Gloves are -all things considered- a relatively new addition to Counter-Strike. Back when they first came out, they were laughed out of the park by most people for being a ridiculous addition, but these days almost all players who invest in skins are rocking a pair of gloves. In this article, we’ll go over the most popular CS2 gloves in the professional scene.
Since almost all of the gloves that are popular in the pro scene are high tier (and thus very expensive) gloves, we will also add budget alternatives where applicable.
The most used Gloves skins by CS2 Pros
The most popular skins are calculated based on 572 professional players.Powered by 
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In order to make this list a bit different from the hundreds of lists that are based on one person’s opinion (nothing wrong with those, by the way!) we’ve chosen to use our pro player data. We’ve analyzed hundreds of professional CS2 players and their skins, and we base this list on the popularity of different gloves in the pro scene.
If you get inspired to snag a pair of gloves for yourself, feel free to read our guide on how to buy CS2 skins.
Please do note that this guide is not meant as investment advice. CS2 gloves (like all CS2 skins) fluctuate in value, but the market is wildly unpredictable, so always do your own research before buying ingame items. You should also only spend money you can afford to miss; don’t put yourself in debt for virtual skins.
Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono
In the world of CS2 gloves, Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono are among the most prestigious gloves to own. If you watch any tier 1 CS2 match, odds are there’ll be at least one player who is rocking these gloves. This makes them perhaps a bit of a ‘boring’ choice, but luckily the gloves are pattern-based to add some spice.
The red on the back of the gloves varies, and full red gloves are worth considerably more than Crimson Kimonos with little to no red. There are also the max black patterns, which are a niche in and of themselves.
In addition to all of this, there are many more nuances (how clean they look, how many black dots are present, …) which affect the value of a pair of Crimson Kimonos. If you’re interested in a breakdown of this, you can check out a detailed Steam guide on Crimson Kimono gloves.
One standout feature of these gloves is that they have a black palm and thumb area. This means that they’re not as ‘in your face’ red as some other red options out there. This makes them a great choice for people who want to have a red knife/glove combo but don’t want to have a fully red inventory. When holding a rifle, very little red will be visible if you’re wearing the Crimson Kimonos, meaning that you can easily use a rifle that doesn’t match red gloves without getting a big visual clash.
If you want to get your hands on a nice pair of Crimson Kimonos, you’ll have to spend a pretty penny. Field-Tested ones go for ~$1,800 at the time of writing. That’s for a regular float value. If you want to get a float value that’s close to Minimal Wear (see CS2 skin conditions explained) you’ll have to pay even more.
Specialist Gloves Crimson Kimono Budget Alternative
If you want to rock a red/black glove for a fraction of the price of Crimson Kimonos, you could consider the Sport Gloves Scarlet Shamagh. These gloves aren’t as slick looking as the Crimson Kimonos and they’re more ‘in your face’ red when holding weapons, but they’re definitely a great black/red budget option.
Sport Gloves Pandora’s Box
If you talk about ‘holy grail gloves’, the Sport Gloves Pandora’s Box simply have to be included in the conversation. These purple gloves draw a lot of attention, and that’s not only due to their looks. If you want to put these on in your matches, expect to pay at least $2000 for a Battle-Scarred pair. A Field-Tested pair (which is the most popular wear for gloves in general) will set you back over $5,000. Even people who don’t follow the CS2 skins scene will usually know that these are top tier.
On the palms of these gloves, you’ll find a bunch of otherworldly creatures. This adds a fun and unexpected surprise to the gloves when inspecting weapons. However, while these creatures are randomized there’s not really a market for special Pandora’s Box patterns.
These gloves are often paired with Doppler knives, but they also pair well with a number of more budget-oriented options. The Ultraviolet knife finish, for example, seems to be tailor-made for the Pandora’s Boxes.
Sport Gloves Pandora’s Box Budget Alternative
If you’re looking for a purple glove and you don’t wish to shell out thousands of dollars for a pair, you can always consider the Driver Gloves Imperial Plaid. These obviously look a lot less clean and modern than the Sport Gloves (the pattern on Driver Gloves reminds a lot of people of grandma’s picknick blanket) but they are very purple. If it’s mostly about color-matching, the Imperial Plaids will do the job just fine at a fraction of the price.
