Driving gloves have a reputation problem. Mention them in the wrong company and you get raised eyebrows — something about old men in cap-sleeved cardigans pottering to garden centres. The reality is that a decent pair of driving gloves makes a meaningful difference to your grip, your feel for the wheel, and on track days, your ability to register subtle feedback through the rim before your hands get tired.
This isn't about fashion. It's about the interface between you and the machine. The same argument applies to your wheel cover, your seat adjustment, and the ergonomics of your cockpit. Get these things right and driving becomes less effort and more pleasure. Get them wrong and you fight the car rather than working with it.
Note on sourcing: Some of the specialist motorsport kit in this category is best sourced through dedicated retailers like Demon Tweeks (UK's leading motorsport retailer, available via the AWIN affiliate network) or Merlin Motorsport. Where Amazon UK stocks the product at a competitive price, we link there first. Where it doesn't, we'll direct you to the best specialist source.
| Product | Type | Best For | Price (approx) | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sparco Land Driving Gloves | Leather driving gloves | Road use, everyday driver | ~£55–£75 | Amazon UK / Demon Tweeks |
| Momo Veloce Driving Gloves | Full leather, perforated | Enthusiast road & occasional track | ~£65–£85 | Demon Tweeks / Amazon UK |
| Sparco Hypergrip+ Gloves | Suede palm racing-style | Track days, performance cars | ~£85–£110 | Demon Tweeks |
| Momo Alcantara Steering Wheel Cover | Alcantara rim wrap | OEM wheel upgrade | ~£40–£60 | Amazon UK / Demon Tweeks |
Sparco Land — The Road Driver's Glove
Sparco is an Italian motorsport brand founded in Turin in 1977. They make race suits, harnesses, helmets — and driving gloves. The Land is their core road-driving glove: full leather palm, perforated top panel for breathability, a short cuff with a simple wrist strap. It's not a racing glove — it doesn't need to be. It's designed for the driver who wants tactile connection with the wheel without the full theatre of a race-spec product.
The fit is close but not tight. Italian sizing runs slightly narrow so order a size up if you're between sizes. After a short break-in period the leather softens and conforms to your palm. Grip on a leather or Alcantara-rimmed wheel is excellent. Available on Amazon UK in various sizes; also stocked by Demon Tweeks with a wider colour range.
Full leather driving gloves from Italy's most respected motorsport brand. Short cuff, perforated top panel, excellent tactile feedback. Designed for road use on performance and classic cars. Available in black, red, and blue. Italian sizing — consider ordering a size up.
Pros
- Genuine Sparco motorsport pedigree
- Excellent leather quality
- Great grip on leather & Alcantara rims
- Perforated panel for breathability
- Improves with age and use
Cons
- Runs narrow — size up if unsure
- Break-in period required
- Limited Amazon UK size availability
Momo Veloce — The Enthusiast's Choice
Momo is the other name in this space. Like Sparco, they started in Italian motorsport — originally making steering wheels for race drivers in the 1960s. The Veloce gloves carry that heritage: full peccary or nappa leather, cut specifically for grip rather than warmth, with a palm reinforced at the contact points. Where the Sparco Land is the everyday driver's glove, the Momo Veloce is a step toward the track.
The perforated knuckle panel is a Momo signature — it keeps the back of the hand cool on summer drives while the leather palm maintains firm contact with the rim. The stitching is visible on the outside of the fingers (not buried in the seam) which some find more comfortable over long stints. Best sourced through Demon Tweeks for the full size range; Amazon UK carries some variants.
Premium nappa leather driving gloves from Momo, one of motorsport's founding brands. Perforated knuckle panel, externally stitched fingers, reinforced palm contact patches. Suitable for spirited road use and occasional track days. A step above the everyday glove.
Pros
- Exceptional leather quality
- Perforated for summer comfort
- Suitable for track day use
- Externally stitched — comfortable long stints
- Classic Momo aesthetics
Cons
- Premium price point
- Best size range via Demon Tweeks
- Not a certified race glove (FIA)
"The steering wheel is your primary interface with the car. The quality of what sits between your hands and the rim has a measurable effect on feel, fatigue, and ultimately, enjoyment."
Sparco Hypergrip+ — When You're Doing Track Days
If you're regularly attending track days, the conversation shifts. The Sparco Hypergrip+ is a proper performance glove — suede palm, extended cuff, carbon fibre back panel — built for the sustained loads of circuit driving. It isn't FIA-rated (that's a different category entirely, requiring fire-resistant Nomex construction and adding significant cost), but for road-legal track day use where FIA certification isn't mandatory, it gives you grip and durability well beyond a conventional driving glove.
