Polo asks more of its equipment than almost any other sport. A player is riding a half-tonne animal at speed, swinging a long mallet with one hand, tracking a small ball across an outfield the size of nine football pitches, and doing it in close physical contact with three other riders doing exactly the same thing. Kit that merely looks the part does not survive that. Kit that works has to earn its place chukka after chukka.
This guide sets out the complete Ona® Polo lineup as it stands in 2026 , every category we make, what each piece is engineered to do, and how to choose between the options within it. It is written for two readers at once: the player picking up their first pair of gloves before a beginner’s clinic, and the seasoned competitor deciding whether a leather glove or a synthetic one suits the ground conditions they play on most. Wherever a decision comes down to personal preference rather than a right answer, we say so.
You will not find a hard sell here. What you will find is the reasoning behind each product , the materials, the standards, the fit considerations, and the honest trade-offs , so that you can arrive at a choice you understand rather than one you were pushed towards.
Everything we make exists because a player asked for it. We have never built a product to fill a gap in a catalogue , we build it because someone came off the field and told us what was not working. Twenty-five years later, that is still how the range grows. – Alejandra Falkinhoff, CEO, Ona® Polo
What Ona® Polo Makes, and What We Don’t
Before the detail, a point of clarity that matters more than it might seem. Ona® is a specialist, not a general equestrian supplier. We build a deliberately narrow range and invest heavily in it, rather than stocking everything a rider might conceivably need.
The 2026 lineup covers five product categories:
- Polo gloves , technical gloves in six distinct lines, from lightweight synthetics to carbon-reinforced leather.
- Polo eyewear , impact-rated protective eyewear, including prescription-ready frames and lens options.
- Polo pants , competition polo whites and coloured practice pants, in men’s and women’s fits.
- Elbow pads , ergonomic elbow guards for ride-off and mallet contact protection.
- Apparel , cotton piqué polo shirts for match and off-field wear and base layers.
Equally importantly, here is what we do not make. Ona® does not produce mallets, helmets, boots, knee guards, belts, bridles, bits, martingales, or polo balls. If you are building a full kit from scratch, you will be sourcing those elsewhere , and any guide that tells you otherwise is not being straight with you. We would rather be the best in the world at five things than adequate at twenty.
Definition: Polo equipment refers to the protective and performance gear worn by the player , gloves, eyewear, protective padding and technical clothing , as distinct from tack, which is the equipment fitted to the pony. Ona® Polo specialises exclusively in the player side of that divide.
The 2026 Lineup at a Glance
A quick reference before we go category by category. Prices shown are US dollar retail as listed on the Ona® online store, and reflect entry points within each range rather than a single fixed figure , most lines offer variations by colour, size and, in the case of gloves, single-hand or paired options.
| Category | What it protects or delivers | Lines available | From (USD) |
| Polo gloves | Grip, mallet control, knuckle protection | 6 lines | $46 |
| Polo eyewear | Impact protection, visual clarity, ball tracking | 5 models + spares | $335 |
| Polo pants | Saddle grip, freedom of movement, durability | 6 models | $340 |
| Elbow pads | Impact absorption during ride-offs | 1 line, 2 colourways | $248 |
| Apparel | Breathability and comfort on and off the field | 4 polo shirts Base layers | $40 $100 |
Polo Gloves: Six Lines, One Decision
Grip is the single most consequential contact point in polo. The mallet has to stay live in the hand through a full swing, in heat, in rain, and after four chukkas of sweat. Almost every player who upgrades one piece of kit upgrades their gloves first, because the difference is felt immediately.
Ona® offers six glove lines. All are suitable for any level of play and any level of competition , the choice is not about ability, it is about conditions and preference.
Carbon Pro V2, maximum protection
The most heavily protected glove in the range. A carbon knuckle guard sits over the back of the hand, absorbing the mallet strikes and hand-to-hand contact that are an unavoidable part of a contested play. Built in textured leather with the reinforcement integrated rather than bolted on, it is the natural choice for players who take a lot of contact or who have taken a knuckle injury before and would rather not repeat it. From $104 for a single hand, $194 for a pair.
