The Best Rowing Gloves For 2024 | Rowing Machine Pros

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Rowing is an excellent full-body and cardio exercise ideal for people of all fitness levels and ages. It is a low-impact exercise that helps boost your overall endurance and fitness levels as it works up to 80% of all major muscle groups in the body.

Rowing machines are ideal for shedding extra weight, toning the entire body, and keeping your general health in control. However, if you have just added rowing to your exercise regimen, you may experience rowing-related injuries.

Unfortunately, blisters are an inevitable part of rowing and something we all will need to address! To ensure that you enjoy rowing and get the most out of it, we have compiled a list of the best rowing gloves to prevent mishaps while rowing.

So what are the top 5 best rowing gloves?

1. Sculling Gear Rowing Gloves

Sculling Gear Rowing Gloves come with an open back for ventilation but are designed to cover the lower fingers on all but the pinky. They are also made from a blend of silicone, nylon, and polyester and come equipped with a strong Velcro enclosure.

The palm area is well-padded and fully stretched to help prevent calluses and blisters. It is a perfect combination of just the right padding to protect your hands without interfering with the feel of the handlebar. Sculling Gear Gloves are also extremely lightweight to ensure just the right weight on your hands while rowing.

These gloves were designed and developed by passionate rowers, for rowers and they are available in a wide range of sizes from extra large to extra small.

Pros

Well-ventilated
Lightweight
Perfect amount of padding
Comfortable

Cons

Expensive

These gloves help prevent the ripped skin and blistering that can ruin a great workout session. Having a pair of rowing gloves eliminates the expense of tape, the need for band-aids, and the risk of injury and infection. This frees you up to focus on your rowing technique and workout in general.

Features of sculling and rowing gloves

Glove: 20% polyurethane and 80% polyester, Thumb and Trim: 100% Nylon, Grip: 100% silicone, Velcro closure.
Custom-designed by coaches and rowers, field-tested gloves, are extremely lightweight.
Approved for the Olympics and all national and international competitions.
Allows calluses to grow gradually without blisters so you can focus on your workout.
The silicon pattern on the palm enhances grip even when wet.
Flexible and sturdy polyurethane and polyester glove with Velcro closure.

2. NRS Boater Gloves

NRS Gloves are designed for use when rowing or kayaking and have become quite popular among rowers, especially in recent years. The palm is made from high-quality Amara synthetic leather that provides extra palm protection from the injuries that typically result from friction between the handle and your skin.

The palm area is also equipped with silicone accents to provide an extra layer of comfort and protection. They have excellent ventilation due to the minute vent holes that puncture the gloves.

These gloves also feature an open-finger design that helps minimize sweat and heat build-up while leaving your fingers free to move around as needed.

The pairing snaps on the gloves allow you to attach each pair together so you never misplace or lose one of the gloves.

Pros

Pairing snaps
Synthetic leather palms
Well ventilated
Silicone padding

Cons

Size is not accurate in some cases

3. Nano Hertz Rowing Gloves

These minimalist gloves cut out the finger coverings, providing adequate coverage on the palms – which are the most vulnerable parts. Nano Hertz Rowing Gloves also feature non-slip hexagon rubber beadings that are built into the palms in order to prevent calluses and enhance your comfort level. Moreover, it provides an excellent level of traction.

Unlike other gloves that tend to move around, these gloves provide you with a secure hold through velcro straps that fasten on the back of the hands and four-finger loops.

Nano Hertz Rowing Gloves are ergonomically designed to perfectly contour your palms. This ensures they mold into your hand’s grip. Moreover, they are breathable and do an excellent job of absorbing sweat and moisture.

Pros

Secure Velcro strap
Minimalist design
Hexagon rubber beading
Non-slip grip

Cons

Sizing might not be accurate

4. Hornet Watersports Rowing Gloves

These multi-purpose rowing gloves allow you to quickly transition from weights workout to cardio. Hornet Watersports Rowing Gloves are fingerless and fully cover the back of your hands. The palms feature a high-quality silicone material that provides a secure and comfortable grip.

The rest of this rowing glove is made from a 4-blend material that is well-ventilated while being super stretchy and strong. This is a breathable, light glove that features a unisex design. However, some verified reviews highlight problems with durability after eight to 10 months of use.

Pros

Unisex
Silicone padding in the palms
Breathable
Light
Well ventilated

Cons

Questionable quality and durability

5. GymPaws

GymPaws features a minimalist design that provides ample coverage where it’s needed most while leaving out the areas that don’t require coverage.

The coverage is on the finger pads and palms, enhancing ventilation and durability. They are available in 15 colors and styles, making for one of the most popular choices of any rowing machine glove.

The finger loops are elastic making it ideal for rowers with thicker fingers. GymPaw Gloves has a unisex design so that men, as well as women, can use them comfortably. They are also made from authentic cowhide leather treated with vegetable oil to ensure a supple and soft finish. The rest of the glove features a military-grade hydrophobic neoprene finish with triple-stitched joints.

Pros

15 different designs and colors
Well ventilated
Triple stitch joints
Padding in the palms
Authentic cowhide leather

Cons

The chemical smell while new

So why should you wear rowing gloves?

Although many people don’t wear gloves while rowing those who do usually stand out as avid rowers. So what are the benefits of wearing workout gloves while you are exercising on the rower?

1. Preventing blisters

Blisters can be a hindrance to following your workout regimen by distracting you from the task at mind. In most cases, they end up cutting your workout short. Wearing rowing gloves with good padding helps prevent calluses and ensures you have a comfortable and fun session.

2. Better grip

Wearing rowing gloves helps improve your grip on the handle. Keep in mind that sweat under the palms can easily cause the hands to slip off the rowing handle. Wearing gloves with neoprene covering the palm area helps overcome this problem by ensuring you have a secure grip.

The Bottom-line

Rowing gloves can be used for a wide variety of workouts, including but not limited to rowing and weights workouts. The elements that make gloves good for rowing also enhance resistance workouts. Using the best rowing gloves helps ensure a firmer, more secure grip on the rowing bar and can also enhance support for the wrists.