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Gloves- protection, non- bulky

W

wjrich100

New member
Posted this on another site as well...

Finally going to buy some real MC gloves, and looking for a glove that maximizes protection and is basically a 3 season glove. My search is motivated by an upcoming RawHyde course- they require a better glove than the Walmart ones I currently use.
Not looking to spend crazy money, and not necessarily looking for hockey gloves either.
Any recommendations? I'm a 99% street rider.
 
I have been wearing Held gloves for a few years. They are such a good fit that I do not need to remove them to access a credit card at a gas stop. They have a hard knuckle which is not uncomfortable nor noticeable when riding. However I have yet to go down (thankfully) to actually road test them. :dance
 
I have a 10+ year old pair of Aerostich Elkskin Ropers. They are under $50 and worth more. They have been used mainly for commuting and weekend sport. Used with a pair of light liner gloves they will work deep into the fall/winter season. (I have hand guards and heated grips on my Roadster.) Summer touring across the Plains in 100+ temps they are a bit warm but not bad enough to justify a lighter extra pair. Off to the bike they are my regular glove for work and play.

They come in natural or dyed black leather. I have the black and would recommend the natural. After more than a decade they still bleed a bit of black in a downpour.

Mine are wrist length. I think they offer a gauntlet length. There are pro and cons to both.

I would love to replace them. They were going to be a short term glove while I looked for the right glove, but they are comfortable and in very good condition after years of use and abuse and I keep using them.
 
My favorite gloves are my HELD Steve gloves.

Second favorite are my Lee Parks short gloves, followed a distant third by my KLIM vented gloves. I have a pair of HELD winter gloves, they do the job, but man are they bulky.
 
Gloves

I have the Aerostich Elkskin Gauntlet gloves that work great. The visor squeegee on left glove thumb very effective in winter to remove the salt spray, the gauntlet covers the end of that jacket sleeve and keeps wind out.
The best gloves for cold, wet winter riding that I have used, a pair of ski gloves marked down to $10 at walley world! While riding they kept my hands warm, dry, I had needed freedom of movement but if something bad happened abrasion resistance most likely a problem.
 
I'd disagree on anyone recommending heavy gloves. You don't need them for the off-road course. You'll like spend more time in an open area, at low speeds and the bikes will have hand guards. You'll likely not need any super padded gloves with abrasion protection. You'll never be at a speed high enough to need them.

Consider the weather. I took the BMW 2 day off-road course. It was quite warm. If cooler, don't get too heavy of a glove, or too loosely fitting. Sure the BMW 2 n 1's are great. I used them for half a day on day 1. They didn't match the activity. Went back to deerskin. Bulky gloves will tire your hands out. You'll be using your hands a lot to mount, dismount from various positions, you need just a wee bit of padding if any on the palm, not the knuckles. (Never try to break your fall, roll and accept the fact you will fall off or drop the bike, everyone does.) You can break a figure in any glove.

Since cost is a factor you can pay 15-20 dollars on deerskin gloves from a local Ace Hardware store and be fine in warmer weather. The Aerostich would likely be a good option and fit a little better than the "Hardware Store Specials." I use them more often than the 2n1's. Aerostich may use a better dye than won't bleed as much if your hands get sweaty.

Also, don't use a really heavy protective jacket. You really won't need it. If it's cold outside you'll get hot, then freeze when your actively goes down. Think "wicking layers. Light insulation" To warm and you'll burn up. Lighter is better. I wore a long sleeve "tech shirt." Someone had a long sleeve tech shirt from Klim with lightly padded elbows. I think it was a Klim Tactical Pro Jersey. Not bad at $130.

Anything too heavy will make for a more physically taxing day. You be getting on and off the bike the whole time, sitting, standing around watching the instructor, back on the bike, picking up a bike. The more tired you get, the more mistakes you'll make and less focused you'll be. Drink water at every opportunity.

Boots: Your boots should offer a good stiff sole, light-weight touring boots are not the boots to wear, period. You'll be standing on pegs all day. You'll need the arch support. If you don't have a good boot you'll fatigue your legs as the day goes along. If you spend any money on anything FOR this course spend it on boots.

Pants: any pants with adequate knee padding. Lighter the better.

It will be tiring, you will sweat and your helmet, gloves and boots will reek after a day and smell like death for a few weeks.

For anyone that's never done this, do it. Yeah it's a little pricey, but every dollar spent in an investment and worth it.

Have a good time.
 
Last edited:
179212 said:
I have the Aerostich Elkskin Gauntlet gloves that work great. The visor squeegee on left glove thumb very effective in winter to remove the salt spray, the gauntlet covers the end of that jacket sleeve and keeps wind out.
The best gloves for cold, wet winter riding that I have used, a pair of ski gloves marked down to $10 at walley world! While riding they kept my hands warm, dry, I had needed freedom of movement but if something bad happened abrasion resistance most likely a problem.
Click to expand...

These Aerostich Elkskin Gauntlet gloves I use for spring and fall. I seldom ride in the winter.:thumb
 
Is it possible for the OP to be a bit more specific? Are you looking for a better glove to use for the course or for the other 99% of your usual riding. If it is for the course the Aerostich gloves will fit the bill at an affordable price. The Held Steve gloves mentioned are great street gloves, maybe not so great for the RawHyde course, but if you have been riding in wallyworld gloves, take a couple of deep breaths before you see the price of the Held gloves. :)

Friedle
 
My choice, using your criteria, are the Aerostich Elkskin gauntlet gloves. I have worn out several pair over the years. They are precisely what you seem to want: lightweight but protective (I have crashed in mine w/o damage or injury), cheap enough to replace as often as necessary (mine last 3-5 years), and they are easily three-season gloves unless you ride year-round in the UP or someplace comparable. I recommend the natural color because they don't bleed.