Sizing note: the carbon guard makes the glove slightly firmer to pull on than the rest of the range. Most players find it easier to size up one increment from their usual glove size.
Power, protection and feel, without compromise
A leather glove built for players who don’t want to choose between the two. Power sits at the top of both scales: moulded TPU knuckle guards and finger padding for real protection, paired with Gripster™ grip technology on Pittards leather so you never lose your sense of the reins and mallet. $180 per pair, available in blue, pink and yellow.
Speed XT, Ona’s most minimal glove, built for feel
Our longtime star glove, and the one to reach for when the goal is pure sensitivity. Speed XT strips components and seams to a bare minimum, wrapping the hand in Gripster™-treated Pittards leather that grips harder as you sweat rather than losing hold. Where the Carbon Pro V2 leads on structural protection, Speed XT leads on staying as close to the mallet as possible. From $60 single hand, $112 per pair.
All Weather V2, all-round grip, any weather
Polo doesn’t stop for a passing shower, and neither should your grip. The All Weather V2 takes Pittards leather and treats it with WR100X, so instead of stiffening in the wet, it grips harder the more water it takes on , while a breathable PCM mesh back keeps it from feeling clammy once things dry out. It’s the glove for a day that could go either way. $92 per pair, available in yellow and red.
All Weather Storm, the rain specialist
Built from StormSuede™, a hydrophobic microfibre engineered specifically for grip in sustained, heavy rain , where a wet leather glove loses hold, the Storm’s synthetic construction performs at its best. The more aggressive option of the two for genuinely foul weather, and quick to dry and easy to care for between matches. From $46 single hand, $92 per pair, available in blue and pink.
EcoGrip , the sustainable option
Built from eco-synthetic materials for players who want the environmental footprint of their kit to be part of the decision. At $58 it is also the most accessible entry point into the range, which makes it a common first glove for players coming through clinics and beginner leagues. It is a genuine performance glove, not a compromise version of one.
Choosing between them
| If your priority is… | Choose | Material | Pair price (USD) |
| Knuckle protection | Carbon Pro V2 | Textured leather + carbon | $194 |
| Feel and medium protection | Power | Textured leather | $180 |
| Grip and feel | Speed XT | Textured leather | $112 |
| Grip in rain | All Weather Storm | Synthetic | $92 |
| All-round wet/dry use | All Weather V2 | Peccary leather | $92 |
| Sustainability and value | EcoGrip | Eco synthetic | $58 |
Beginner tip: Gloves are offered as a right hand only or as a pair. Many players wear a single glove on the mallet hand and ride bare-handed on the reins; others prefer both. Neither is wrong. If you are unsure, start with a single right-hand glove , it is the cheaper way to find out which you are.
All Ona® gloves run from XS to XXL, and all are hand washable. Wash them while wearing them in lukewarm water with a mild detergent, rinse, squeeze the water from the fingers downwards, and reshape by hand. Air-dry away from direct heat. Done consistently, this habit is the single biggest factor in whether a glove lasts one season or three.
Players ask me which glove is best and I always give the same answer: the one that suits the ground you play on. There is no hierarchy in the range. A high-goal player in Sotogrande and a club player in Gloucestershire will rightly make different choices, and both will be correct. – Alejandra Falkinhoff, CEO, Ona®
Polo Eyewear: Protection You Can See Through
Eyewear is the category where the engineering case is easiest to make and hardest to compromise on. A polo ball leaves the mallet at considerable velocity, and the eye is the one part of the body that does not heal from a direct impact. Sunglasses are not eyewear. Impact-rated eyewear is.
Ona® eyewear is tested to ANSI Z87.1-2020 and EN ISO 12312-1:2013 across the whole range , the same class of testing applied to protective eyewear in industrial and defence contexts, not the cosmetic standards that apply to fashion sunglasses. The VCP21 family goes further still, additionally tested against MIL-PRF-31013, the US military ballistic eye protection standard.
