Waterproof gloves with a functional membrane

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Waterproof gloves with a functional membrane

Waterproof gloves with a functional membrane
Wet screed

Can wind- and waterproof gloves with a functional membrane really withstand every surge of water? In a practical test, 16 high-tech models had to show whether they could put an end to clammy fingers.

Uli Holzwarth

04/04/2002

It’s such a thing with over-gloves. For some, they are a natural part of riding a motorcycle, for others they are a nuisance because they make sensitive handling difficult when driving in the rain on slippery surfaces. Because of the better grip feeling, more and more motorcyclists are turning to gloves with an integrated functional membrane instead of slipping on the tried and tested latex finger cots. MOTORRAD tested 16 gloves in the price range from 50 to 100 euros that were advertised as waterproof and windproof to determine whether the wafer-thin film inserts actually deliver what the manufacturers promise.
While all test candidates convinced with a consistently decent workmanship in the field of vision and perfect wind protection, the test subjects from Buse, Hein Gericke, failed, polo and Wintex in the decisive wetness test. The sometimes strong water ingress of these gloves shows that the manufacturers do not always exercise the necessary care when incorporating the sensitive foils with many seams in a confined space. A MOTORRAD recommendation was out of reach for these specimens.
However, some competitors also frivolously gambled away a better position. So those couples who are only equipped with an elastic band on the wrist. What use are foam cushions, doubled leather or even carbon inserts if the glove is pulled from the hand at the first contact with the asphalt due to insufficient fixation in the event of a fall? A motorcycle glove simply needs a stable attachment option on the wrist!
If you also want to be on the safe side, you should choose gloves made of animal skin, which are still superior to finger cots made of textile material in terms of abrasion resistance. However, with some test copies made of leather you have to accept disadvantages in terms of grip. In most cases, this is due to inconsistent cuts with straight fingers. Dane Tornby is an exemplary demonstration of how to do it better. Despite the relatively warm lining, it convinces with an excellent fit and a great grip, which it owes to the strongly curved fingers and the leather stretch on the back of the hand. Other smart details such as the perfectly usable width adjustment on the wrist and the long, tightly closable cuff help the waterproof touring glove to come out on top in this comparison.
However, the Tornby shares one disadvantage with the competition: After a heavy shower, it takes a long time for the soaked glove to be completely dry again. Frequent drivers should therefore perhaps reconsider the matter of the overcoats.

Haveba – Linz

MOTORRAD verdict: still recommendable

Provider: TWS, Telephone 07432/220595 Price: 60 euros Material: leather Functional membrane: Hipora Colors: black, black / red, black / blue, black / yellow Sizes: six to twelve Features: Width adjustment on cuff with Velcro; Elastic at wrist; Double layer of leather on the palm (underlaid with Kevlar) and thumb; Foam padding with reflective material on the back of the hand. acceptable wrinkling on the palm; Feeling of pressure due to the seam at the base of the thumb; sufficiently long, tightly closable cuff (length 11 cm); Risk of stripping due to lack of fixation on the wrist Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 234 grams / 665 grams (pair) Suitability: transition period with cool temperatures Conclusion: comparatively warm lined, waterproof leather glove for cooler days with a good fit, but limited grip and Security weaknesses (risk of scraping)

Buse – cruiser

MOTORRAD verdict: conditionally recommendable

Provider: Buse, Telephone 02471/12690 Price: 72.90 eurosMaterial: Leather-Cordura-MixFunctional membrane: SympatexColors: black / anthraciteSizes: seven to twelveEquipment: Width adjustment on wrist and cuff with Velcro fastener; Double layer of leather on the palm and thumb; slightly pre-formed fingers; Reflective piping and reflective material on the back of the hand; warm textile lining; Foam padding on ankles Wrinkles on the palm; Grip feeling somewhat restricted due to the relatively thick lining; no pressing seams; Secure fit on the wrist thanks to Velcro, but the overlap of the Velcro too tight; long, tightly closable cuff (length 12 cm) Wetness test: failed, after 60 seconds of water penetration on the index and middle fingers of both gloves with subsequent soaking Weight dry / wet: 272 grams / 528 grams (pair) Suitability: transition period with cool temperatures Conclusion: warmer, Comfortable glove with a somewhat limited grip and clear weaknesses in the wetness test