The suede palm is the key difference over leather equivalents. Suede provides noticeably better grip on both leather and Alcantara rims, especially when hands warm up during a session. The tradeoff is durability — suede wears faster than leather and needs more careful maintenance. Best sourced through Demon Tweeks, who stock the full Sparco performance range with UK sizing guides.
Sparco's performance driving glove for track day and high-intensity road use. Suede palm for maximum grip on Alcantara and leather rims, extended cuff for wrist coverage, carbon fibre back panel for durability. Not FIA-rated but ideal for road-legal track use where homologation isn't required.
Pros
- Suede palm — exceptional grip
- Built for sustained track use
- Extended cuff protection
- Sparco quality and fit
- Carbon fibre back panel
Cons
- Not FIA-certified for competition
- Suede requires maintenance
- Premium price — track-specific
- Best range at Demon Tweeks only
The Alcantara Wheel Cover — Upgrading Your OEM Rim
Not everyone has a budget or desire for an aftermarket steering wheel. If your OEM wheel is in good shape but the rim material has worn, faded, or simply isn't as grippy as you'd like, an Alcantara wheel cover is a cost-effective solution. Momo's version wraps over the rim section of your existing wheel, hand-stitched in place, and transforms the feel and appearance.
Alcantara is a synthetic suede microfibre — it's grippy, it doesn't get as cold as leather in winter, and it looks genuinely good. The downside is it absorbs hand oils and requires regular cleaning with a damp cloth. It also softens the feel of the rim compared to a hard leather — some drivers prefer this, some don't. Available on Amazon UK in multiple sizes; measure your rim diameter and rim section thickness before ordering.
Hand-stitched Alcantara steering wheel cover designed to fit over your existing OEM rim. Transforms grip, feel, and appearance without replacing the full wheel. Available in multiple rim diameter and section sizes. Grippy in all conditions, excellent winter feel — warmer than leather. Requires occasional cleaning to maintain appearance.
Pros
- Transforms an ageing OEM wheel
- Excellent grip — warm in cold weather
- Far cheaper than a replacement wheel
- Multiple sizing options
- Premium Momo construction
Cons
- Requires careful measurement first
- Absorbs hand oils — needs cleaning
- Hand stitching takes patience to fit
- Adds slight rim diameter
Getting the Glove Fit Right
A poorly fitting glove is worse than no glove at all. Too loose and it bunches at the palm, reducing feel and making inputs imprecise. Too tight and your hands fatigue quickly — especially relevant on longer drives or track days.
Measure across the widest part of your palm (knuckles, not thumb) in centimetres. Most manufacturers publish sizing charts in both UK and Italian sizes. For reference: 8cm = XS, 9cm = S, 10cm = M, 11cm = L, 12cm = XL. Italian and European brands typically run half a size narrower than this guide suggests, which is why sizing up is often recommended.
The correct fit: the glove should sit snugly with no bunching at the base of the fingers, the fingertips should reach comfortably to the end of the glove without pressing, and the wrist strap should close without straining.
Beyond Gloves — The Cockpit Philosophy
The cockpit is the one part of the car you inhabit. Everything else — the engine, the suspension, the brakes — serves the cockpit. It's worth treating it with some thought. Beyond gloves and the wheel, there are a few other things that make a measurable difference:
- Seat position: You should be able to fully depress the clutch with a slight bend in the knee, and reach the top of the steering wheel with your wrist resting on the rim with your back against the seat. Most people sit too far back.
- Pedal placement: Heel-and-toe is easier with flat-soled shoes. On track, this matters. On the road, it still helps with smooth downshifts.
- Sightlines: Adjust your mirrors last, once your seat position is set. Side mirrors should show a sliver of your car's flank at the inner edge — not your car.
- Sun visor: A polarised clip-on for low-sun driving is worth keeping in the door pocket. Not glamorous, but useful.
Final Verdict — Invest in the Interface
For road driving, the Sparco Land represents the best balance of quality, feel, and value. Upgrade to the Momo Veloce if you want something closer to motorsport pedigree without the track-day commitment. For regular circuit use, the Sparco Hypergrip+ is worth the extra spend — the suede palm genuinely changes how connected you feel to the rim.
The Momo Alcantara wheel cover sits in a different category: it's not about driver preference, it's about reclaiming the feel of a rim that's worn past its best. At £40–£60 it's the cheapest meaningful upgrade available to most drivers with an ageing OEM wheel.
Both Sparco and Momo are genuine motorsport brands. In this category, provenance matters — the cheaper unbranded gloves on Amazon do not feel the same and will not last. Buy once, buy properly.