VCP21, the established benchmark
Years of development went into the VCP21, and it remains the model most closely associated with the brand. A wraparound curved lens delivers a wide, optically corrected field of view; the frame is built to hold that lens through impact rather than shatter around it. An adjustable Megol fit system keeps it stable through a gallop. $495.
VCP21 RX, the same protection, prescription-ready
For players who need corrective lenses without giving up the VCP21’s ballistic-grade protection, VCP21 RX carries a prescription into the same MIL-PRF-31013-tested platform via the MAXIMUS one-piece curved lens, available in single vision and progressive from +3.00 to −8.00D. From $600.
AELOX, the next generation
Tested to ANSI Z87.1 and EN ISO 12312-1 like the rest of the range, though not to the VCP21’s ballistic standard, the AELOX family is the 2026 evolution of Ona® optics, offered in three configurations so that players can choose their lens strategy rather than accept a single option.
- AELOX PK ($335) , the fixed-tint entry into the family, with high-contrast lens options that sharpen ball definition against grass.
- AELOX PH ($365) , photochromic. The VELOCITY lens, powered by Ona®’s proprietary MAXIMUS internal film technology, adapts to changing light and is benchmarked against the fastest-reacting photochromic lenses available. The model to choose if you play through changing cloud cover or into low evening sun.
- AELOX RX (from $600) , prescription-ready. Base 6 PANOR-X curved lens geometry preserves peripheral awareness while correcting vision, so players who need correction are not choosing between seeing the ball and protecting the eye.
Prescription options
Ona®’s prescription eyewear runs on MAXIMUS, a proprietary platform that integrates the prescription directly into a single curved lens rather than bonding a corrective insert behind a standard shield , so optical clarity, peripheral field and impact resistance are preserved rather than compromised for correction. VCP21 RX carries this into the same Base 7, MIL-PRF-31013-tested platform as the standard VCP21; AELOX RX uses the Base 6 PANOR-X geometry for wide peripheral awareness with minimal head movement. Both frames support single vision and progressive prescriptions, in clear or tinted lenses with optional mirror coatings , and the correction stays fully concealed from the outside, so nothing about the frame gives away that it’s a prescription lens.
VCP21 RX ranges from $600 to $750 depending on specification, with spare lenses available separately from $540; AELOX RX starts at $600. Frames ship first with a temporary lens , you submit your prescription and pupillary distance, and we manufacture and send the corrective lens to match.
Choosing a lens for your conditions
| Playing condition | Lens type | Why |
| Bright, consistent sun | High-contrast tint (PK) | Fixed tint sharpens ball-against-grass definition |
| Variable cloud / evening light | Photochromic (PH) | Adapts rapidly as light levels change mid-chukka |
| Indoor arena or dusk | Clear | Full protection without light loss |
| Any condition, with correction | RX (VCP21 or AELOX) | Prescription without sacrificing curvature or coverage |
All Ona® lenses carry hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings that shed water, sweat, dust and oils , the practical difference between clear sight and a smeared lens in the fourth chukka. A dedicated lens cleaning cloth is available at $13, and is worth having in the bag.
We test to a ballistic standard because polo deserves one. When a ball comes off a mallet at the pace it does, the question is not whether eyewear looks good , it is whether it holds. That is the only specification that matters to us. – Alejandra Falkinhoff, CEO, Ona® Polo
Polo Pants: Whites, Practice Pants and the Fit Question
Polo pants are working garments disguised as elegant ones. They have to grip the saddle, stretch through the full range of a swing, survive repeated laundering, and still look immaculate walking onto a competition field. Ona® pants are built on Schoeller®-Prestige, a Swiss bi-elastic performance fabric developed for equestrian use, with Schoeller® GripIt® panels placed where the leg meets the saddle to reduce slip and friction.
Polo whites versus practice pants
The distinction is simple and worth understanding early. Polo whites are the traditional white competition trouser worn for matches and tournaments , the convention is near-universal in the sport. Practice pants are the same technical construction in colours, typically navy, blue or black, worn for stick-and-ball, chukkas and training where whites would be impractical.
