Which Riding Glove Suits Best?

In this issue's test, we tried 4 different types of glove to see which one does the best job! Things we were looking for were fit, grip strength on dry and wet days, comfort, warmth rating, cost and durability.

HKM Gloves available through Eurosport NZ, cost around NZ$29.00

The glove proved to be of good quality and workmanship. The sizing is satisfactory and they have a roomy cut to fit short or long fingers. The range of colour is lovely and you can be sure to find something that matches. If you are a professional rider with more than 3 horses in work a day and want some good long lasting quality, HKM will not disappoint. They do need exchanging after a while as they wear out but for that price, you can't go wrong. The grip is okay in wet conditions on all types of rein. The warmth rating is not very high, so if you're looking for a remedy against cold fingers, these gloves won't help. They are available in a Polar Fleece version though.

Bionic Gloves available through Hillerich and Bradsby, Louisville, USA, cost around NZ$89.00

Unlike the HKM Glove, the Bionic Glove is made of the finest leather and features anatomic orthopaedic pads. The sizing is excellent and you can be sure to find something that fits. They only come in Brown, White and Black, which seem to be the most favoured colours. The glove has a bulky feel to it though and it will take some time to adjust to a "different" feel of the reins. The pads sometimes come in the way but overall, the glove is very comfortable and attractive. The glove was tried in torrential rain and it did have a good grip in the beginning but started slipping the wetter it got, which might have been unfair conditions as I really wouldn't know which glove could withstand that amount of water. Warmth rating isn't very good either, so if you have cold fingers, it won't warm them.

Roeckl Gloves (tested was the Model Hampshire) available at Roeckl.com, cost around NZ$95.00

The Roeckl Glove is the Queen of all gloves. Perfect fit that feels like a second skin with perfect grip in all weather. The Roeckl Gloves come in all shapes and sizes so no matter if you hack out or do high profile dressage, Roeckl should have something for you. The Roeckl Grip is the most lightweight and cheapest of the bunch, but it does wear out if used more than a few times a week. Mine wore out within 2 months of riding 5 horses daily. If you are not riding that much, it is well worth the money and a lovely good quality glove to own!

Horze Multi Stretch Gloves available at selected retailers, check horze.co.nz, cost around NZ$16.00

These gloves are very serviceable and do their job, though only available in black and white. The sizing was okay although I would have liked them to be a bit more generous in finger length. They have a satisfying amount of grip but get slippery when left wet for too long, especially on leather reins. They are durable enough and at this price, it's well worth it. They are not very warm but spacious enough to allow for another pair to be worn underneath. I hardly felt them when riding and almost had a good "bare hand" feel, which is important for a glove.

Our overall favourite is the HKM glove closely followed by Roeckl and Bionic. The Horze Glove does do its job but it didn't keep up with the other three standards. The HKM glove is by far the best for the quality/price and although I've just gone through my fifth pair, I keep buying more. My competition gloves are Roeckl's as they have the lightest and loveliest feel without impairing your hand or hold on the rein. The Bionic still seems bulky but it was very lovely for harness driving and lounging, the young horse that tried to pull the lounge through the handlers hands didn't get very far and the handler was well impressed with how protective and strong those gloves were. The Horze Gloves are a good buy and will do a good job for general training and hacking.

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