Best Leather for Motorcycle Gloves: Hides Compared for Riding

There is no single best leather for motorcycle gloves, but there is a best fit for how you ride. Cowhide gives the most abrasion resistance for the money. Deerskin gives the softest feel at the levers but stretches over time. Elkskin sits between them on most counts, and lambskin is soft but tears easily, so it is better kept for off-bike gloves.

Use the table below to narrow your choice, then follow the links to the full comparisons.

Key takeaways- Cowhide: tough and good value; firmer, with a break-in period.- Deerskin: soft from day one and dries soft after rain; stretches with wear.- Elkskin: thicker than deerskin; makers disagree on how it compares with cowhide.- Lambskin: thin and light; one glove maker calls it the wrong choice for riding.- Warmth comes mostly from the lining and the cuff, not the hide, according to one maker.

Motorcycle glove leathers at a glance

Most of these ratings come from glove makers and sellers, not lab tests. We say whose claim each one is.

Cowhide: the common riding glove leather

Cowhide is the benchmark for abrasion per dollar in one glove seller's leather guide. The trade-off is feel: it is firmer and stiffens as it dries after a soaking.

Thickness matters as much as hide. The store we work with uses 0.8-0.9 mm cowhide and says that is thin enough to feel the levers yet tough enough for daily riding. For how hide weight and thickness are graded, see this leather weight and thickness chart.

Deerskin vs lambskin

Both are soft, but they are not equal on a bike. Deerskin has a looser, more randomized fiber weave that stretches and returns, according to a deerskin glove maker. The same maker says lambskin tears easily and has no place on a motorcycle.

Full comparison: deerskin vs lambskin gloves. For a plain definition of the hide, see what lambskin leather is.

Elkskin vs deerskin

Elkskin is the heavier cousin. One seller places it between deerskin and cowhide on almost every property. Another maker says elk fibers are thicker and tighter than cowhide's. Those two claims disagree, and we found no lab test that settles it.

Full comparison: elkskin vs deerskin gloves.

Is any leather warm on its own?

Not much, by most accounts. A deerskin glove maker says all common glove leathers insulate about the same at equal thickness, and that the lining, wind sealing and cuff decide warmth. Another maker says deerskin's fibers trap air and keep hands warm to -20°F (-29°C). The claims conflict; the second gives no test or lining details.

Details: are deerskin gloves warm, and our guide to warm and heated motorcycle gloves.

Goatskin and other hides

Goatskin is another common glove leather. One seller says goatskin has the highest tensile strength of the common glove leathers. We cover the full list in types of leather used for gloves.

The hide is only part of the glove

A great hide in a weak glove is still a weak glove. Seams, palm reinforcement, knuckle protection and the wrist closure matter as much as the leather. Read about motorcycle glove safety and protection before you buy.

Which leather to choose

• Daily riding on a budget: cowhide.
• Maximum lever feel and comfort: deerskin; expect some stretch.
• Long touring days and rough use: elkskin.
• Off the bike, dress or driving: lambskin.
• Cold weather: pick the lining and cuff first, then the hide.

Cowhide gloves from our store partner

The store we work with sells no deerskin or elkskin gloves. Its riding range is all hand-stitched cowhide, 0.8-0.9 mm thick, in vintage, race-style, summer and classic styles. Browse Leather Collection cowhide motorcycle gloves.

Related guides

• Leather is one of five choices in our motorcycle glove buying guide.

Quick answers

What type of leather is best for motorcycle riding?

It depends on your priority. Cowhide gives the most abrasion resistance for the money; deerskin gives the best feel; elkskin sits between.

Is deerskin or cowhide better for gloves?

Deerskin is softer and dries soft; cowhide is firmer and better value for abrasion, per one glove seller.

Are leather gloves good for motorcycles?

They can be, if the glove is built for riding. The hide alone does not make a glove protective. Check the seams, palm and armor too.