In this paper, a theoretical analysis is carried out to study the lubrication characteristics of sealless piston for hydraulic cylinders. The analytical pressure distributions are obtained solving one-dimensional Reynolds equation with partially tapered moving piston. Nearly analytical expressions for lateral forces acting on the piston and leakage flow rate through the clearance are also presented. Using the analytical expressions, the influence of design parameters on lubrication characteristics can be easily evaluated without numerical analysis. Composite-shaped piston which minimizes the leakage flow rate is the optimum in sealless piston for hydraulic cylinder.