Sport Gloves Vice
Sport Gloves Vice are perhaps the most popular high tier gloves with the general public. These neon pink/blue/grey gloves can be seen in virtually every video on CS2 knife/glove combos, and that’s for a good reason. These gloves combine fantastically well with a large variety of popular CS2 knives. The pink matches Phase 2 Dopplers perfectly, for example, but you can also pair the blue with a nice Case Hardened knife. Fade Knives also pair really well with these.
Additionally, the Vice gloves can also serve as the centerpiece for neon-themed inventories. These are very popular in the skins community right now, so it’s no surprise that the Vice gloves are so well-liked.
Compared to a lot of other options in this list, the Vice gloves are a relatively affordable pair. A Field-Tested pair can be had for around $1,000.
Sport Gloves Hedge Maze
The Sport Gloves Hedge Maze look as if they come right out of a Halo game. The edges are green and white, and in the center is a maze pattern with light blue running through it. This makes it appear as if light is coming from underneath the maze pattern.
Despite the fact that Hedge Mazes are a stunning glove in their own right, they’re slightly more difficult to combo with than some other options in this list. They’re a popular choice for owners of Gamma Dopplers, particularly those who own a Phase 2 or Emerald.
When it comes to price, you’re definitely playing in the higher regions if you want to get your hands on these. A Field-Tested pair will set you back around $3,800 at the time of writing, making these gloves among the most pricey options.
Sport Gloves Hedge Maze Budget Alternatives
There’s sadly not a budget glove that really has that same ‘vibe’ as the Hedge Mazes. If you can live with a deeper and darker green (which arguably pairs even better with Gamma Doppler knives) the Broken Fang Gloves Jade can be considered. If it’s the particular matte type of green you’re after, the Moto Gloves Finish Line or Moto Gloves Turtle can also be an option, though those both do look drastically different from the Sport Gloves in general.
Specialist Gloves Fade
Whereas Fade knives rank among the most expensive knife finishes out there, the Specialist Gloves Fade are surprisingly affordable. A Field-Tested pair can currently be bought for $340. Sadly, these gloves show wear really easily, and if you want to get a clean pair you’ll have to invest in a pair with a good float and a good wear pattern, which will set you back a lot more.
Fade gloves are (obviously) quite often paired with Fade knives. However, they are also pattern-based. The fade pattern on the back and fingers is randomized, meaning that you can make some interesting combos with these gloves. If you have a Phase 1 knife, for example, you could get a pair of Specialist Gloves Fade with a purple back to match the purple blade of your knife.
One major downside of these gloves is that they have an awkwardly tinted blue/purple color on the majority of the backside, which is quite unique in the game. Therefore, it’s difficult to get a 100% perfect combo match with these gloves.
Sport Gloves Amphibious
Blue is a popular color that’s high on most people’s list of favorite colors, so it’s no surprise to see a blue pair here. The Sport Gloves Amphibious feature various tints of blue that are applied to the gloves in a way that resembles water. The exact pattern on the gloves is randomized, but there are no universally recognized special patterns so there’s no overpay for rare patterns.
These gloves are commonly paired with Phase 3/4 Doppler knives and Blue Gem Case Hardened knives. However, they also pair well with a bunch of more budget-oriented knife finishes, with the Bright Water being the most notable match.
Expect to pay around $660 for a Field-Tested pair.
Sport Gloves Amphibious Budget Alternative
If it’s that mix of blues along with black that you’re looking for, the Hand Wraps Cobalt Skulls are a good alternative. They obviously look completely different than the Sport Gloves, but the colors do match surprisingly well, so if you’re looking for a blue-dominant glove and you don’t want to spend the money on Amphibious Gloves, you can get the Cobalt Skulls for around half the price.
Specialist Gloves Emerald Web
Specialist Gloves Emerald Web are a very obvious match for someone who wants to build a green inventory. Their neon green colors pair beautifully with Gamma Doppler knives, and they’re one of the most popular choices for players who are rocking an Emerald Gamma Doppler.
A Field-Tested pair can be acquired for roughly $700, with the exact price depending on the float value and the webs. Like all web-based skins in CS2, Emerald Web gloves have different patterns. The most desirable patterns have at least one web fully visible. On the rarer patterns, you might even see two or more. Emerald Web gloves with a bunch of visible webs in visible spots go for considerably more than gloves with no webs visible.