Most players own both: whites for match days, practice pants for everything else. Buying practice pants first is a perfectly sensible sequence if you are not yet playing competitively.
The men’s fits
- Benjamin Lux ($410) , the flagship men’s model, offered in polo whites and in a blue practice version. Elasticated waistband engineered for mobility through the swing and sprint.
- Kleis ($390) , a men’s polo super slim white with a matching blue practice pant.
- Juxta ($390) , our classic style, available as polo whites and as a blue practice pant.
The women’s fits
- Hazel Lux ($410) , the flagship women’s model, in whites and in a blue practice version. Named for and developed alongside Ona® ambassador Hazel Jackson.
- Alexia ($390) , a high waist women’s polo whites, with practice pants available in blue and black.
Reading the fit vocabulary
The Ona® pants range is filtered by four fit variables, and understanding them shortens the decision considerably:
| Variable | Options | What it changes |
| Rise | High rise / Mid rise | Where the waistband sits , high rise stays put in the saddle for many riders |
| Waistband | Classic / Stretch | Stretch gives more give through the hip at the gallop |
| Calf | Fitted / Tapered leg | How the pant sits under a boot , fitted reduces bunching |
| Fit | Skinny / Slim / Straight | Overall leg silhouette |
Sizes run from 24 to 42 across the different styles (ladies 24 to 36 – men’s 28 to 42). Because polo pants are worn under boots and over a saddle, the fit that feels right standing in a fitting room is not always the fit that works mounted , the calf and rise variables matter more than they would in ordinary trousers.
A pant that grips the saddle changes how you ride. It is not a comfort feature, it is a security feature. When a player stops thinking about their seat, they start thinking about the play , and that is when the equipment has done its job. – Alejandra Falkinhoff, CEO, Ona® Polo
Juxta Practise Pants Blue
Original price was: £290.00.£145.01Current price is: £145.01.
Alexia Practice Pants Black
Original price was: £290.00.£145.01Current price is: £145.01.
Elbow Pads: The Underrated Purchase
Elbow guards are not compulsory under equipment rules, which is precisely why they are so often skipped , and so often regretted. The elbow takes contact during ride-offs and from mallets in tight play, and it is a joint that immobilises a player entirely when it is injured.
The Ona® Elbow Guard is an ergonomic, flexible protector built to absorb impact without restricting the arm. Multi-density foam cores handle the absorption; a reinforced outer shell using ARMORTEX® , a high-tenacity fabric combining KEVLAR®, NOMEX® and DYNEEMA® fibres, developed for personal protective equipment , handles abrasion and tear resistance. Breathable linings are treated with Polygiene® for permanent odour control. Available in pink and yellow at $248, sizes S to XL.
To size correctly, measure the circumference of your arm at the widest point of both the biceps and the forearm, then check against the Ona® sizing chart. A pad that slides during play protects nothing. Care is minimal , air dry after use, and machine wash at 30°C in a garment bag if they become heavily soiled.
Apparel: Base Layers and Polo Shirts On and Off the Field
Base Layers , Howsh, Quillah and Selknam
Ona’s base layer collection is built for riders who don’t stop when the temperature drops: Howsh for men and Quillah for women, both quarter-zips in Basalt, plus the Selknam crew neck for women in Blossom, Mist and Lago. All three use a technical blend of 67% fine Merino wool, 22% polyamide and 11% Elastane, handling thermal regulation and odour resistance naturally, with four-way stretch and flatlock seams for a fit that’s close to the body but free in the saddle. The quarter-zips give quick temperature control between chukkas; the crew neck moves as easily off the yard as on it. Made in Italy. $100–$125.
