The short answer is yes — touchscreen motorcycle gloves are worth it, provided the manufacturer hasn't compromised the leather to add the feature. That caveat matters more than most riders realize.
Here's the problem with cheap touchscreen gloves: they add a large conductive patch across the palm or thumb that changes how the leather sits on your hand, creates a thinner spot vulnerable to abrasion, and often peels after 20 washes. The best implementations do the opposite — they integrate conductive thread only at the fingertip, so the glove works exactly like a standard deerskin glove, except you can answer your phone without pulling over.
How Touchscreen Gloves Actually Work
Your phone's screen responds to the weak electrical charge carried by your body — specifically your fingertip. Regular leather insulates against that charge, which is why you can't operate a touchscreen with a gloved finger. Conductive thread, woven from silver or carbon fiber, restores that electrical connection.
The better-executed versions — like those used in the Legendary deerskin short-wrist touchscreen gloves — limit the conductive thread to the index finger and thumb tips, exactly where you interact with a screen. This approach changes nothing about the fit, feel, or durability of the glove. The thread is stitched in during construction, not applied as an afterthought.
What to Look For (and Avoid)
Look for: Conductive thread integrated into fingertip seams. Clean stitching with no visible patches. Deerskin or goatskin leather (both flex well at the fingertip for accurate tapping). Consistent thickness across the palm and fingers.
Avoid: Large glued-on conductive panels. Synthetic palm materials on otherwise leather gloves. Any touchscreen feature that comes with a thinner fingertip than the rest of the glove. Gloves where the touchscreen capability is listed as a footnote rather than a core design decision.
Deerskin vs. Cowhide for Touchscreen Use
Deerskin has a natural advantage here. Because deerskin conforms precisely to your hand, there's less dead material at the fingertip — which means you get better screen contact with less pressure. Cowhide gloves can have fingertips that don't fully conform to your finger, creating a slight gap between the leather and the screen that reduces sensitivity.
The Legendary Deerskin Aramid Lined Short Wrist Touchscreen gloves take this further — Kevlar-equivalent aramid lining adds cut resistance without changing the fingertip behavior of the deerskin exterior. You get the touchscreen sensitivity of deerskin with a reinforced liner for added abrasion protection. Learn more about how deerskin outperforms other leathers for motorcycle use.
Real-World Use Cases
The practical case for touchscreen gloves is straightforward: you stop less. Whether you're checking navigation, silencing a call, or swiping to a different playlist, a touchscreen-capable glove means you can do it at a light without pulling gloves off and on. That's not a luxury — it's a safety consideration. Fumbling with gloves while traffic moves is a distraction.
For riders who rely on phone-based navigation, touchscreen capability is essentially non-optional at this point. The alternative is handlebar mounts with physical buttons, which work until they don't, or pulling over every time you need to interact with your device.
Our Touchscreen Glove Options
The Legendary Deerskin Short Wrist Touchscreen Gloves are the entry point — classic American-made deerskin in a short-wrist profile with conductive fingertips. They work on any capacitive screen and break in to a custom fit within a week of riding.
If you want added protection, the aramid-lined version offers Kevlar-equivalent cut resistance with the same touchscreen functionality. Browse all options in the motorcycle gloves collection to find the configuration that fits your riding style.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are touchscreen motorcycle gloves worth it?
Yes — when done correctly. The best touchscreen motorcycle gloves use conductive thread only at the fingertip, leaving the leather structure unchanged. Avoid gloves with large conductive patches across the palm, which weaken the material.
Do touchscreen gloves work on motorcycle GPS?
Yes. A quality touchscreen glove will register taps and swipes on any capacitive touchscreen — phones, GPS units, handlebar-mounted displays. The key is sensitivity at the fingertip, not the palm.
Do touchscreen gloves compromise protection?
Not if the glove is well-made. The conductive thread is integrated into the fingertip seam and doesn't affect leather thickness or abrasion resistance. Poorly made versions use thin patches that can delaminate over time.