A polymer latex composition suitable for rubber articles comprises about 5 to about 65 weight percent of an aromatic vinyl monomer, about 35 to about 90 weight percent of a conjugated diene monomer, and about 0.5 to about 10 weight percent of a component selected from the group consisting of an unsaturated acid monomer, a partial ester of an unsaturated polycarboxylic acid, and mixtures thereof. The polymer latex composition has a gel content of no more than about 85 percent.