"Fits Like a Glove"
Written: Oct 10 '06 (Updated Mar 20 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A very snug, light, and solid fit in a sharp-looking presentation.
Cons: Durability and practicality are a little suspect.
The Bottom Line: A handsome glove in appearance and sharp fit but watch for durability.
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| chilantro's Full Review: Pearl Izumi Pittard's Leather Gloves 8527 |
It's a highly subjective thing but I'm pretty finicky about bike gloves and other clothing accessories. I look and feel for a certain "sweet spot" when the glove just feels natural, not overbulky, not too tight or loose, and conforms to the bike handlebars yet provides some degree of cushion -- but not too much! In sum, an extension of your hands. In addition, the glove has to be practical: machine washable, durable, and nose-wipable.
This glove meets most of those standards for me. The general "fit" is probably the nicest and most comfortable I've found. While a little more expensive than most short-finger gloves (around $30 at Performance Bike), the padding is almost perfectly distributed around the palm as it enables you to retain a solid feel for the handlebars (which already contain a minimal amount of padding with handlebar tape). In short, the Pittards leather padding is just thick enough and placed properly enough to take the edge off of the road (or provide some protection if you fall) in terms of vibration and fatigue but not too much that you don't lose grip or feedback from the bars.
The glove is quite lightweight and breathes nicely with a thin layer of lycra/spandex on the back of hand and fingers.
Disappointingly, the durability on these is a little suspect. I've been throwing these into the dark wash (the Pittards leather is marketed to be machine washable) and a low dryer setting for about a year and they are now starting to come apart at the wrist seam area. Also, some of the leather is noticeably drying out. Perhaps I should just hand wash and line dry? In addition, though less critical, a larger nose wipe area would be nice. The glove has a fabric area just on the thumb. An additional area on the back of the hand would be nice though admittedly would make the glove a little heavier and bulkier -- pick your trade off.
I'm going to stick by this glove (I've bought a second pair) for now but only because I don't like most of the other options in the sub $30 price range except for a Pearl Izumi race glove -- a glove with NO padding but is fast to get on (triathlons) and for those who just want some hand protection without the bulk of padding.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
chilantro
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Location: North Bethesda, Maryland
Reviews written: 59
Trusted by: 5 members
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