If your hands sweat when you climb, you know how stressful it can be to attempt bigger and better climbs while worrying about slipping.
Maybe you‘ve tried home remedies and all the different products designed to reduce sweating. You might have used so much chalk and tape you wish you‘d bought stock in them.
These fixes don‘t work for everyone. Some of them, like an electrical treatment, can be uncomfortable and a little nerve-wracking. Sweat loosens tape and makes climbing more dangerous. Chalk works well until you have to keep applying it. When you have the urge to re-chalk after every move, you know you‘ve got a sweat problem.
Some anti-sweat gloves keep your hands from getting slick and slipping off, but they‘re stiff enough you might still have a hard time achieving a good grip.
Fingerless gloves for sweaty hands offer the best of both worlds: protection from sweat and more dexterity than full-finger gloves usually offer. Keep reading for my pick of the best rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands.
Can You Rock Climb If You Have Sweaty Hands?
You can rock climb if you have sweaty hands, but you‘ll have to learn to overcome the problems that sweaty palms and fingers will cause.
If you have a condition known as hyperhidrosis, gloves will make your hands sweat even more. As long as you make sure to secure the glove around your wrist, this shouldn‘t affect your grip. However, you may want to see your doctor about the medication used to treat the condition.
If you already suffer from excessive sweating, climbing stress and physical exertion will only make that worse.
Some people who don‘t usually have problems with their hands sweating discover that climbing makes their hands sweat, sometimes to excess. Liquid and regular chalk, purchased hand antiperspirants, and other products designed to prevent sweating are available and might help.
Gloves designed for climbing, especially leather or synthetic leather gloves, will provide you a solid grip no matter how much your hands sweat. You won‘t have to reapply chalk every move or two or worry about side effects from home remedies or products that claim to keep your skin drier.
Top Rock Climbing Gloves for Sweaty Hand
- Best for Overall Protection: Black Diamond Crag Half-Finger Climbing Gloves
- Best for Crack Climbing: Ocun Crack Climbing Gloves
- Best for Durability: ClimbX Crack Climbing Gloves
- Best for General Purpose: Intra-FIT Climbing Gloves
- Best for Comfort: Singing Rock Grippy ¾ Leather Glove
- Best Rappelling, Belaying, and Ropes: Metolius 3/4 Climbing Glove
Comparison Chart:
| Image | Product | Technical Spec | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
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Best for Overall Protection
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Black Diamond Crag Half-Finger Climbing Gloves |
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Check Price |
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Best for Crack Climbing
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Ocun Crack Climbing Gloves |
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Check Price |
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Best for Durability
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ClimbX Super Crack Gloves |
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Check Price |
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Best for General Purpose
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Intra-FIT Climbing Gloves |
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Check Price |
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Best for Comfort
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Singing Rock Grippy ¾ Leather Glove |
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Check Price |
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Best for Rappelling, Belaying, and Ropes
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Metolius ¾ Climbing Glove |
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Check Price |
1. Best for Overall Protection: Black Diamond Crag Half-Finger Climbing Gloves
If your hands sweat when you climb, Black Diamond Crag Half-Finger Climbing Gloves will keep your grip dry and sure. These half-finger gloves are our top pick for overall climbing protection.
Black Diamond Crag Half-Finger Climbing Gloves protect your hands from the rocks you‘re climbing, and they also protect you from the sun. The full coverage on the back means you won‘t sweat off the sunscreen you apply to the back of your hands and end up with red, sore skin.
The material is a lightweight, stretchy mesh that lets air in to help keep your hands cooler and drier than some other materials.
A layer of synthetic leather provides a good grip, while knuckle padding keeps your hand comfortable. A reinforced thumb crotch and index finger keep the gloves like new longer. They come with a finger loop that makes removing them quick and easy, even with the wettest hands.
Their high CE certification shows that it‘ll take more than your everyday climbs to wear through these gloves.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Hand Circumference: 7.25” – 10”
- Weight: 1.88 Ounces
- Materials: Synthetic Leather, Cotton, Spandex, Nylon
- Certification: CE certified to EN 420 and EN 388 (2131)
- Sizes: XS to XL
Final Thoughts
Synthetic leather Black Diamond Half-Finger Gloves make an excellent alternative to leather or other fabrics. They might not protect or mold to your hand quite as well as leather, but they‘re protective and make ideal rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands.
