Best gloves for crossfit, pull ups and rope climbing

Should you use crossfit workout gloves or not?

Whether or not you should wear gloves for your exercise sessions is a matter of personal preference, but most CrossFitters have a strong opinion on this topic, and usually it is on both sides of the spectrum. While some consider wearing gloves just as normal as wearing a belt for their training, other consider it a manly thing to train without them.

Actually, it all depends on whether you find your gloves comfortable during training and whether they keep the hands from developing callouses and suffering ruptures during the weightlifting, toes-to-bar and rope climbing sessions. Here they are:

Our Picks: Top 6 Best Crossfit Gloves Reviews

Of course, it is important to find the best gloves for CrossFit, which do not hinder your performance, and which provide the best comfort and protection for your hands and wrists. We have tested and picked our top picks for the best CrossFit, pull up and rope climbing gloves on the market.

Leather Padding Cross Training Gloves with Wrist Support (Wrist Guard)

These are among our top favorite rope climbing and CrossFit pull up gloves, because of the following characteristics:

  • They are suitable for both men and women
  • Durable and with sufficient padding provided by the neoprene and the added leather layer will keep the hands from growing calluses and blisters
  • They can easily be adjusted to the size and shape of the wrist due to the comfortable Velcro closure strips
  • The neoprene material has an anti-sweat property which allows for the hands stay dry even during very intensive workouts. This provides for extra safety for the CrossFitter and a comfortable feel
  • The special design of the palm allows for a safe and stronger grip
  • The integrated wrist wraps provide excellent support and improve the performance, as well as help prevent injuries

These Mava gloves are perfect both for male and female athletes. They are comfortable, do not get in the way during WODs, and keep the hands dry, protected from blisters, calluses and ruptures. Also, they provide an excellent grip and the integrated wrist wraps add extra support.

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Bionic StableGrip 1/2 Finger Fitness Gloves

These are also great for CrossFit, rope climbing and pull ups for a number of reasons. Here are some of the characteristics we liked best:

  • The improved grip and excellent durability due to the unique anatomical relief padding system, as well as its ability to protect the hands from growing calluses and blisters during WODs
  • They have special antimicrobial treatment which helps keep the hands protected from germs and odors
  • The added wrist support from the Lite-Prene form fitting wrist closure
  • The moisture and sweat wicking Polytowel thumbs
  • The unique, patented finger design, which are pre-rotated and allow for the natural closure of the hands even when wearing the gloves, and reduces the fatigue in the hands and forearms even during the most intensive WODs
  • The plush top which is very handy for wiping sweat during a workout

Overall, the workout gloves by Bionic are superbly comfortable, extremely durable and offer excellent protection to the hands and wrists. They will definitely help improve your overall CrossFit performance while keeping your hands dry, safe and less fatigued.

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The Anti-Ripper Glove | Fit Four Callus Guard Fitness Gloves

These workout gloves are another top choice for those of you who are either CrossFit beginners or experienced weightlifting and cross training athletes. Here is how they won us over:

  • They are handmade and of very high quality Cabretta leather and Lycra
  • They feature a patented minimalist callus guard for the four fingers and which covers only the parts of the hand which are prone to blistering and calluses
  • They are extremely lightweight, breathable and yet durable
  • They are very easy to slip on and off
  • They offer a comfortable compression fit
  • They are suitable for both male and female CrossFitters, and come in different sizes

These  are very light, breathable and yet the high quality leather provides excellent protection for the hands during intensive WODs. They are flexible and yet provide safety and stability during workouts. They have been designed especially for weightlifting, pull ups, rope climbing and fitness training. We highly recommend also getting a pair of shoes for your crossfit workouts.

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Emerge Grips – PULL UP CROSSFIT GRIPS

We chose these specialized gloves for CrossFit as one of the best because they have the following amazing features:

  • They offer a tight and comfortable fit and excellent callus guards made of comfortable and durable textured leather, even though in some cases some break-in is necessary for the leather to stretch in accordance to the size and shape of the hands
  • They are breathable
  • The PVC leather and the silicone printing on the inside offer an excellent grip for better performance and added safety during WODs
  • They are available in various sizes and you can use the easy size guide to get the best one for you
  • They have adaptable Velcro strips for the wrist guards
  • They come with a 100% money back guarantee, so if for some reason you are not happy with them you can just return them and you will get refunded, or your gloves will be replaced if you wish

These are excellent for both men and women who do CrossFit. They will keep your hands dry, safe from painful and ruptured calluses, and will provide you with an excellent grip which will only improve your performance.

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Bionic PerformanceGrip Full Finger Fitness Gloves

Similar to the half fingered model by Bionic from our list, these too impressed us with a wide number of different qualities combined into their design and making, including:

  • The additional anatomical relief pads on the full fingers for added comfort
  • The antimicrobial barrier of the full finger technology
  • The sweat wicking and moisture managing Polytowel thumb
  • The added support by the form fitting Lite-Prene closure of the wrist
  • The excellent grip provided by the padding system, which also helps prevent the appearance of painful calluses and blisters
  • The added comfort and flexibility from the Lycra web and motion zones


In conclusion, they look and feel great, and at the same time they provide the protection, the strong grip and support so necessary for CrossFitters. They will keep your hands dry, smooth and less fatigued after a strenuous workout.

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GymPaws-Leather – Neoprene Weightlifting Grips

If you need grips that don’t restrict movement, try on these. They are slightly padded to protect calluses. The leather palm ensures firm grip. The neoprene finger loops has some elasticity so they can accomodate both small and large fingers (one sizes fits all). They would fit men, women and even youth.
So, if your hands sweat during workouts with standard gloves, you should definitely consider these grips!

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Features of the best crossfit gloves

The best workout gloves for pull ups and CrossFit rope climbing must have:

  • Proper protection of the palms, hands and wrists during vigorous WODs. If you specifically are looking for improved wrist support, then look specifically for such a function.
  • They must provide sufficient grip for a better performance and for your safety’s sake. Be careful about the types of materials used for the making of the gloves, and whether it is not too slippery.
  • The fit should be tight and comfortable.
  • The padding enough to keep the palms from developing or rupturing calluses and blisters.
  • Choose flexible gloves, so that your normal hand and arm movements are not hindered during the workout of the day.
  • Pick a pair which is breathable and with sweat and moisture control – this will help keep your hands dry and comfortable, and will prevent slipping and possible injuries during the strenuous exercises.