The Five Most Affordable FIA Race Gloves
FIA 8856-2018 approved from £78
The entry price for an FIA 8856-2018 race glove is £78. That is not the lowest price in the Racing Gloves category on the site, because the cheapest product there is £33.60 and it is a mechanics glove for pit lane use. Sort by price from the top and three products come before any current approved race glove: a mechanics glove, a non-FIA glove and one that is out of stock.
This page starts from the first FIA 8856-2018 approved race glove and works up to £88.80, which gives five options and a spread of £10.80.
Garreth's take, having sold a fair number of them: the £88.80 OMP First is where he would spend it on a first pair. It has been in the range longer than the Sport and fits consistently across the size run. If the ceiling is £78, the Sparco Land is the one to take, and the page will say why.
- The entry price for FIA 8856-2018 approved race gloves is £78, not the £33.60 showing first in the category
- At £78 two gloves qualify: OMP Sport (FIA only) and Sparco Land (FIA and SFI 3.3/5 dual approval)
- The Sparco Land+ adds knuckle protection for £1.20 more at £79.20
- The Land Classic at £83.40 uses suede palm patches, which give a better grip feel on longer stints
- The OMP First at £88.80 is the step Garreth would take for a first set
What the category contains and what we filtered out
Three products sort ahead of these five when you order the FIA Racing Gloves category by price. The first is the Alpinestars Engine at £33.60, a mechanics glove used by pit lane crews. It is listed here because it is issued to racing mechanics and carries FIA 8856-2018 material homologation for that purpose, but it is not an in-car competition glove and a scrutineer would not expect to see it.
The OMP New Rally at £69 is next. Its approval attribute reads “ISO 6940 Approved, Non-FIA” explicitly. ISO 6940 is a textile flammability standard, not the FIA homologation that club racing regulations ask for.
The P1 Grip 2 at £72 held FIA 8856-2000, which is the previous generation of the glove standard, but it is currently out of stock. That brings the qualifying list to £78, which is where current FIA 8856-2018 race gloves begin on this site.
The five gloves, cheapest first
| Glove | Price | Approval | Sizes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMP Sport Race Gloves | £78 | FIA 8856-2018 | XS to XL | Silicone palm print, Nomex shell |
| Sparco Land Race Gloves | £78 | FIA 8856-2018 / SFI 3.3/5 | XS to XXL | Dual approval, wider size range |
| Sparco Land + Race Gloves | £79.20 | FIA 8856-2018 / SFI 3.3/5 | XS to XXL | Land with knuckle protection added |
| Sparco Land Classic Race Gloves | £83.40 | FIA 8856-2018 / SFI 3.3/5 | XS to XXL | Suede palm patches, white or navy |
| OMP First Race Gloves | £88.80 | FIA 8856-2018 | XS to XL | Established entry model, shaped palm pad |
Prices inc VAT, verified on the site 17 September 2026.
At £78, two gloves tie for entry. The only meaningful difference between them at that price is the SFI 3.3/5 approval on the Sparco. For UK club racing, MSA events and track days, FIA 8856-2018 is the standard scrutineers ask for and both gloves have it. SFI 3.3/5 is a US standard referenced by some American and international championships. If you race across FIA and SFI-referencing series, the Sparco Land covers both with one pair.
OMP Sport Race Gloves, £78. Nomex shell throughout, silicone print on the palm for grip. Sizes run from XS to XL and they fit close. Cameron will ask for your palm measurement in centimetres before confirming a size on these. The silicone print gives good wheel feel and the FIA approval is current. There is nothing wrong with this glove at this price.
Sparco Land Race Gloves, £78. Single-panel aramid shell, the same FIA standard as the OMP, with the additional SFI certification and a size range that goes up to XXL. On feel at the wheel the two £78 options are close, and the size range is the practical difference for most buyers.
Sparco Land+ Race Gloves, £79.20. The Land with a knuckle protection strip added. £1.20 more. If the Land is the choice, spend the extra £1.20 and take this one.
Sparco Land Classic Race Gloves, £83.40. This is where the Sparco range starts doing something genuinely different. The palm uses shaped suede patches in place of flat aramid fabric. On a longer stint the grip feel is noticeably better. It comes in white or navy blue. The extra £5.40 over the plain Land is earned by the palm, not the colourway.
OMP First Race Gloves, £88.80. The First has been in the OMP race gloves range longer than the Sport and the fitment is more consistent across sizes. There is a shaped palm pad and a slightly fuller wrist closure. Garreth would spend the £10.80 over the Sport every time for a first set. The First is the glove that comes back for a second pair.
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From £78.00 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £78.00 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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From £79.20 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
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The steps worth taking
Two steps in this list earn their money. If you are going Sparco, the £5.40 from the plain Land to the Land Classic is worth spending for the suede palm. That is a genuine performance difference on a long stint, not just a cosmetic upgrade.
If you are going OMP, the £10.80 from the Sport to the First is where most drivers end up after wearing both. The Sport is a solid glove. The First is the one people order again. Above £88.80 the range adds lighter materials, different construction and reduced weight, and most club racers will not notice the change in the car.
Getting the size right
Racing gloves fit closer than ordinary gloves. The palm measurement is the one that matters: wrap a tape or a strip of paper around the widest part of your palm, below the knuckle line, and note the figure in centimetres. That number maps directly to the OMP and Sparco size charts.
OMP and Sparco size separately, and a medium in one brand is not always a medium in the other. When you call or come in, tell Cameron which glove you are looking at and he will check your measurement against the counter samples. Both brands run XS to XL as standard; the Sparco Land family extends to XXL.
Can I use these for non-competitive track days?
Yes. FIA 8856-2018 gloves are fine for track days. Some track day operators specify a minimum standard, typically FIA 8856-2000 or higher, and all five of these gloves meet it. They are more fire-resistant than ordinary driving gloves and the closer fit improves steering feel.
Do racing gloves have an expiry date?
FIA 8856-2018 does not carry a manufacture date expiry the way some older standards once did. Replace gloves when the palm is worn through, when stitching has failed, or if they have been exposed to fire. Normal wear from a club racing season is not a reason to replace them.
What is the difference between FIA 8856-2018 and SFI 3.3/5?
Both are fire resistance standards for racing gloves from different bodies. FIA 8856-2018 is the FIA standard referenced by Motorsport UK and most European national series. SFI 3.3/5 is the US standard referenced by some American and international championships. The Sparco Land family carries both approvals. For UK club racing, FIA 8856-2018 is the standard that scrutineers ask for.
We stock all five of these and can fit you to the counter samples in the showroom. Ring us on 0115 647 8650 and Cameron will go through the sizing with you, or come into the Nottingham Road site and try them on the day.