Good luck.
 
anglojaxon said:
I'd disagree on anyone recommending heavy gloves. You don't need them for the off-road course. You'll like spend more time in an open area, at low speeds and the bikes will have hand guards. You'll likely not need any super padded gloves with abrasion protection. You'll never be at a speed high enough to need them.

Consider the weather. I took the BMW 2 day off-road course. It was quite warm. If cooler, don't get too heavy of a glove, or too loosely fitting. Sure the BMW 2 n 1's are great. I used them for half a day on day 1. They didn't match the activity. Went back to deerskin. Bulky gloves will tire your hands out. You'll be using your hands a lot to mount, dismount from various positions, you need just a wee bit of padding if any on the palm, not the knuckles. (Never try to break your fall, roll and accept the fact you will fall off or drop the bike, everyone does.) You can break a figure in any glove.

Since cost is a factor you can pay 15-20 dollars on deerskin gloves from a local Ace Hardware store and be fine in warmer weather. The Aerostich would likely be a good option and fit a little better than the "Hardware Store Specials." I use them more often than the 2n1's. Aerostich may use a better dye than won't bleed as much if your hands get sweaty.

Also, don't use a really heavy protective jacket. You really won't need it. If it's cold outside you'll get hot, then freeze when your actively goes down. Think "wicking layers. Light insulation" To warm and you'll burn up. Lighter is better. I wore a long sleeve "tech shirt." Someone had a long sleeve tech shirt from Klim with lightly padded elbows. I think it was a Klim Tactical Pro Jersey. Not bad at $130.

Anything too heavy will make for a more physically taxing day. You be getting on and off the bike the whole time, sitting, standing around watching the instructor, back on the bike, picking up a bike. The more tired you get, the more mistakes you'll make and less focused you'll be. Drink water at every opportunity.

Boots: Your boots should offer a good stiff sole, light-weight touring boots are not the boots to wear, period. You'll be standing on pegs all day. You'll need the arch support. If you don't have a good boot you'll fatigue your legs as the day goes along. If you spend any money on anything FOR this course spend it on boots.

Pants: any pants with adequate knee padding. Lighter the better.

It will be tiring, you will sweat and your helmet, gloves and boots will reek after a day and smell like death for a few weeks.

For anyone that's never done this, do it. Yeah it's a little pricey, but every dollar spent in an investment and worth it.

Have a good time.
Click to expand...

Great advice- thanks!
 
I use BMW GS gloves for when it is hot out and that is about 8 months of the year. They aren't like my Enduroguard 2 in 1 protection wise but they are way better then Wally world gloves....
 
I'm curious which three seasons the OP has in mind. I know that for northerners it's generally all except winter, but for some southerners it's all except summer.

That said, I have some Held Steve II's that I bought as a splurge (I don't generally like to spend so much, but my cashflow was good at that moment) and I figured I'd see what all the fuss was about. Been loving them ever since, but I don't do off-pavement adventures and they have yet to be crash-tested (hope they never do). Good up the point where I feel the need for switching to mesh gear. The really bothersome thing about the high price though is that I saw on the tag that they were made in some undoubtedly cheep corner of Eastern Europe. To bad they weren't priced like Eastern Europe.
 
Like so much else in life, everyone has a different opinion on what a motorcycle glove should do and be.

For me, after 40+ years of riding, a bit of racing, putting a bike down on the highway and watching two riders die on the side of the road from injuries, my considerations in order of importance are:
1st - protection
2nd - functionality
3rd - comfort and ergonomics.

Much of what has been suggested is very light on protection. I'm referring to the following areas

Impact protection
  • knuckle protection (hand and finger knuckles)
  • palm slider
  • finger protection
Abrasion protection
  • goatskin - far better than most other products
  • little finger slider - reduces tendency of it grabbing and being broken by twisting


I have several different REV'IT gloves (4) that are my go-to gloves. One 3-season (Summit 2 H2O), two hot weather (Fly and Fly 2), and one cold weather pair (can't recall the model).

My opinion of the best 3-season gauntlet, is their Summit 2 H2O Glove ($120) with CE-level 2 impact values for the knuckles. I've worn this for a long time and only switch to their lighter Fly 2 Gloves ($90) when it is fairly hot. YMMV
 
AlanColes said:
Like so much else in life, everyone has a different opinion on what a motorcycle glove should do and be.

YMMV
Click to expand...

:)

The strongest leather (that's viable to make gloves out of) is actually from stingrays, then kangaroo. Kangaroo leather is lighter and stronger than the hide of a cow or goat. It has 10 times the tensile strength of cowhide and is 50% stronger than goatskin.

Even more info: Motorcycle Gloves - Which Ones & Why? by David Hough - "One glove isn't going to fit every situation"
 
RIDERR1150GSADV said:
I use BMW GS gloves for when it is hot out and that is about 8 months of the year. They aren't like my Enduroguard 2 in 1 protection wise but they are way better then Wally world gloves....
Click to expand...

These are also my choice for hot weather. http://www.sierrabmwonline.com/prod...-246-p-2527?osCsid=q1gen47f4b0j1d103in41h4h57

Notice the kangaroo and goatskin leathers.

For very hot weather and long trips I wear a Roadcrafter II jacket to hopefully minimize dehydration so I count on some air up my sleeves hence the need for no-gauntlet gloves.
 
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