2. Best for Crack Climbing: Ocun Crack Climbing Gloves
Fans of crack climbing can keep the back of their hands from getting scraped and injured with Ocun Crack Climbing Gloves. Finger and thumb loops take the place of half-finger or full-finger designs to allow for maximum dexterity and better touch sensation.
The synthetic rubber material gives you maximum grip for better jamming. Yet, the microfiber suede patch cushions your knuckles to make crack climbing more comfortable than it‘s ever been.
Ocun Crack Climbing Gloves can be used for outdoor jamming or indoors and work just as well on outdoor crags or practice walls. The thinness and relatively low coverage mean you can navigate thinner cracks than you could with gloves that cover your palm and fingers while still keeping part of your hands protected.
The quick-release Velcro fastenings hidden beneath a thin rubber strip at the wrist are an excellent safety feature. The covered Velcro prevents the glove from becoming loosened or completely unfastened if you catch the edge against a rock.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Hand Circumference: From 6.5” – 9.3”
- Weight: 2 oz.
- Materials: Synthetic Rubber and Microfiber Suede
- Sizes: XS to XL
Final Thoughts
If you‘re looking for gloves for sweaty hands, the Ocun Crack Climbing Gloves can keep the back of your hand from slipping or getting injured while in a crack. You may still need chalk for your palm and fingers with this or any other glove designed for crack climbing.
3. Best for Durability: ClimbX Super Crack Gloves
ClimbX Super Crack Gloves offer maximum protection for the back of your hand, along with the stickiest rubber to help you jam with confidence. These gloves are a simple design with one purpose: to help you jam into the tightest cracks while protecting your hands from injury.
ClimbX gloves aren‘t necessarily anti-sweat gloves, but if you have sweaty hands and want to crack climb, the climbing boot rubber they‘re made from will help you keep your grip on any rock texture. A bare sweaty hand could easily slip, particularly in smoother cracks, but the rubber used in these gloves hangs on tight no matter how slick the back of your hand gets.
The genuine climbing boot rubber in these gloves will mold to your hands after you‘ve used them for a while to achieve the best fit possible to your hands better.
Unlike other crack gloves, the finger and thumb loops aren‘t elastic that can stretch out and loosen or wear fast when rubbing against rock. The rubber used to make the gloves is thick enough to provide cushioning and comfort without the bulk that makes narrow cracks a challenge.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Weight: 3.5 oz.
- Materials: Climbing Boot Rubber
- Sizes: S to XL
Final Thoughts
If jamming into the trickiest cracks is your goal when crack climbing, these ClimbX rubber crack climbing gloves will give you an excellent grip, no matter how much your hands sweat.
4. Best for General Purpose: Intra-FIT Climbing Gloves
Intra-FIT Climbing Gloves made from Spandex and faux leather let your hands breathe more than rubber or genuine leather. These materials make them some of the best rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands on the market.
Unlike leather or rubber gloves, they‘ll more readily absorb sweat instead of letting it pool inside the glove, which keeps your hands drier and more comfortable. Synthetic leather is long-lasting and needs less oil and care than genuine leather, making these some of the most fuss-free climbing equipment you can buy.
They‘re padded inside for comfort and reinforced across the palm and thumb crotch to stand up to wear and tear. The thumb and index finger are extra reinforced, making rope work more comfortable.
Open fingers won‘t interfere with your sensitivity, and they‘re easy to pull on properly with a pull tab on the palm. Magic tape secures the cuff that has a carabiner hole built-in.
The Spandex back stretches and lets your hands breathe, making these great gloves for sweaty hands. If your hands sweat, your face and neck probably do, too. The terry cloth thumb back for sweat wiping is an extra feature that‘s perfect in a pair of anti-sweat gloves.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Dimensions: 25”
- Weight: 3.99 oz.
- Materials: Synthetic Leather, Spandex
- Certification: CE certified to EN 388 and EN 420
- Sizes: XS to XL
Final Thoughts
Stretchy Spandex lets your hands breathe, while a terry cloth thumb back for sweat wiping makes Insta-FIT gloves for sweaty hands a great all-around choice.
5. Best for Comfort: Singing Rock Grippy ¾ Leather Glove
Buttery leather with a reinforced palm makes Singing Rock Grippy ¾ Leather Gloves some of the most comfortable rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands you can buy. Because they don‘t fit skin tight like some other gloves, your hands have more room to breathe inside the leather.
A Velcro closure offers a secure fit around your wrist, and a large pull loop makes it easy to get them on and off. The loop‘s perfect for attaching your leather climbing gloves to your belt with a carabiner to keep your gear in one place.
