These gloves from Pearl Izumi are from the company’s top-end P.R.O range and are light enough for spring/autumn use on chilly mornings while providing just about enough protection on winter rides when the temperature is above five degrees.
The palm and backs of the gloves are made from two different fabric mixes so let’s look at them separately.
The palm is constructed from a 70 per cent leather, 20 per cent nylon and 10 per cent polyurethane mix. The leather – Pittards WR 100X Natural Carbon Leather, if you were wondering – has the Pearl Izumi logo stamped into it and covers a generous amount of the palm, offering plenty of grip as a result. It’s a soft, durable leather which means the palm of the glove is very supple, while nylon reinforcement stretches across the inside of the knuckles.
The back of the glove is a 67 per cent polyester, 15 per cent nylon, 10 per cent polyurethane, five per cent elasthan and five per cent leather mix. The leather features on the index fingertip – more for show than anything else – while the rest of the mix combines to create a softshell fabric which is advertised as windproof and water resistant. That’s probably a fair reflection of their ability to stave off the elements but be warned, these are a light pair of gloves and not best suited to cold winter rides, or days when rainfall is anything more than intermittent.
I’d like to see more stretch in the softshell fabric in order to get a closer fit. It’s fairly rigid as softshells go and, combined with the leather palm (which, of course, has only a little ‘give’), results in a glove whose fit doesn’t leave too much room for error when it comes to sizing, which is a touch on the large side. Try before you buy.
Other features worth noting include a soft, fleecy sweat/snot wipe on each thumb, reflective detail on each glove (logo and on the thumb tip), an extended wrist guard to offer a little more protection against wind/rain and a handful of stylish finishing details, like the red contrast stitching. Two colours are available (white white/back pictured and an all black option). The retail price is £39.99.
All that combines to create a stylish glove which is well-suited to chilly spring/autumn mornings. They’ll also get plenty of use through winter, but you’ll need something better equipped to keep out heavy rain and the fit may not suit all hand sizes.
