Longboarding. It’s all about the thrills, skills, and, safety, of course. As exhilarating as longboarding is, protective gear is necessary as anything can happen at high speeds. Some such eventualities are unplanned, such as a spill, but others, like sliding, are planned. But whatever the case, as you go hurtling downhill at speeds of 30 plus miles an hour you need protection.
If you want to squeeze all the thrills you can out of longboarding, then you know you will have to learn how to slide at one point on your longboarding journey. And because of that, you will need to get the best sliding gloves you can get your hands into.
Sliding Gloves – What Are They?
Sliding gloves are the mystery ingredient to longboarders hurtling downhill at high speeds – with their hands securely placed on the hard concrete. Sliding gloves feature a small engineered thermoplastic at the heel section of the hands called a sliding puck. This puck is what comes into contact with the ground and has a low friction coefficient that allows it to glide on concrete without breaking or heating up.
What’s so special and unique about sliding gloves you ask? Great question. Sliding gloves are not your ordinary glove, and heaven protect you if you decide to use ordinary gloves for sliding. Let’s take a look at the different components of sliding gloves so as to see why these gloves are able to do what they do
The Glove
The glove is the main body and material that covers and protects your entire hand. The best gloves are made of flexible, lightweight, durable material. Durability is very important as sliding gloves go through some of the most extreme circumstances a glove can possibly go through. The knuckles on the best sliding gloves have a stronger material to offer added protection to these sensitive parts of your hand.
The Puck
I’ve already mentioned the puck, but I believe it deserves more attention as it is basically the heart of your sliding gloves. The puck is the toughest part of the glove as it is the one that acts as a buffer between your hand and the ground. Because of this, it has to be made of a very hard, heat-resistant plastic that can glide over even the hardest concrete. There are some variations that are made from softer plastics for comfort, but they usually don’t last as long as the ones made of hard plastic.
Because the puck is such an integral part of your sliding gloves, you can tell the best gloves from the not so great ones based on the quality of the puck.
The Wrist Strap
In order to secure your gloves to your hands, especially at high speeds, the best gloves have very strong, yet comfortable straps that won’t fall apart or come undone at a very critical moment. And they need to offer excellent wrist support as well.
As you go on the hunt for your next pair of sliding gloves, you will need to take into consideration your skill level and the hills you will be tackling. For instance, if you are a beginner, you will need gloves with finger pucks in order to avoid some very painful slip-ups.
Now that you know what sliding gloves are and why you need them, let’s look at some of the best sliding gloves on the market. I believe you will find the perfect pair for yourself amongst these top 7 sliding gloves.
The 7 Best Gloves for Added Security and Style
Here are some of the best gloves you will find available for you in 2018. These are top-notch gloves that will added protection and enhanced performance so that you can really enjoy your afternoon on the hills.
1. Loaded Boards Leather Downhill Race Longboard Slide Glove
- High quality goatskin leather
- Carbon knuckle and finger protectors
- Internal Coolmax wicking fabric
- Ultra High Molecular Weight circular palm and thumb pucks
- Velcro palms, finger tips and thumbs
If you are looking for sliding gloves that are guaranteed to give you extreme durability, then the Loaded Longboards Goatskin Race Slide Gloves are the best gloves for you. Made from high-quality goatskin leather and sporting carbon knuckles and finger protectors for superior quality and optimal support during sliding, these gloves are probably the best thing to happen to the longboarding world.
Unfortunately, these goatskin gloves are only available in medium and small sizes, meaning those with larger hands will miss out on these excellent sliding gloves.
2. Triple Eight Sliders Longboard Gloves
- Longboard Gloves feature tear-resistant Kevlar fingertips
- Comes standard with removable, replaceable round slider pucks
- Also includes extra set of slider bars that can connect your fingertips
- Heavy-duty, wraparound Velcro wrist strap ensures perfect fit
- Full top grain leather
Triple Eight has been a trusted brand in the longboarding world for some time now due to its top quality longboarding accessories. When it comes to sliding gloves, you can trust Triple Eight to keep your hand well protected as they are made some of the best leather on the planet. As for your digits, the Kevlar made fingertips will see you through even the roughest of slides. And for those times you will need finger pucks, the Triple Eight Sliders Longboard Gloves come with finger pucks that can be easily attached when the time comes.
With these gloves, you will definitely be inspired to do those death-defying stunts you’ve always dreamt of doing. And all the while your mind will be at peace knowing you are well equipped for any slide on any hill. You’ll get superior protection and peace of mind as you go downhill.