BF Touring

MOTORRAD verdict: recommendable

Supplier: BF Motorcycle Hardwear, phone 04451/951035 Price: 49.90 EuroMaterial: CowhideFunctional membrane: HiporaColors: BlackSizes: XS to XXXLEquipment: Width adjustment on wrist and cuff with Velcro; double layer of leather lined with Kevlar on palm and thumb; slightly pre-formed fingers; Reflective piping on fingers; Textile lining; Foam padding on knuckles, fingers and outside of the cuff Wrinkles on the palm; good grip due to supple leather and thin lining; no pressing seams; secure fit on the wrist thanks to stable Velcro straps; long, tightly closable cuff (length 12 cm); Sweaty inner lining Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 244 grams / 540 grams (pair) Suitability: transition period and cooler summer days Conclusion: Inexpensive, waterproof leather gloves for medium temperatures with a good grip and average safety features

Alpinestars – Jet Road Gore Tex

MOTORRAD verdict: still recommendable

Provider: Alpinestars, Telephone 0039/4235286 Price: 94.95 eurosMaterial: Leather-Cordura-MixFunctional membrane: Gore-TexColors: black, black / red, black / blueSizes: S to XXLEquipment: Width adjustment on cuff with Velcro; Elastic at wrist; double layer of leather lined with Kevlar on palm and thumb; pre-shaped fingers; Reflective piping on the back of the hand, cuff and fingers; Thermal lining; carbon-kevlar insert on knuckles lined with foam despite the supple leather, limited grip due to thick lining; no pressing seams; long, tightly closable cuff (length 13 cm); Danger of stripping due to lack of fixation on the wrist Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 280 grams / 490 grams (pair) Suitability: Transitional periods with cool temperatures Conclusion: Waterproof, thickly lined glove for cool days with a good fit, but limited grip and Security weaknesses (risk of scraping)

Dane – Tornby

MOTORRAD verdict: highly recommended

Provider: Difi, phone 04451/9150 Price: 69.95 Euro Material: Leather-Airdura-Mix Functional membrane: Gore-TexColors: Black Sizes: XS to XXXL Equipment: Width adjustment on the wrist with a latch and on the cuff with a fixable elastic band; Double layer of leather on the palm, thumb and back of the fingers (with foam padding); heavily shaped fingers; Reflex piping on the back of the hand; warm textile lining; Visor wipers on both index fingers Wearing behavior: excellent fit thanks to strongly pre-shaped fingers and leather stretch on the back of the hand; little wrinkling on the palm; good grip despite the relatively warm lining; no pressing seams; snug fit on the wrist; very long, tightly closable cuff (length 15 cm); Well thought-out one-hand operation Wet test: passed, gloves absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 257 grams / 509 grams (pair) Suitability: transition period with cool temperatures Conclusion: very comfortable, waterproof glove for cooler days with an excellent fit and good grip as well as practical details

Modeka – Sydney

MOTORRAD verdict: recommendable

Provider: Beckumer Lederbekleidung, Telefon 02521/85030 Price: 99.90 EuroMaterial: Leather-Cordura-MixFunctional membrane: SympatexColors: Black / GunmetalSizes: six to twelveEquipment: Width adjustment on the wrist and cuff with Velcro; double layer of leather lined with Kevlar on the palm, outer edge and thumb; Foam padding and pleat on the back of the hand; reflective material on the back of the hand and fingers; Textile lining; temperature-compensating ComforTemp material wearing behavior: good fit, but limited grip despite pre-shaped fingers and expansion folds due to the very thick lining; no pressing seams; sufficiently long but not tight enough closable cuff (length 10 cm); Very stable Velcro straps Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 334 grams / 609 grams (pair) Suitability: Winter and cool transition periods Conclusion: very warmly lined, well-equipped and waterproof glove with temperature-compensating material, but limited grip

Krawehl – Arlen Ness GP 2nd

MOTORRAD verdict: still recommendable

Provider: Krawehl, Telephone 040 / 7891940Price: 94 eurosMaterial: LeatherFunctional membrane: HiporaColors: BlackSizes: XS to XXLEquipment: Width adjustment on cuff with zip and Velcro fastener; Elastic at wrist; Double layer of leather on the palm (underlaid with Kevlar), outer edge and thumb; Foam padding and pleat on the back of the hand; Reflective piping on thumb; Wearing behavior: good fit, but somewhat limited grip despite preformed fingers and folds due to thick lining; Zipper on the cuff (bulging and difficult to use) and reflective piping on the thumb (hidden, because the inside) is impractical; pressing seams at the roots of the thumbs; sufficiently long cuff (length 10 cm); Risk of stripping due to lack of fixation on the wrist Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 338 grams / 652 grams (pair) Suitability: cool transition period Conclusion: warmly lined, waterproof leather glove with a decent fit, but weaknesses in terms of safety (risk of stripping)