Polo Shirts , Ruby, Alice, Ines and Ella
Alongside the technical range, Ona makes four ladies’ polo shirts in 100% soft cotton piqué, garment dyed for depth and longevity of colour, at $40 each. The current line-up comprises the Ruby, Alice, Ines and Ella, available in pink, orange, lilac and sky blue, at $40 each. The cut is slim and figure-hugging, so players who prefer a relaxed fit should size up. Team orders are possible , shirt numbers 1 to 4 are currently available , and clubs regularly order these with their own embroidery. They are rooted in polo but not confined to it; the classic collar and the colour palette carry perfectly well off the field.
The Technologies Behind the Lineup
Several material technologies recur across categories. Understanding them makes the differences between products far easier to read.
Ona Technology Reference Table
| Technology | Where it appears | What it does |
| Schoeller®-Prestige | Polo pants | Swiss bi-elastic stretch fabric with high shape retention, breathability and year-round durability for riding |
| Schoeller® GripIt® | Polo pants | Grip panels at the saddle contact points, reducing slip and friction |
| Pittards WR100X | Leather gloves | Water-repellent tanning that sheds moisture outward while letting perspiration escape, keeping leather soft rather than brittle over time |
| ARMORTEX® | Elbow pads | KEVLAR®, NOMEX® and DYNEEMA® composite fabric for abrasion, tear and puncture resistance |
| Polygiene® | Elbow pads, apparel | Permanent silver-salt odour control, bluesign® approved and OEKO-TEX® listed |
| ZEISS® Impacto | VCP21, AELOX (non-prescription lenses) | High-clarity polycarbonate lens technology built for impact resistance and optical performance |
| MAXIMUS | VCP21 RX, AELOX RX | Proprietary one-piece curved lens platform that integrates the prescription into the lens without compromising protection or clarity |
| VELOCITY | AELOX PH | Photochromic internal-film lens technology with rapid light adaptation |
| PANOR-X (Base 6) | AELOX eyewear | Curved lens geometry for peripheral awareness and ball tracking with minimal head movement |
Building a Kit: Three Starting Points
Different players need different first purchases. These are illustrative combinations rather than fixed packages, and all prices are USD at the time of writing.
The first-season player
You are taking lessons or playing beginner chukkas and want equipment that works without over-investing. Start with an EcoGrip or Speed XT glove ($58–$112) and a pair of practice pants. Add eyewear as soon as you begin playing at pace rather than at walk and trot , the AELOX PK at $335 is a serious piece of protective equipment at the accessible end of the eyewear range. Total starting outlay in the region of $780.
The club player
You are playing regular chukkas and entering low-goal tournaments. This is the point at which whites become necessary and protection becomes worth the investment. A Speed XT or All Weather V2 glove, Benjamin Lux or Hazel Lux whites at $410, a set of practice pants, elbow guards at $248, and photochromic AELOX PH eyewear at $365.
The competitive player
You are playing at pace in contested matches, in varied conditions, several times a week. Carbon Pro V2 gloves at $194 for knuckle protection, plus a second synthetic pair for wet ground. Elbow guards as standard. Whites and multiple practice pants , pants are consumables at this level of use. AELOX RX or VCP21 RX if you wear correction, with spare lenses.
A note on sequencing: if budget forces an order of purchase, protective equipment should come before aesthetic equipment. Gloves and eyewear before whites. Whites are a convention; eyewear is a safeguard.
Care, Longevity and Getting Your Money’s Worth
Premium equipment is only good value if it lasts, and most of what shortens equipment life is avoidable.
- Gloves: hand wash in lukewarm water with mild detergent while wearing them, rinse, squeeze water downwards through the fingers, reshape, and air-dry away from direct sunlight or heat. After every chukka, hang them out to air and pull them back into shape. Leather models such as the Carbon Pro V2 and Power typically give a full season with this routine; synthetics like the All Weather Storm and EcoGrip often run across multiple seasons.
- Eyewear: clean the lens with the dedicated cloth rather than a shirt tail , the hydrophobic and oleophobic coatings are what keep the lens clear, and abrasive fabrics degrade them. Store in the case, not loose in a kit bag with a mallet head.
- Elbow pads: no conditioning required. Air dry after play. Machine wash at 30°C in a garment bag only when heavily soiled.