Like a lot of Specialist Gloves, the Crimson Webs also have a black palm. This makes it a good choice for people who want to get a fully green knife/glove combo but want their gloves to look a bit more neutral when holding rifles and the likes.
Driver Gloves Crimson Weave
Driver Gloves are very popular among budget-minded CS2 skin enjoyers, and the Crimson Weaves are among the higher tiers of Driver Gloves. These will cost you $260 in Field-Tested condition and aren’t very ‘shouty’ so they can be paired with a bunch of skins. Common pairings are Slaughter knives, Crimson Web knives, and Ruby knives.
Due to the abundance of skins with at least a bit of red in them in CS2, these are a popular option for people who are looking to build a themed (red) loadout.
Not everybody likes the dark brown color of the palms, and it’s undeniable that Driver Gloves look less flashy than Sport Gloves or Specialist Gloves, but if you want to get an understated red pair of gloves on a budget then these are a great choice.
Driver Gloves Crimson Weave Budget Alternative
A lot of people who aren’t that into skins don’t even know that they’re different gloves, so the Driver Gloves Rezan the Red are a very obvious alternative for the Crimson Weaves. Their particular shade of red is slightly different, but overall you’re getting very much the same vibe with the Rezan the Reds at a fraction of the price. You can snag a Field-Tested pair of these for around $90 right now.
Driver Gloves King Snake
CS2 has gloves that are almost completely black (the Nocts) but no gloves that are completely white. Gamers who want a white glove have to resort to gloves with a patterned back like the Driver Gloves King Snake. These off-white gloves feature snakeskin at the back but are completely white aside from that.
White gloves pair with basically anything, so if you want to rock some luxurious-looking snakeskin gloves ingame you can get the King Snakes. You can get a pair for $360.
If you’re someone who doesn’t like the look of snakeskin, you can also consider the Driver Gloves Snow Leopard. These are basically the same gloves as the King Snakes with the snakeskin replaced with leopard skin.
Do take note that on these white gloves, the wear shows really easily around the knuckle area. If you want to get a pair as a playskin, you should make sure to get one with as few scratches on the knuckles as possible.
Sport Gloves Omega
Omegas are among the most affordable Sport Gloves (~$400 for a Field-Tested pair) and we suspect that has something to do with how understated they look. These gloves are mostly black/dark grey, with a yellow gold accent applied across the back. This makes them a fantastic match for Lore knives or Gold Gem Case Hardened knives, but the fact that they’re mostly grey makes them fit into most inventories without much issue.
If you decide to get a pair, we encourage you to inspect before buying. The applied ‘3D raster pattern’ on these gloves looks great in good conditions, but it shows wear rather easily.
Sport Gloves Nocts
If you’re a minimalist, you should go for the Sport Gloves Nocts. These are plain black at first sight, but if you look a little closer you’ll notice that there are panther spots on the back. These spots are randomized, and rarer patterns are considered to be more desired by some. If you want to learn more, you can read a detailed Steam guide on Nocts patterns.
Obviously, these gloves will go with anything. You won’t ‘wow’ any random teammates if you queue up with these gloves, but if you want to rock that all-black look then these are your best pick.
Sport Gloves Nocts Budget Alternative
It sounds weird, but the best alternative for Nocts are the default gloves. Depending on which agent skin you use, the agents have dark/black gloves. Sure, they don’t look as sleek and dark as the Nocts, but if you don’t want to get a colorful pair of gloves that might clash with some of your skins, going default is a very budget-friendly choice.
Best CS2 Gloves – Conclusion
Much like is the case with knives (see our best CS2 knife guide, which is also based on what the pros use), pros generally don’t tend to go for budget options. If you want to frag out in the style of your favorite tier 1 pros, you’ll have to shell out a significant amount of money. Luckily, there are budget options available for most of the popular gloves. And if those are still too expensive, you can always just use no gloves at all.
Obviously, you should get a pair of gloves that you like. Pros seem to look at only a couple of glove types, but there are plenty of great-looking gloves out there that don’t cost an arm and a leg. If you find something you like, go for it, regardless of what the pros are doing. After all, everyone has seen the most common high tier combos (Vice Gloves with a Karambit Fade, for example) dozens of times. Being unique can often be more rewarding than following the pack, and there are plenty of options to choose from if you want to get creative.
Have fun out there creating your own loadout!
Lars
Reviews, Community, FPS
Former semi-pro gamer turned writer, product reviewer, and community manager.
