! Having gloves has many advantages and can significantly improve your sim racing experience. They help you hold the wheel firmly as well as keep your hands from slipping during intense races. You can also steer much more accurately because you get an even better and more precise feeling while steering. This ensures a much more consistent performance on the track.
The offer sim racing gloves is vast and overwhelming. That's why in this article we'll give you a hand and take a look at some of the best sim racing gloves on the market so you can take your sim racing experience to an even higher level! Ready? Let's go!
Pros and cons sim racing gloves
If you choose to use sim racing gloves, there are a number of benefits. These include improved grip, greater comfort and reduced hand fatigue.
Do you have a more expensive high-quality racing wheel, such as, for example Fanatec, Cube Controls or Moza Racing? Then without a doubt choose sim racing gloves! Many racing wheels come with alcantara or leather grips. By using sim racing gloves you extend the life of these grips and keep your wheel in better condition. You protect your wheel from extra weartage by greasy fingers or sweaty hands.
Of course, there are also disadvantages to using sim racing gloves, such as reduced dexterity and the risk of not being comfortable during a race. The biggest disadvantage I personally find is the heat, since during a long race (stint) your hands do get very hot and sweaty due to all the efforts. Do you suffer from this easily? Then choose a more breathable material. Unfortunately, you cannot prevent this. But hey, even that is part of the extra experience ?
In general, the decision to use sim racing gloves is personal. You will have to weigh the pros and cons carefully for yourself. Fortunately, sim racing gloves are not expensive. You already have a pair from 20 to 30 euros.
What should good sim racing gloves meet?
There are many factors on which to judge sim racing gloves. Which ones are important to you is a personal choice, but we will give you a hand with our main factors that good gloves should meet.
Comfort
If you choose sim racing gloves, you want one thing above all: to improve your sim racing experience as well as your own performance on the track. Choose gloves that are light, this ensures maximum maneuverability, feel and comfort.
The wearing comfort of sim racing gloves varies greatly from model to model. It is important to know your own hand size to choose the right glove. Most manufacturers offer good size charts that allow you to easily choose the right size that fits you.
It is especially important that your gloves fit snugly on your palm and don't pinch anywhere. That way, you can be sure of maximum comfort. In doubt? Then always choose a slightly larger size!
Design
The range and design of gloves are diverse. Do you opt for a tough and striking look? Or do you prefer a quieter look? This is obviously a personal choice that I cannot make for you. There is always something that suits you! The range is so large that - in my opinion - it is sometimes difficult to make a choice.
What is important to include in your consideration is the way the gloves are stitched. Namely, you can choose stitching on the inside or the outside. The difference may seem small and not even noticeable, but it is hugely influential to the look and feel of your gloves. I personally think gloves with outside stitching look nicer and more realistic, but often you also sacrifice maneuverability and comfort in this. Gloves with stitching on the inside feel more direct in my experience.
Material and grip
Choose gloves that consist of a lightweight and breathable material. In addition, it is important to always have sufficient grip on the handlebars. This ensures freedom of movement, accuracy and consistency on the track. Choose gloves that are touchscreen compatible. Nothing is more annoying than constantly having to take off your gloves to operate your phone or touchscreen dashboards ?
Price-quality ratio
Sim racing gloves come and go in different shapes, designs and materials. From cheap to expensive and everything in between. The selection is so vast, making it sometimes difficult to compare and choose a brand and model that suits you.
Sim racers' requirements for gloves are much different from those of real drivers. You can choose racing gloves from official motorsport manufacturers, such as Sparco, Alpinestars or OMP. But you can also choose from gloves made for sim racing, such as IMB Racewear or Abruzzi. We can agree on one thing: sim racing gloves should be lighter and thinner. Also, the forearm does not need to be covered and these gloves certainly do not need to be fire resistant ?
The quality and thus the manufacturing have a lot of influence on the price of a product. Gloves made from high-quality and innovative materials are logically more expensive than products of low or inferior quality. Regardless of your budget, there is always a product that fits into your price range. Make a choice and weigh carefully: do you choose quality (and durability) and an even better racing experience, or do you choose lesser quality and a lower price? The choice is yours.