Orina – Neshville

MOTORRAD verdict: still recommendable

Provider: Team Connect, phone 02581/941410 Price: 53.90 eurosMaterial: LeatherFunctional membrane: NiboColors: BlackSizes: six to twelveEquipment: Width adjustment on the cuff with Velcro; Elastic at wrist; Double layer of leather on the palm (underlaid with Kevlar) and thumb; padded leather stretch on the back of the hand; reflective material on outer edge; Wearing behavior: great fit and good grip thanks to the supple leather and relatively thin lining; Seams at the base of the thumb press a little; sufficiently long, diagonally cut cuff (inner length 10 cm), but not tight enough to close; Danger of slipping off due to missing wrist strap Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 248 grams / 463 grams (pair) Suitability: transition period with medium temperatures Conclusion: simply equipped, waterproof leather glove with very good wearing comfort, but weaknesses in terms of safety (stripping -Risk)

IXS Yuma

MOTORRAD verdict: still recommendable

Provider: Hostettler, phone 07631/18040 Price: 89.90 eurosMaterial: Leather-Taslan-MixFunctional membrane: Gore-Tex Direct GripColors: Black, Black / Red, Black / BlueSizes: XS to XXLEquipment: Width adjustment on the cuff with Velcro; Elastic at wrist; Double layer of leather on the palm and thumb; Kevlar reinforcement on palm; Ankle padding and pleat on the back of the hand; reflective material on cuff; Wearing behavior: very good fit and great grip due to the expansion fold on the back of the hand and very thin lining; Glove looks very plastic; little wrinkling on the palm; no pressing seams; short, tightly closable cuff (length 8 cm); Risk of stripping due to lack of fixation on the wrist Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 160 grams / 351 grams (pair) Suitability: warmer spring days and summer Conclusion: thinly lined, comfortable and waterproof glove for warmer days with a great fit, but weaknesses of safety (risk of being wiped off)

Hein Gericke – PSX T1

MOTORRAD verdict: conditionally recommendable

Provider: Hein Gericke, Telephone 0211/98989 Price: 65.95 eurosMaterial: Leather-Cordura-MixFunctional membrane: Gore-TexColors: BlackSizes: XS to XXLEquipment: Width adjustment on the wrist and cuff with Velcro; Double layer of leather on the palm and thumb; Carbon hard shell on the outside of the upper hand; Wear behavior: Satisfactory fit because the cut on the back of the hand is too wide; thanks to the thin lining, good grip despite hardly any pre-shaped fingers; Wrinkles on the palm; bulging seams on the fingertips press after a relatively short time; short cuff (length 7 cm); Overlap of the Velcro fastener on the wrist a little bit Moisture test: failed, after two minutes of water penetration on the thumb with subsequent wetting of both gloves Weight dry / wet: 200 grams / 482 grams (pair) Suitability: warmer spring days and summer Conclusion: thinly lined, sporty glove with a somewhat unfortunate fit and clear weaknesses in the wetness test

Hero – Storm

MOTORRAD verdict: still recommendable

Provider: Held, Telephone 08321/66460 Price: 63.95 eurosMaterial: Leather-Cordura-MixFunctional membrane: Gore-TexColors: BlackSizes: six to twelveEquipment: Width adjustment on cuff with Velcro fastener; Elastic at wrist; Double layer of leather on the palm and thumb; Rubber lip as visor wiper on left index finger; Reflective piping on the back of the hand and cuff; Wear behavior: great fit and good grip thanks to soft leather and thin lining; little wrinkling on the palm; no pressing seams; very short cuff (length 6 cm); Risk of stripping due to lack of fixation on the wrist Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 163 grams / 324 grams (pair) Suitability: warmer spring days and summer Conclusion: thinly lined, very comfortable and waterproof glove for warmer days with great wearing behavior, but weaknesses in terms of safety (risk of scraping)

Wetness test: tight or not?

For the test of the most important criterion, water resistance, all 16 candidates had to endure the tried and tested bucket test. The gloves, which were dipped in pairs up to the wrist in a bucket of cold water, had to survive dry for five minutes. The hands were moved, as is the case on a motorcycle. In most cases, leaks showed up quickly and were easy to locate. In addition, the water uptake of each couple was determined using scales. In spite of the sometimes strongly discolored water, the membranes also prevented the four leaky test persons from getting excess paint on the hands. The drying times were as varied as the water absorption of the gloves. Some models, especially those with a high proportion of leather and foam upholstery, need several days to dry at normal room temperature. On the other hand, items with a predominant textile content are often ready for use again after 24 hours.

