A modern car forgives a loose glove. A classic one does not: a wood-rimmed wheel, unassisted steering and no air conditioning all put more demand on what is between your hand and the road. Here is what to look for.

What makes a driving glove right for a classic car?

Thinness and fit. The glove has to be thin enough that you can still feel the wheel's rim through it, and cut close enough that no leather bunches in your palm when you turn. That is why classic-car drivers reach for the same close-cut, unlined gloves that racing drivers have always worn.

Should the glove be lined or unlined?

Unlined, for driving itself. A lining adds thickness between your palm and the wheel, which is the opposite of what you want at speed on a wood rim. Keep a lined pair for getting in and out of the car, or for winter driving in a garage, and switch to an unlined pair once you are at the wheel.

Why do so many classic-car gloves have a crochet or perforated back?

Heat. A full panel of leather across the back of the hand traps warmth, and a car with no air conditioning and a hot engine close by gets warm fast. A crochet back, or a perforated one, lets air through while the palm stays solid leather for grip. It is also simply the look most people associate with vintage motoring — our camel deerskin crochet-back gloves keep that shape.

Which leather suits a classic car best?

Deerskin. It is soft from the first wear, breathable, and the hardest-wearing leather we use, so it holds up to years of gripping the same wheel. Ours comes from Finland. Peccary and lambskin both make a fine driving glove too, but deerskin is the one built for daily use behind the wheel.

Full-finger or fingerless for a classic car?

Full-finger, if the glove's job is grip on an unassisted wheel — it covers the whole hand and gives you the most control. Fingerless gloves leave the fingertips free for a switch or a dial, which some owners like on a car with small, closely-set controls, but you give up some grip in the trade.

Which colour looks right on an older car?

Tan, cognac and black are the three that read as period-correct against most classic interiors, whatever the car's own colour. A two-tone pair, such as our black and white deerskin driving gloves or our cognac and tan deerskin gloves, echoes the two-tone leather seats and dashboards common in cars from the same era. Black on its own works with almost anything.

How tight should the glove fit at the wheel?

Snug, with no loose leather across the palm or at the fingertips — that looseness is exactly what a wheel will catch and bunch. Unlined deerskin relaxes slightly with wear, so if you are between two sizes, take the smaller one. Measure around the knuckles, excluding the thumb, and check our sizing chart: men's sizes run 7.5 to 10, women's 6.5 to 8.5.

Can I get a pair made to match my car's interior?

Yes. Tell us the leather, colour and stitching you have in mind, and we make the pair to your measurements. The workshop needs up to five days, and delivery within the EU takes 8–12 days in total. Made-to-measure pairs cannot be returned, so we would rather get your size right with you first than guess.

Where can I see the full range?

In our driving gloves collection, where every leather, colour and back style sits side by side. Every pair is cut and sewn by hand in our workshop in Târgu Mureș, Transylvania — a town that has made gloves since 1925 — and our hand-sewn models take up to eight hours per pair.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lined glove for a classic car in winter?

Only away from the wheel. Wear a lined pair to get in, out and warmed up, then switch to an unlined driving glove once you are moving, so you keep the feel of the wheel.

Is a crochet back less durable than solid leather?

The palm, which takes almost all the wear, is solid leather on every crochet-back model we make. The crochet sits only on the back of the hand, where it barely touches anything.

What is the difference between deerskin and peccary for driving?

Deerskin is the hardest-wearing leather we use and the natural choice for a glove used often. Peccary is softer still from the first wear, at a higher price, and suits someone who wants the lightest possible feel of the wheel.

Can I order a colour that is not listed?

Yes. We make gloves to order in any of our leathers, in any size and colour, including a pair matched to your car's interior.

How do I care for driving gloves used often?

Wipe off dust and road grime with a damp cloth, let them dry away from direct heat, and apply a leather conditioner every few months. Unlined deerskin needs little else.

Free shipping across the European Union, delivered in 3–7 days with tracking included. Outside the EU: €30, free over €200 — €50 to Australia, New Zealand, India and Vietnam. Customs duties may apply outside the EU.