- Pants: follow the care label. Schoeller® fabrics hold shape well, but repeated hot washing shortens the life of any technical stretch fabric.
Ona® products carry a quality warranty covering manufacturing defects, with full terms on the customer support pages. Returns and exchanges are accepted within 28 days on unused items in original packaging, with the exception of made-to-order products such as prescription lenses.
The players who get five seasons out of a glove are not lucky. They air them after every chukka and they wash them properly. Care is not an afterthought to the product , it is part of the product. – Alejandra Falkinhoff, CEO, Ona® Polo
The Ona® 2026 lineup is narrow by design. Six glove lines, five eyewear models, six pant fits, one elbow guard and a small apparel range , every one of them developed for a sport that punishes equipment which was designed for something else and adapted afterwards.
What that means practically is that there is no wrong choice within the range, only a better-suited one. The player who plays in English rain and the player who plays in Argentine heat need different gloves; the player who wears correction and the player who does not need different eyewear; the player entering their first tournament and the player in their fifteenth season are buying at different points in the same range, not from different tiers of quality. Understanding the trade-offs , protection against feel, fixed tint against photochromic, leather against synthetic , is what turns a purchase into a decision.
If you are starting out, start with grip and sight: a glove that holds and eyewear that protects. Everything else can follow the season after.
Explore the 2026 Collection
Ona® Polo has spent twenty-five years developing equipment exclusively for polo, working alongside professional players competing at the highest handicap levels worldwide. The full range of premium polo equipment , including technical polo gloves, impact-rated protective polo eyewear, competition polo whites and practice pants, ergonomic elbow guards, base layers and cotton piqué polo shirts, is available to browse and order online, with worldwide shipping and a quality warranty on every product. Whether you are equipping yourself for a first season of chukkas or replacing kit that has earned its retirement, each category page sets out the models, materials and sizing detail in full.
Frequently asked questions
What equipment does a polo player need?
A polo player needs a helmet, eyewear, gloves, boots, knee guards and a mallet as core equipment, with protective eyewear and elbow pads strongly recommended. Polo whites are required for competitive matches. Ona® Polo supplies the gloves, eyewear, elbow pads, pants and apparel; helmets, mallets, boots and knee guards are sourced from other specialists.
What is the difference between polo whites and practice pants?
Polo whites are the traditional white trousers worn for matches and tournaments, where white is the near-universal convention. Practice pants are the same technical construction in colours such as navy, blue or black, worn for stick-and-ball sessions, training chukkas and general riding.
Do polo players wear one glove or two?
Both are common. Many players wear a single glove on the mallet hand and ride bare-handed on the reins; others wear a pair. Ona® gloves are sold as a right hand only or as a pair for exactly this reason.
Are polo sunglasses the same as protective polo eyewear?
No. Standard sunglasses offer no meaningful impact protection. Protective polo eyewear is tested against impact standards , Ona® eyewear VCP21 is certified to US MIL-PRF-31013, ANSI Z87.1-2020 and EN ISO 12312-1:2013 , and is built to hold a lens under impact rather than shatter.
How long do polo gloves last?
It depends on the material and the care. Leather gloves such as the Carbon Pro V2 and Power typically last a full season with proper maintenance. Synthetic models such as the All Weather Storm and EcoGrip are built for harsher conditions and often last across multiple seasons.
Are elbow pads compulsory in polo?
No. Elbow pads are not required under equipment rules, but they add meaningful protection during ride-offs and mallet contact and significantly reduce the risk of elbow injury.
Can I get prescription lenses in polo eyewear?
Yes. Ona® offers prescription lenses for both the VCP21 and the AELOX RX platform, in single vision and progressive, in clear or tinted options with optional mirror coatings. Frames ship with a measuring blank lens; the corrective lens is manufactured to your prescription and sent on.
What size polo glove should I buy?
Ona® gloves run XS to XXL. Sizing varies slightly by model , the Carbon Pro V2 carries carbon knuckle protection, so most players size up one increment to get the hand in comfortably. Check the sizing guide on each product page before ordering.