The palm area is reinforced along with the lower finger area to make these gloves for sweaty hands durable whether you‘re climbing indoor walls or jamming into narrow cracks.
Singing Rock gloves stood up to climbing tests in Yosemite. They‘re perfect for wall climbing and climbing via ferrata since the leather has been certified to stand up to rough rock and ropes for extended climbs.
This Grippy ¾ Leather Glove offers better sensitivity with exposed fingertips and the ability to get your fingers into tighter areas on the rock face. Singing Rock makes a version of these leather climbing gloves that are full-fingered that might be better for rappelling and belaying if you find ¾ finger gloves expose too much skin.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Weight: 4.9 oz.
- Materials: Cowhide leather
- Certification: CE certified to EN 388 and EN 420
- Sizes: 8, 9, 10, 11
Final Thoughts
For climbing via ferrata, wall-climbing, and general use, Singing Rock Grippy leather climbing gloves offer superb comfort and durability.
6. Best for Rappelling, Belaying, and Ropes: Metolius ¾ Climbing Glove
The Metolius ¾ Climbing Glove, with its thick cowhide leather and reinforced palm, can stand up the toughest rope and rocks. Despite the soft feel of the leather, these gloves were built to last with triple-stitched reinforcements across the palm. The glove seams and finger openings are double-stitched to prevent splitting and fraying.
The wrist closes tight with an easy-to-secure hook and loop closure. Lead and clean without losing dexterity, thanks to the 3/4 finger length and the reinforced, padded thumb saddle. A loop inside the cuff lets you attach them to any hook or carabiner for handy access.
Whether you‘re practicing on a wall or jamming cracks, these leather rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands will protect your hands. Leather doesn‘t breathe like synthetic materials, so your hands may sweat more when you wear them. However, the wrist closure will keep the gloves from slipping and ensure you have a solid grip.
Fingerless leather climbing gloves leave you with as much dexterity as possible while keeping your hands and knuckles from getting scraped and cut. Leather climbing gloves like these Metolius ¾ Climbing Gloves also provide the advantage of a stickier grip than some slicker synthetic materials.
Technical Details and Specifications
- Hand Circumference: 6.25” – 10”
- Weight: 4.3 oz.
- Materials: Cowhide Leather
- Sizes: XS to XL
Final Thoughts
The premium split-grain cowhide protection keeps even nylon ropes from cutting these gloves. The tighter fit of these leather climbing gloves offers a grip you can count on, even with sweaty hands.
Buying Guide
How to choose the best rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands depends on the type of climbing you do and how much your hands tend to sweat under those conditions.
Some people whose hands don‘t sweat much might be comfortable not wearing any gloves at all, especially for wall climbing. Others might want full-finger gloves for maximum coverage.
Type of Rock Climbing
You can‘t discount how you climb and where when you‘re choosing gloves for sweaty hands. You can use a good, general-purpose climbing glove for everything from crack climbing to climbing via ferrata.
However, if you tend to do one type of climbing most often, you can pick gloves designed for that purpose and get a better fit and grip.
Crack climbing gloves typically only protect the back of your hand while leaving your palm and fingers bare. Unless you primarily crack climb, a glove with palm coverage might be a better choice for sweaty hands. A good crack climbing glove offers a grip inside cracks with the material on the back of your hand, but a sweaty palm and fingers won‘t help your climb.
If you plan to use crack climbing gloves for sweaty hands, be prepared to tape and chalk liberally on your climb. On the opposite end of the spectrum, for rappelling, belaying, or other rope work, you‘ll want a glove with ¾ or full fingers.
Full fingers and features like a reinforced palm and thumb saddle protects your hands from rope fiction while providing a safe grip. Fingerless or ¾ finger gloves protect your hands and keep sweat from interfering with your ability to grip the rock.
Materials
Synthetic materials like rayon, nylon, and Spandex let your hands breathe and make an obvious choice of material for gloves for sweaty hands. Genuine leather, on the other hand, doesn‘t breathe and can make sweating worse. Synthetic fibers also offer stretch and flexibility that materials like rubber and leather can‘t.
However, sweating inside a leather glove won‘t affect your grip as much as you might imagine because of the natural molding of the glove to your hand. If your hands get damp inside the gloves, the glove will tend to stick to your skin, often improving your grip.
Only you know how much your hands sweat when you climb, so you‘re the best judge of whether a breathable material will be necessary for the gloves you choose. Real or synthetic rubber offers even less breathability than leather, but the trade-off is its stickiness that comes in handy, particularly in crack climbing.
