In an extreme sport like parkour, you need the right accessories that will help you perform better and faster. Before we move further onto the various tips to choosing the best parkour gloves, let us first dig deeper into the Parkour sport so that we can understand why the gloves are important. Parkour is a sport or physical training that develops one’s ability to overcome obstacles (both physical and mental). It involves movement that will help if one is in a reach or escape emergency situations. With that said, we now know that having the right parkour gloves is not only important, but also determines the safety of your hands. Below are some tips to consider before getting yourself a pair of parkour gloves.
- The material used
Parkour can be practiced in various places. When considering the right parkour gloves, your material preference will be informed by the kind of places that you fancy to train during parkour practice. The type of material that is suitable in the wild or mountains is definitely not the type that would be prescribed for people who train in the gym or indoor arenas. If you are going for durability and endurance, leather parkour gloves are the way to go.
- Comfort of The Glove
People have diverse preferences when it comes to gloves. You might be more comfortable in fingerless gloves. However, to be on the safe side, it is better to have a pair of each especially because of the climate change. When wearing the gloves, you want to always be comfortable. As much as the fingerless gloves can be more comfortable, wearing them when there is a cold weather or when in cold areas could end up numbing your fingers slowing you down and hindering you from improving. It all comes down to personal preference.
- Weight of the Gloves
In most cases, people with wider, thicker and stronger hands (especially men) tend to get gloves that consist of thicker material or more of it, so that they can last longer. This adds to the weight of men’s gloves compared to women’s gloves. Even for the larger sized women’s gloves, the weight is kept light. If the gloves are too heavy, they will most probably slow you down as most weight will be directed to the hands.
- Wrist Strap Used
It is very important (emphasis on “Very Important”) that the wrist strap of your parkour glove is firm. The parkour sport is extreme and intense which means that you would be sweating most of the time. If the strap is not firm enough when doing some of these forceful exercises, the probability of the glove slipping off is high. This may lead to tripping, which may cause serious injuries and that’s why ensuring that the strap is firm is really important. The strip should also not be too tight as this may interfere with the blood circulation to your hands.
- Consider the price
Parkour gloves provide a very powerful grip. However, over time the grip will weaken because of friction against different surfaces. With this in mind, you will find that gloves will need to be replaced as often as your shoes. This means that if you wear them regularly, it most definitely won’t be a one time purchase. As had mentioned earlier, if you are going for durability and endurance, leather parkour gloves are the best option.Alternatively go for the relatively cheap ones to avoid spending too much on a product that needs regular replacement.
Parkour gloves are an essential accessory when doing the extreme sports as they protect your hands from injury. When choosing the right parkour gloves for you, it always comes down to your preference, taste and what makes you feel comfortable.