Glove Fit and Break-In
Do Leather Gloves Stretch?
Leather gloves stretch a little, mostly across the palm, not the fingers. Sources disagree on how much, so here is what each says and how to size for it.
Yes, leather gloves stretch, but only a little. Glove makers describe the give in deerskin as going across the palm, not along the fingers. How much is disputed. One glove maker says about 5%, while the store's own racing-glove guide says a glove that is loose in the shop stays loose. Buy leather gloves snug, never painfully tight, and never long in the fingers.
Part of our guide to glove fit and break-in.
How much do leather gloves stretch?
No lab figure exists, so here is what each source says:
The store's pages don't agree with each other: one guide plays down stretch, while the glove FAQ leans toward a roomier size.
To see the scale, apply the 5% figure to an 8.5 in (21.59 cm) hand. It comes to about 0.43 in (1.08 cm), just under the 0.5 in step between sizes on the store chart. Olympia does not say which dimension stretches, so treat this as an upper bound, not a promise.
| Source | What it says about stretch |
|---|---|
| Olympia (riding-glove maker) | Leather riding gloves start a little snug and stretch about 5% |
| Dents (glove maker) | Leather stretches slightly with use; thicker leather stretches less |
| Hestra (glove maker) | Dress gloves stretch slightly; sport gloves stretch very little |
| Leather Collection racing-glove guide | Leather breaks in slightly but does not reshape; loose stays loose |
| Leather Collection jacket guide | Don't buy a size too small hoping it will stretch |
| Leather Collection glove FAQ | Between two sizes, take the larger one |
Where the stretch goes: palm, not fingers
Two glove makers describe deerskin the same way. It gives across the width of the hand, but the fingers do not get longer or baggy. No source we found claims finger length grows in any leather. So a glove that is tight across the knuckles may ease, but one with fingers that are too short should be treated as the wrong size. Check finger length with the steps in how leather gloves should fit.
Which leathers give the most
For how two of these hides ride, see deerskin vs lambskin for riding.
| Material | Stretch and break-in |
|---|---|
| Hairsheep | Stretches the most, according to Dents |
| Deerskin | Stretches across the palm; one maker lists no break-in |
| Elkskin | Thick; one maker suggests sizing up to avoid pinching in a fist; one short ride to break in |
| Cowhide | A few rides to break in; the store's 0.03 in (0.8–0.9 mm) cowhide slowly molds to the hand |
| Textile | Fits as it is from day one; built-in stretch gives only a little |
Should leather gloves be tight at first?
A snug fit, yes; a tight one, no. Sellers such as Café Leather say to take the smaller size because leather stretches. But if a glove is hard to pull on or limits how you move your hand, it is too small. On a riding glove, numbness or pressure points after a few minutes on the bar also mean the wrong size.
Two more pages cover the rest. How motorcycle gloves should fit has the full on-bike check. Torn between two sizes? Read between two glove sizes.
If your new pair pinches
Wear them first. Hot-water soaking and direct heat can leave leather stiffer or damaged. Safe methods for one tight spot are in how to stretch leather gloves safely. The riding-in routine is in how to break in motorcycle gloves.
Shopping for a pair that starts snug? Compare cowhide styles in Leather Collection motorcycle gloves.
Sources
The Motorcycle Gloves Editorial Team
The Motorcycle Gloves articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.