When you‘re choosing rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands, you also need to consider the thickness of the gloves. Thinner materials mean less between your hand and the rock, so you have increased sensitivity. You‘ll also be able to crack climb in narrower cracks with thinner gloves. Thicker gloves, however, offer better skin protection.
Fit
Because synthetic fibers stretch, even a tight-fitting glove can be comfortable to wear on a climb. A leather glove that‘s too tight, on the other hand, can be a distraction. Leather won‘t stretch much over time, though it will break in a little after extended use. Rubber will conform to your hand with use but offers almost no stretch as your hand moves.
If you can try on genuine leather ¾ finger gloves or a rubber crack climbing glove before you buy, you‘ll probably get a better fit. Since these materials don‘t stretch, buy a size bigger than you think you‘ll need and come down if necessary. Even if you could wear a smaller size, sometimes slightly looser fitting gloves offer some airflow around your skin for sweaty hands.
Most climbing gloves detail the hand circumference that fits best in each size. Some manufacturers choose standard glove sizes instead. Measure your hand or learn your standard glove size to give yourself a starting point in finding the best fit.
Full-finger or ¾-length
When you‘re choosing gloves for sweaty hands, you can opt for fingerless or full-finger gloves. Fingerless gloves, or what‘s known as ¾ finger length gloves, give you the benefit of having your fingertips bare. These gloves are the closest thing to bare-handed climbing you can get while still having the hand protection of a regular glove.
Gloves with ¾ finger length also allow your hands to breathe more than full-finger gloves, even in materials that don‘t breathe well, like leather. These rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands allow air in around the finger holes, which can keep your hands drier.
Full-finger gloves provide total protection but may hinder your sense of touch and dexterity. Better coverage is ideal for especially rough surfaces, rappelling, and belaying. While your hands might sweat more in a full-finger glove, one with a secure fit around the wrist will stay in place and keep your hands from slipping.
Fingerless gloves for sweaty hands or gloves that have ¾ fingers offer a compromise between bare-handed climbing and gloves that can interfere with your dexterity. Before buying anti-sweat gloves, decide which benefits are your priorities, whether it‘s protection or a better grip for crack climbing.
Setting those priorities will help you choose the ideal glove for your climbing adventures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to use gloves for sweaty hands when rock climbing?
It‘s safe to use rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands. The gloves provide a buffer between your skin and the climbing surface, which increases the safety of your climb.
Using anti-sweat gloves keeps your slick skin from slipping on any surface as you try to grip and pull yourself up.
Gloves might not keep your hands from sweating, and they might even increase your sweating, but they‘ll provide a dry, sure grip no matter how wet your hands get.
Should I have more than one kind of anti-sweat gloves for climbing?
Having more than one kind of gloves for sweaty hands can help improve your climbing experience. For instance, crack climbing gloves won‘t help you when you need to rappel or belay. You‘ll need a more protective glove for rope work.
In some situations, you might want more than one kind of glove designed for the same purpose. Some will provide a better fit under certain circumstances.
A crack climbing glove, full-finger gloves, and ¾ finger gloves should be enough to cover every type of climbing scenario you‘ll encounter.
How can I keep my hands from sweating inside rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands?
You can help keep your hands from sweating inside rock climbing gloves with a few different methods. You could choose to use antiperspirant designed for climbers‘ hands.
Chalk inside the gloves might help a little, and other over-the-counter products designed to inhibit hand sweat might work for you.
If heavy sweating becomes a serious problem, talk to your doctor. Iontophoresis, a type of medical treatment for excessive sweating, might provide some relief after several weeks of treatment.
Are there gloves for sweaty hands that work better in hot weather when my hands sweat even more?
Some materials used to make gloves for sweaty hands are more comfortable in the summer, like breathable rayon, nylon, and mesh materials.
While leather and rubber offer some of the best hand protection while climbing, they don‘t breathe. These materials provide more warmth in the winter but can cause anyone‘s hands to sweat more on hot summer days.
Conclusion
Sometimes there‘s nothing you can do to stop your hands from sweating. Fortunately, if you‘re wearing some of the best rock climbing gloves for sweaty hands, you‘ll feel the dampness without it getting in the way of your grip.
Never again let your hand slip from its hold because it‘s slick with sweat when you‘re wearing leather climbing gloves or other anti-sweat gloves designed to help you hang on tight no matter what.
