Light Running Glove Comparison
I’m a firm believer that warm hands, a warm core, and a warm hat can get you through any weather in most of California. While we certainly don’t need heavy gloves for sub-freezing weather, hand covers that block wind, some rain, and the biting chill of the morning are certainly nice. I run early in the morning and wear gloves on most runs.
Here I compare six of the top manufacturers of running gloves that you’re likely to find available. I’ve broken the review into subjective and objective criteria.
Size, wise, I’ve got relatively long and thin fingers. I asked for a large in each model, and all fit me well. Medium would have been too small, XL would have been ginormous.
[Disclosure: All gloves were provided to me as samples by the manufacturer or representative. All thoughts and pics are my own.
If you’re interested in buying any of these gloves, I’d encourage shopping at your local running specialty store. If that’s not available, the links above the pics in the details section go to Amazon, where prices are often cheaper than listed here AND a few nickels get dropped into the URP account with each purchase.]
Just the facts, Ma’am.
Price and Weight
What am I spending and what do they weigh?
| Price | Weight (oz/pair) | |
| Brooks Essential Glove | $25 | 0.875 |
| Eddie Bauer First Ascent Fluxpro Glove | $45 | 2 |
| Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Running Glove | $35 | 1.875 |
| Pearl Izumi Shine Wind Mitt | $35 | 2.375 |
| Salomon XT Wing Glove | $40 | 1.5 |
| TheNorthFace Runners 1 E-Tip Glove | $25 | 1.75 |
Though the stats in this category are comparatively close, Brooks and TNF take the win for the least expensive. Since TheNorthFace has the e-tip, I’d give them the nudge.
For weight, the Brooks gloves are nearly have the weight of the nearest competitor.
Got clips?
Do they have clips to keep them together?
| Brooks Essential Glove | no |
| Eddie Bauer First Ascent Fluxpro Glove | yes |
| Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Running Glove | no |
| Pearl Izumi Shine Wind Mitt | no |
| Salomon XT Wing Glove | no |
| TheNorthFace Runners 1 E-Tip Glove | no |
How many single gloves have you found on the trails or roads? A LOT. When a runner removes one glove, we remove both, generally tuck them into shorts, a pack or bra, and keep running. When gloves have the capability to clip together, they’re more easily stored and hung on straps, and less likely to be orphaned. Clips are important to me, so this round goes squarely with Eddie Bauer.
Grip
1 = no grip, 5 = max grip
| Eddie Bauer First Ascent Fluxpro Glove | 5/5 |
| Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Running Glove | 2/5 |
| Pearl Izumi Shine Wind Mitt | 1/5 |
| Salomon XT Wing Glove | 2/5 |
| TheNorthFace Runners 1 E-Tip Glove | 3/5 |
| Brooks Essential Glove | 1/5 |
Grip is certainly not a requirement in running gloves, but when traversing sketchy terrain, it’s nice to have a little help when holding on to trees, branches, and rocks. And as someone who pushed a stroller a lot, some palm traction is very very welcome. Note: Though Salomon has little grip, the gloves do have a few pads on the palms to protect the hands if when you fall.
Smart-device compatible?
Can I use my smartphone with my gloves on?
| Eddie Bauer First Ascent Fluxpro Glove | no |
| Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Running Glove | yes |
| Pearl Izumi Shine Wind Mitt | yes |
| Salomon XT Wing Glove | yes |
| TheNorthFace Runners 1 E-Tip Glove | yes |
| Brooks Essential Glove | no |
This is a very important category to me. I’d love to think that I can escape the digital world on my runs, but reality is I use Strava, take pictures, sometimes reply to messages, and make phone calls on stops.
Subjective Criteria
Warmth
1 = minimal warmth, 5 = maximum (for the category of “light gloves.)
This is a tough category, as the expectations are pretty low. (We’ll be releasing a cold weather running glove comparison soon.) I run in temperatures that rarely dip below 30 degrees and generally pull on a pair of these gloves when temps are in the 30s-40s. Keep that in mind when reviewing the following comparison.
| Brooks Essential Glove | 1/5 |
| Eddie Bauer First Ascent Fluxpro Glove | 5/5 |
| Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Running Glove | 4/5 |
| Pearl Izumi Shine Wind Mitt | 4/5 |
| Salomon XT Wing Glove | 3/5 |
| TheNorthFace Runners 1 E-Tip Glove | 2/5 |
Snot Wipeability
If I’m wearing gloves, my nose is probably running. 1=minimal area, 5=wipe anywhere.
| Eddie Bauer First Ascent Fluxpro Glove | 3/5 |
| Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Running Glove | 3/5 |
| Pearl Izumi Shine Wind Mitt | 3/5 |
| Salomon XT Wing Glove | 3/5 |
| TheNorthFace Runners 1 E-Tip Glove | 2/5 |
| Brooks Essential Glove | 2/5 |
Details
Brooks Essential Glove
Highlights:
- Super light
- No frills
- Inexpensive
Lowlights:
- No frills
Salomon XT Wings Gloves
Highlights:
- Pads on palms to help break fall. Awesome!
- Short cuff doesn’t restrict view of watch or GPS.
- Wind cuff keeps hands dry and warm while thin mesh on top keeps cool. No need to remove gloves.
- Cuff pocket on top can double as a gel holder. (h/t to Karl Meltzer of that idea.)
Lowlights:
- One of the more expensive of the group.
Eddie Bauer First Ascent FluxPro Touchscreen Gloves
Highlights:
- Kept me warm in mid-20s runs in Texas.
- The only pair in the group that has clips to keep them together! Huge!
- Tacky palms great for holding bottles, swinging around trees, and scaling rocks.
Lowlights:
- Claim to be smart-device capable, but the fingers don’t transmit at all. Makes me wonder if anyone tested this product prior to release. Disappointing.
Outdoor Research Hot Pursuit Running Gloves
Highlights:
- Wind cover has “lobster” fingers that allow for some dexterity.
- E-tip finger allows for limited (see below) smart device usage.
- Longest cuffs in group. They’re long enough to wear watch/GPS over. (Some hit right at the wrist, these go a further bit up.)
Lowlights:
- Putting wind mit on sometimes feels like trying to jam toes in FiveFingers.
The North Face Runners 1 Etip Gloves
Highlights:
- Fits my hand perfectly.
- Reflective features really stand out in dark.
- Tacky grip on palms.
Lowlights:
- If they had a clip, they’d be perfect.
Pearl Izumi Shine Wind Mitt
Highlights:
- Very reflective.
- Decently warm.
- Great features for price.
Lowlights:
- Gloves heat up pretty quickly.
Conclusion
This is a tough one to decide. In the past, I’ve bought a few pairs of cheap gloves at marathon expos, I bought a decent pair at Mountain Hardwear a few years ago, but for the most part, I’ve either found orphans on the trail or dug them out of my closet, more often than not wearing two different gloves.
My point: My requirements–both in opinion and weather–are pretty low.
However, if I were to choose ONE pair of gloves to get me through the California fall and winter, I’d choose the Salomon XT Wing Gloves. Though I wish they were attachable, the fact that I’d never have to take them off (due to the wind mitt/fingerless option) appeals to me and the padded palms really push me over the top.
Great gloves all around, with each pair offering something a little bit different.
If these reviews appeal to you and help you, let me know!
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