What are the best sim racing gloves of 2023?
In this list we have taken into account all the factors mentioned above. This will help you in choosing the right sim racing gloves!
1. Alpinestars Tech 1-K
When you think of motorsports, you think of Alpinestars. This name is indispensable from motorsport and is one of the largest manufacturers of motorsport clothing. Officially, the Alpinestars Tech 1-K is a kart glove, but you can also use it for sim racing without any problem. Because of this, the price is a bit higher than the average. The Alpinestars Tech 1-K is available from ? 40,-.
These gloves are my undisputed number one sim racing gloves. I have been using these for several weeks now and I am very impressed with these gloves. The tight fit and lightweight materials provide tremendous comfort. The material breathes, is light and offers tremendous grip and they come in a cool design with different colors. The fact that these gloves cover your forearm and wrist gives that little bit of extra experience compared to gloves that do not have this, such as the Sparco Hypergrip or the Sparco Meca 3 that I had before.
2. Sparco Hypergrip
Our next recommendation is the Sparco Hypergrip. This glove is designed for sim racers for both steering wheels and game controllers. The Sparco Hypergrip is perhaps one of the most popular sim racing gloves on the market. Sparco's strong name recognition will undoubtedly contribute to this success.
The microfiber on the palm is perforated for maximum ventilation without sacrificing grip. There is extra soft material between the fingers for extra comfort. The thumb and index finger are "touch-sensitive" for operation of touch screens and can also be flipped over so the fingers are visible again. As far as we are concerned, not really a must-have feature but rather a nice-to-have. In our opinion, the Hypergrip series is an excellent option for long-term use and are available from ? 45 euros.
3. Sparco Meca 3
The Sparco Meca 3 are actually gloves for auto mechanics, but are great for sim racing. In fact, the Sparco Meca 3 are perhaps the most popular gloves among sim racers! The downside is that they are not - very well - touchscreen compatible. Other than that, you get a lot in return.
These gloves have an insane amount of grip thanks to the abrasion-resistant PU (polyurethane) leather palms. They fit snugly on your hand and are still breathable. The very biggest advantage is their tremendous abrasion resistance and durability. Because they are gloves for car mechanics, they are extremely durable, light and of excellent quality. And all that for only ? 30 euros. They are available in different colors. In terms of price-quality, this is definitely one of the best choices!
4. IMB Racewear
If you are looking for many different and unique sim racing gloves, choose IMB Race Wear. This brand specializes in professional sim racing products with a unique and wide range that is fully customizable in color, design, name, race number and/or flag. The brand exudes sim racing from every angle and seam. The range and options are vast, each with its unique character and design. They have both long and wrist length gloves, depending on your preference. Definitely one of my favorite gloves!
6. F33L Sim Gloves
F33l is a company that hasn't been around very long, but that doesn't mean their sim racing gloves aren't worth watching. Among other things, the young company has gained a lot of name recognition by working with one of the biggest sim racing YouTubers Jimmy Broadbent, but also has its own line at Sim Lab.
F33l sim gloves have a lightweight design, allowing the hands to breathe well. At the same time, this offers great flexibility and feel. These ergonomically designed sim gloves have a rubberized grip to reduce hand fatigue and strain. This is very convenient for use in high-performance Force Feedback. The F33l gloves are relatively expensive compared to the other more well-known brands, and the range of colors is also limited. They are available from ? 40 euros.
Sim racing gloves: should you buy it?
Sim racing gloves are undoubtedly a great additional addition to your sim racing experience. Are you a novice sim racer or a casual sim racer who occasionally drives a few laps on your Logitech G29 or Logitech G Pro? Then wait (yet) with sim racing gloves.
I think the added value of sim gloves comes only when you invest a lot of time and energy in this hobby with your own aluminum rig OR doing so at the (semi-) professional level in your Sim Lab or Trak Racer setup. One thing is for sure: it will take your sim racing experience to a new level. What do you think about sim racing gloves and which ones do you have? Let us know in the comments below!
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