Depending on you weight padded gloves are a need also the heavier you are the more you will want padded gloves! I have worn gloves since I started riding long rides; now if I am on the bike I have on padded. When I firt started I weighed in at about 250 got it down to 220 that time. When I restarted weight loss this time I got back on the bike at 240ish now 180ish I WANT PADDED Gloves. As has been said cheap gel glove are out there and work great. I would say go to the bike shop and try on gloves and then try on more. The first time my wife ended up picking out the pair I ended up with (she liked them in ths shop) and I ended up picking out the ones she wore (same song as then above). This time I found gloves I liked after a year I need to replace them; they still feel ok but are getting a bit worn in places. Esp. the one that must have skidded on the ground when I hit the muddy spot in the ped underpass two weeks back!!