Motorcycle gloves in Canada: EN 13594 Level 1 vs 2, KP knuckle protection, summer, winter and gauntlet picks

Your hands hit the road first, and the label on a glove tells you less than the product page implies. The European standard for motorcycle gloves is EN 13594, and it grades a glove at Level 1 or Level 2. A separate marking, KP, says the knuckle protector was tested. In ALLR’s Canadian catalog, only 39.8% of glove pages (3,335 of 8,377) state EN 13594 at all, and just 50 state Level 2 (ALLR data, counted 2026-10-21). This guide explains what the levels test, how to choose between summer, winter and gauntlet gloves, how to size them, and what the examples cost landed in Canada.

What EN 13594 tests

EN 13594:2015 is the European standard for protective gloves for motorcycle riders. SATRA, the testing body, says the standard draws on established tests from EN 388 and adds motorcycle-specific ones, including abrasion after an impact (the glove is abraded on a Cambridge machine with a P120 grit belt, which models a rider sliding along the road) and a restraint test that checks the glove is not pulled off the hand in a crash. SATRA adds that many consider the standard difficult to meet, with seam strength among the harder requirements (SATRA, EN 13594 overview).

Two performance levels are specified: Level 1 for gloves that protect while keeping ergonomic penalties low, and Level 2 for gloves giving greater protection, with possible weight and restriction penalties (SATRA, EN 13594:2015). The differences SATRA lists are concrete:

What KP means, and what it does not

KP is the marking for knuckle protection that has been impact tested. Because that testing is optional at Level 1 and mandatory at Level 2, a Level 1 glove with KP has been tested on the knuckles, a Level 1 glove without it may or may not have padding, and a Level 2 glove has necessarily been through the knuckle test. SATRA also notes that impact protection is a claim the maker chooses to test, so a certified glove is not automatically a knuckle-protected one. The same pattern applies to jackets and boots, covered in our EN 17092 and armour levels guide.

How common is each label? ALLR records what retailers state:

“Not stated” is not the same as “not certified”. Many retailers leave the standard off, so check the label inside the cuff or ask the store before ruling a glove out. Level 2 is rare in the catalog and concentrated in race gloves, which suits its stiffer, longer-cuff design.

Summer, winter and gauntlet: pick by ride

The standard is the same across seasons, so choose the construction for the weather and then confirm the label. Prices below are the lowest listed landed price to Canada on each product page, in CA$ and excluding GST/HST/PST, read on 2026-10-21.

• Summer: perforated leather or mesh gloves move air across the hand. They are lighter and cooler but offer less rain and cold protection. Pair them with a ventilated kit from our hot-weather gear guide.
• Winter: insulated, membrane-lined gloves hold heat, and heated gloves add a power draw. The alternator math is in the cold-weather guide. Bulk costs dexterity, so check you can feel the levers.
• Gauntlet: a long cuff made to sit over a jacket sleeve. Riders choose it for wind and rain on touring and adventure bikes, and it pairs with a jacket that has a wide cuff opening.
• Short cuff vs long cuff: under the standard, the cuff must reach at least 5 mm (Level 1) or 50 mm (Level 2) above the wrist line, so even a “short” Level 2 glove has a longer cuff than a Level 1 one.

Sizing a motorcycle glove

SATRA notes that gloves must follow the EN 420 sizing system or another suitable system described in the user information, so charts differ by brand. The common method is to measure around the knuckles of your dominant hand, excluding the thumb, and compare with the brand’s own chart; our sizing guide walks through the EU-to-US conversion and the traps in it. Fit matters for safety as well as comfort, because the restraint test assumes the glove is snug on the hand: a loose glove is the one that comes off. Between sizes, take the one that lets the fingers reach the palm without bunching. Women’s and youth cuts are listed on the women’s gear guide and in the gloves catalog.

Buying gloves from outside Canada

Canada’s tariff classifies a glove by the material of its outer shell, whatever armour sits underneath (CBSA Memorandum D10-14-29). In the 2026 Customs Tariff, leather gloves under 4203.29.90 carry a 15.5% general rate and knitted synthetic gloves under 6116.93.00 an 18% rate, both listed “Free” for goods originating in the US, the EU or the UK. ALLR’s estimate uses 15.5% for leather and 18% for textile shells; a race-only leather glove may classify lower, so the real duty can differ. A single pair is often small enough for the courier relief on US shipments (up to CA$150 is duty-free, though taxes and the courier’s fee still apply above CA$40); ALLR’s landed estimate models that relief: no duty up to CA$150 on a US-shipped pair, but it still counts a CA$25 courier brokerage fee above CA$40. The thresholds are in our Canada buying guide. Work out one purchase with the import duty calculator. Browse by maker on the Alpinestars, Dainese, Klim and RST brand pages.

Check the landed price

Each product page ranks stores by landed price to Canada; the method is on the methodology page. For a full first kit, see the beginner kit under $1,000, and for boots the boots guide.