Wintex – Sahara

MOTORRAD verdict: conditionally recommendable

Provider: Teka Racing, Telephone 07761/57213 Price: 69 euros Material: leather-Cordura mix Functional membrane: Hipora Colors: black, black / red, black / blue Sizes: XS to XXXL Features: Width adjustment on the wrist with Velcro and on the cuff with a drawstring; Double layer of leather on the palm and thumb; Foam pads on knuckles (with reflective material), heel of the hand and cuff; Wearing behavior: good fit and acceptable grip despite only slightly pre-curved fingers; pressing seams at the base of the thumb; long, tightly closable cuff (length 14 cm); stable Velcro strap on the wrist; very long, fluttering cord ends with tightly closed cuff Wet test: failed: water ingress at the base of the thumb of the right glove with subsequent complete soaking; Left two fingers wet Weight dry / wet: 227 grams / 635 grams (pair) Suitability: transition period with medium temperatures Conclusion: lined glove with an acceptable fit and an acceptable grip, but significant weaknesses in the wetness test

Rev ?? it – Class

MOTORRAD verdict: still recommendable

Provider: Rev ?? it, Telephone 0031/412696740 Price: 50 eurosMaterial: LeatherFunctional membrane: HiporaColors: BlackSizes: XS to XXLEquipment: Width adjustment at the wrist with Velcro; double layer of leather lined with Kevlar on the outer edge; Wear behavior: fit and feel very good thanks to soft leather and thin inner lining; no pressing seams; somewhat short cuff without width adjustment (length 8 cm); Velcro strap of the width adjustment on the wrist somewhat weak; Poor safety equipment Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 151 grams / 375 grams (pair) Suitability: Summer Conclusion: light, fashionable and waterproof summer glove with great comfort and grip for bikers who do not value motorcycle-friendly safety details

Polo – Gore-Tex Sport

MOTORRAD verdict: still recommendable

Provider: Polo, Telephone 0211/979696 Price: 79.95 Euro Material: Leather Functional membrane: Gore-Tex ExactGrip Colors: Black Sizes: XS to XXL Features: Width adjustment on the wrist and cuff with Velcro; Double layer of leather on the palm, outer edge and thumb; Foam padding on the palm, outer edge (each with sliding rivets), back of the finger and cuff; Wearing behavior: fit and feel good, but not outstanding for a sports glove, as fingers are not pre-curved; no pressing seams; Wrinkled inner lining makes entry difficult; sufficiently long, diagonally cut and tightly closable cuff (inner length 11 cm); Overlap of the retaining latch on the wrist a little bit Wetness test: passed with restrictions: right glove completely tight, left slight water ingress on index and middle finger Weight dry / wet: 265 grams / 485 grams (pair) Suitability: Summer and warm transitional days Conclusion: sporty leather glove with good wearing comfort, but slight weaknesses in the wetness test

Uvex – Alaska

MOTORRAD verdict: recommendable

Providers: Uvex Sports, Telefon 0911 / 97740Price: 49.95 EuroMaterial: LeatherFunctional membrane: RegulatorColors: BlackSizes: XS to XXLEquipment: Width adjustment on the wrist and cuff with Velcro; Double layer of leather on the palm and thumb; Leather stretch on the back of the hand; wipe both index fingers with nubuck trim to the visor; Reflective piping on the back of the hand; Wearing behavior: very good fit (turns out large), but somewhat limited grip due to thick lining and only slightly pre-curved fingers; no pressing seams; long, tightly closable cuff (length 12 cm); Overlap of the Velcro fastener on the wrist a little tight; Noticeably full-fitting inner lining without drapery Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 298 grams / 586 grams (pair) Suitability: Transitional periods with cool temperatures Conclusion: Inexpensive, warmly lined and waterproof leather gloves for cold days with a good fit, but somewhat limited grip

Spidi – azimuth

MOTORRAD verdict: still recommendable

Provider: AGV Germany, Telephone 07182/805900 Price: 66 eurosMaterial: Leather-Cordura-MixFunctional membrane: SpidiColors: black, black / blue, black / redSizes: S to XXLEquipment: Width adjustment on cuff with Velcro fastener; double layer of leather lined with Kevlar on the palm, thumb and outer edge; thin foam padding on the back of the hand; Reflective piping on the back of the hand and cuff; Wearing behavior: restricted fit due to too short little finger; Grip feeling not particularly pronounced due to thick lining, lack of stretch and relatively stiff leather; no pressing seams; sufficiently long, tightly closable cuff (length 10 cm); Risk of stripping due to lack of fixation on the wrist Wet test: passed, glove absolutely tight Weight dry / wet: 253 grams / 574 grams (pair) Suitability: transition period with cool temperatures Conclusion: warmly lined, waterproof glove for cool days with limited comfort and weaknesses in safety ( Scraping risk)

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