3. Sector 9 BHNC Slide Gloves S/M - Limeburst
- Sector 9 BHNC Slide Gloves LimeBurst S/M
If anyone should know how to make longboard accessories, it’s a longboard manufacturing company. And in this case, it’s Sector 9. When it comes to visual appeal, Sector 9 has it nailed down with their vibrant colors. But that’s not the only appealing feature these sliding gloves have as they feature a design that sports anti-vibration, superior comfort, and high-density grip, all these packaged in a breathable neoprene synthetic material.
For colorful performance and fit, the Sector 9 BHNC slide gloves come at a price.
4. Andux Adult Longboard Downhill Slide Gloves Upgraded with 2 Slider Pucks HBST-05
- Comes standard with removable, replaceable round slider pucks, without slider on thumb
- Heavy-duty, wrap around wrist strap ensures perfect fit
- Thick joint protection
- Adjustable size
- Perfect for touching the ground, slowing down and other actions when downhill
Another budget-friendly pair of gloves comes to you in the form of the Andux Land slider glove.
But cheap doesn’t always mean inferior as these gloves prove. Made of nylon and coming with removable and replaceable round slider pucks (also included in the package) and finger pucks, these gloves were made to give you maximum protection as you try out your favorite tricks. And coming with a heavy duty Velcro strap, you can be sure your wrists will be well supported, with no fear of the straps coming undone.
5. Loaded Boards Freeride Longboard Slide Glove Version 7.0
- Poron XRD palm padding and viscoelastic foam knuckle pad for protection
- Cordura / Kevlar / synthetic suede / Lycra outer construction for durability
- Coolmax lining and vented mesh for comfort
- UHMW palm and thumb pucks and hard plastic finger pucks
- Reflective accents ensure visibility on low-light excursions.
This is the second Loaded glove on our line-up, and that for good reason. Loaded make some of the best gloves a longboarder can want. These are an improved model over previous generations as they have been redesigned to meet the demanding expectations of extreme riders.
The Loaded Longboard Freeride slide gloves feature a center palm puck and a removable finger bar for added convenience. The materials used are also of a high grade, including a thin, shock-absorbing foam cushion and foam knuckle pads for that extra crash protection. Although leather is the material of choice for many sliding gloves, Loaded decided to ditch leather because of its nature to easily heat up in the sun. These gloves are made from a synthetic suede that has a vented mesh lining for extra airflow.
These are actually a great pair of sliding gloves that you will enjoy donning as you do what you know to do best – sliding. For this great pair of gloves, you will need to prepare to part ways with a cool, fair price considering what you will get out of them.
6. Bern Longboard Glove
- Burley Synthetic Leather w/ Reinforced Fingers
- Adjustable and Replaceable slider pucks
- Supportive Wrist Wrap Closure
- Backhand knuckle protection
Bern Longboard gloves are another pair you need to put into consideration on your quest to find the best gloves for sliding. Made from a very tough synthetic leather like material and sporting reinforced fingers, you will find them more than adequate to provide the best protection for your ride down the hill – in style. As if that’s not enough, Bern longboard gloves come with superb knuckle protection and a very good wrist wrap band that offers exceptional support. As for the pucks, like some of the more expensive gloves on the market, these gloves come with adjustable and replaceable pucks.
With all that Bern has to offer, you may think they will demand a premium for these gloves, but fortunately for you (and me), you will only have to spend for these excellent sliding gloves.
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Anyone who told you that longboarding is an expensive hobby didn’t know what they were talking about, and these Imporx longboarding gloves are ample proof to that. Coming in a standard and medium size for adults, these gloves come with a Velcro/metal buckle and polyester wrist wrap that offers great support and security.
For added protection and extra peace of mind, these sliding gloves come with armor protection for the knuckles and reliable pucks for the [palm and fingers. As for comfort, the fabric used to make the Imporx longboarding sliding gloves is a synthetic one that breathes extremely well, affording you maximum airflow to cool down your hands as you execute your perfect slide. And as I said, these are budget friendly gloves.
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Sliding to Safety
There is a certain thrill that only comes when one is on a longboard, it’s just an inexplicable feeling. And to get the maximum joy out of your longboarding experience, you have to learn how to slide, and that very well. this is why you can’t omit adding the best gloves to your longboarding gear, you will be glad you did as they give you more options when it comes to maneuvers and tricks.
