When on a ride or long tour, one thing that should never be an issue is a lack of comfort caused by your gear. My uncle, who is a lifelong veteran of harsh New Hampshire winters, says there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad gear.
I once rode in the rain for 14 hours straight. I remember laughing as I rode past drivers pulled over to the side of the road because of the blinding down pour. I was warm and dry and Mick and the boys were belting out perfect tunes in my earbuds for that ride. I also remember once being so under-dressed on late spring ride into the mountains that I froze my hands so badly that I could not open them for over an hour once I got home to a warm dry couch. But I remember I looked cool though. See dumb under rider rule book.
Since then, I always have three sets of gloves on the bike at all times. In addition to high quality gloves, any bike that I own gets grip heaters installed before any major road trip.
I would not ever under-estimate the level of your hand comfort when motorcycling. On the highway, your hands are your connection to the road and the machine. You sense, feel and interpret input from everything around you and unconsciously make adjustments. If your hands are very cold, your reaction time is slowed for emergency front brake grabs or road hazards requiring you to swerve. If they are frozen, you might not even realize that you can't open your fingers to even attempt to grab the brake until it is too late.
Suffice it to say that gloves are one of, if not the, most important piece of kit you can purchase, so don't skimp!
What to look for in a glove is how well it will protect you in case of a fall. Read reviews and understand them. Try on all the gloves you can. Do not settle or be afraid to return them. Your hands are the first thing you put down to protect yourself in the event of a slide or get-off. High quality kangaroo leather is one of the best materials in the event of a slide and has great resistance to tearing on asphalt. High quality stitching in the seams is a feature of all the high-end race glove manufacturers. I starting using Held Gloves in 2007 on my Alaska trip on the advice of a fellow rider. I used the immensely popular Held Steve's for well over 7 years. They were perfect three season gloves when running them with a Klim 3.0 Wind Stopper liners underneath. Any quality liner is a must for long-distance motorcycling. I use thin silk or merino wool liners the most of any other liners. Don't be afraid to try what works for you.
If it ain't broke...sadly, Held changed the iconic "Steve's" design to improve them and they lost that 'something special' about them. Don't misunderstand they are still a very highly rated glove. Try them will the liners. Maybe I was being nostalgic for my old natural tan leather ones. Many riders stocked up on the last supply of Steve's before the new ones came out. I tried a pair and the simplicity and construction changed. Sigh. Time to move on.
Enter the Held 2 in 1 Air N Dry glove! I love these gloves! I now carry just two pairs instead of three because of the unique 2 N 1 design.
It is a unique design concept that I can attest really works. There are two openings on this glove. An over and under design that allows you to choose the opening you use depending on the riding conditions.
The 'under' puts your palm in direct contact with the perforated kangaroo leather offering a tactile connected feel with the necessary feedback only direct bar contact can give you.
Once the air turns chilly or it begins to rain, use the upper chamber that offers an insulated Gore-Tex outer construction. It is slightly bulkier but still a great fit and it works great. Paired with my grip heaters, I can use these gloves down into the 40's very comfortably. I rode to Oklahoma from Idaho with these and it rained all 10 days on the road. The glove never felt wet or soggy in the upper chamber. This was even after all day rain. I would use the lower chamber when it stopped raining and it would be damp but with the perforations, it dries out very quickly. For a good all-around solution, I would highly recommend these gloves to add to your everyday kit. I'm going on 3 years with them and use them just about every day. However, once high summer heat steams its way in, I switch to my Held Rodney.
My Held Rodney is the perfect summer riding glove that still offers great protection. The Rodney has perforated panels and a Coolmax lining that help to keep your hand temperature regulated while the kangaroo palm and what Held calls it's "Superfabric reinforcements" keep you protected. Mine were a hair on the tight side which was perfect for break in. After wetting them and letting them dry on a couple of rides, they now fit like a second skin. The rain wiper blade is a nice feature that all Held gloves incorporate. I love riding in the rain and these perform excellently during summer storms that come and go during a day ride.
Remember It's All About The Ride!
Joe
I once rode in the rain for 14 hours straight. I remember laughing as I rode past drivers pulled over to the side of the road because of the blinding down pour. I was warm and dry and Mick and the boys were belting out perfect tunes in my earbuds for that ride. I also remember once being so under-dressed on late spring ride into the mountains that I froze my hands so badly that I could not open them for over an hour once I got home to a warm dry couch. But I remember I looked cool though. See dumb under rider rule book.
Since then, I always have three sets of gloves on the bike at all times. In addition to high quality gloves, any bike that I own gets grip heaters installed before any major road trip.
I would not ever under-estimate the level of your hand comfort when motorcycling. On the highway, your hands are your connection to the road and the machine. You sense, feel and interpret input from everything around you and unconsciously make adjustments. If your hands are very cold, your reaction time is slowed for emergency front brake grabs or road hazards requiring you to swerve. If they are frozen, you might not even realize that you can't open your fingers to even attempt to grab the brake until it is too late.
Suffice it to say that gloves are one of, if not the, most important piece of kit you can purchase, so don't skimp!
What to look for in a glove is how well it will protect you in case of a fall. Read reviews and understand them. Try on all the gloves you can. Do not settle or be afraid to return them. Your hands are the first thing you put down to protect yourself in the event of a slide or get-off. High quality kangaroo leather is one of the best materials in the event of a slide and has great resistance to tearing on asphalt. High quality stitching in the seams is a feature of all the high-end race glove manufacturers. I starting using Held Gloves in 2007 on my Alaska trip on the advice of a fellow rider. I used the immensely popular Held Steve's for well over 7 years. They were perfect three season gloves when running them with a Klim 3.0 Wind Stopper liners underneath. Any quality liner is a must for long-distance motorcycling. I use thin silk or merino wool liners the most of any other liners. Don't be afraid to try what works for you.
If it ain't broke...sadly, Held changed the iconic "Steve's" design to improve them and they lost that 'something special' about them. Don't misunderstand they are still a very highly rated glove. Try them will the liners. Maybe I was being nostalgic for my old natural tan leather ones. Many riders stocked up on the last supply of Steve's before the new ones came out. I tried a pair and the simplicity and construction changed. Sigh. Time to move on.
Enter the Held 2 in 1 Air N Dry glove! I love these gloves! I now carry just two pairs instead of three because of the unique 2 N 1 design.
 |
| Held 2 N 1 Touring gloves |
It is a unique design concept that I can attest really works. There are two openings on this glove. An over and under design that allows you to choose the opening you use depending on the riding conditions.
 |
| The dual opening on the gloves takes a second to get used to. |
The 'under' puts your palm in direct contact with the perforated kangaroo leather offering a tactile connected feel with the necessary feedback only direct bar contact can give you.
 |
Held 2 N ! full kangaroo leather palm provides qreat road feedback. Perforations provide great breathability.
|
Once the air turns chilly or it begins to rain, use the upper chamber that offers an insulated Gore-Tex outer construction. It is slightly bulkier but still a great fit and it works great. Paired with my grip heaters, I can use these gloves down into the 40's very comfortably. I rode to Oklahoma from Idaho with these and it rained all 10 days on the road. The glove never felt wet or soggy in the upper chamber. This was even after all day rain. I would use the lower chamber when it stopped raining and it would be damp but with the perforations, it dries out very quickly. For a good all-around solution, I would highly recommend these gloves to add to your everyday kit. I'm going on 3 years with them and use them just about every day. However, once high summer heat steams its way in, I switch to my Held Rodney.
 |
Held Rodney in natural Kangaroo and black
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Remember It's All About The Ride!
Joe
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