Gloves.

[James Deuce]

What the hell is up with gloves?

5 years ago I bought a pair of XL Orina winter gloves. They're warm, mostly water proof (and still warm when they're not) but can only be used in sub-Antarctic conditions. Anything over 14-15 C and your hands are uncomfortably hot. Best of all, they fit. They haven't worn appreciably either.

I have a pair of Minotaur summer gloves I bought from TonyB. They almost fit, the shortness in the palm means the wrist closure doesn't quite meet at my wrist. They are 2XLs and bought 2-3 years ago. Just starting to wear out, and they've been great. Really good internal seams and bags of feel at the controls.

I bought a pair of 1tonne 3XLs and they are WAY smaller than the Orina XLs. My fingers barely fit in the glove fingers and the wrist closure is mid-palm. I've found this with EVERY pair of gloves I've tried from EVERY manufacturer I can find with their 2XL's. I was really excited about finding someone bringing 3XLs into the country only to find they are between XL and 2XL compared to most other manufacturers. They are lovely looking gloves but I could tell they were too small from the size of the envelope they turned up in, let alone trying to put them on.

What the hell am I going to do? My hands aren't THAT big, but I can't find comfortable gloves anywhere. Quasi's 2XLs are about the same size as the 1tonne 3XL gloves.

Totally screwed. Does anyone have any sensible suggestions for summer gloves that are all leather or a leather kevlar combo, with knuckle protection that isn't going to cost me more than $500? I want decent protection, not string vests for the hands or fingerless chaps for Mrs Palmer.

How can the sizing get so screwed up in such a short period of time? Are bike gear manufacturers so greedy that in moving all their production to Asia/SE-Asia they've ignored things like quality control and the simple fact that 150 years of excessive available food quantities have made us "western" types bigger than people on even healthy lo-calorie diets, let alone subsistence diets?

[vifferman]

What brands have you tried, Jim? (Bet he says, "All of them!")
I don't envy you - I suspect I have normal-sized hands, as the only trouble I've had is with small variations in size left to right, due to poor QC, the odd fingers being a bit long, and the wrist closure not being on the wrist but creeping up onto the palm.
I've had lots of brands of gloves (no-name, AGV, Spidi, Teknic, Held, RJays, etc.) and my favourites are still Spidi (current waterproof/winter gloves) and Held (rest of the year). RJays quality was abolsute shit, and the worst gloves I've ever owned were some Orina waterproofs: feel apart at the seams in normal (occasional!) use, and were horribly sweaty.

[jrandom]

I've spent the last three years riding through summer in a pair of NEO leather gloves that cost me about $90 at Mt Eden MC.

After several bins they've finally worn through enough that they didn't feel sufficiently protective, so I went looking and ended up getting another pair of NEOs.

I don't have them here at work and I forget the exact model name, it's the usual silly sort of deal like 'Munter' or 'Hammerer' or 'Homosexual Aggressor' or something, but they're kangaroo leather with carbon fibre knuckle armour, and were only $95 at Cycletreads. The kangaroo skin is beautiful to wear; light and supple, wonderful feel to it.

I was quite prepared to spend twice that much, but those really were the nicest gloves I could find.

The size M fits my dainty paws like a charm, so I'd suspect that the L or XL might be good for your mitts. Go check them out!

[James Deuce]

Neo don't make anything big enough, but thanks for the thought.

There's actually sod all real difference between XL and 2XL for most of them there glove manufacturing varmints.

[James Deuce]

What brands have you tried, Jim? (Bet he says, "All of them!")
Pretty much. If there's a 2XL on the rack I've tried it.

[Hitcher]

I too have noted glove "shrinkage", but not to the same extent as James. I routinely by 3XL gloves now when previously I could find 2XLs that fitted well.

My new summer gloves are Teknic (very nice too, BTW). My previous ones were RJays, but they didn't meet the "knuckle armour" criteria listed above.

I suspect I shall be up for a new pair of winter gloves soon, as my beloved Clovers are starting to wear.

[ManDownUnder]

I got a pair of Quasi gloves (XL) and they were too tight to start with, I persisted and about 2 weeks later (I'm guessing... 12 hours riding time?) they were a good fit, and now they're perfect.

It's not that initial tightness you're talking about is it?

[James Deuce]

No, they simply aren't long enough. Tightness doesn't worry me but the heel of the glove never comes down past the bottom third of my hand and the fingers aren't long enough, even taking into account the stretch factor. The webs of my fingers don't meet the base of the glove's fingers for instance.

[TerminalAddict]

seems to be a nation wide problem

I used to buy medium gloves, now I buy large gloves, and the fingers are inevitably a little too long

[yungatart]

I have the opposite problem, my fingers are always too short, as is my palm and then my left hand is considerably larger than my right..
I hate shopping for gloves and boots/shoes!

[vifferman]

While we're whinging/wittering on about Paw Protectors, although I've had some gloves fall apart by dint of threads unsewing themselves, most of my gloves have had to be sent to the Big Paw Protector Bin In The Sky solely because the fingertips (especially the left thumb) have worn through during normal use. I've glued/sewed new bits on a couple of them, but it looks naff.
(I've NEVER ever (no, not ever) binned a pair of gloves to death. In fact, I dunno if I can remember my hands/gloves ever touching down during a bin).

Anyway, why can't gloves be a bit more durable? Armour and padding and Flash Features is all Well & Goode (Inc.), and I actually enjoy buying New Stuff, but it irks having to toss a pair of glubs (even if it is only into the back of my bike gear cupboard) just because the thumb has extra ventilation.
Why isn't there a :spudwhat: emoticodweebicon any more, to emblazon these questions with?
Why do I keep asking about the spuddy thingie?

[Str8 Jacket]

The webs of my fingers don't meet the base of the glove's fingers for instance.

OMG, you have ducks feet for fingers?!?! :eek:

[Hitcher]

I suspect that this problem comes with getting apparel made by inadequately breifed and supervised Asians. RM Williams and Icebreaker gear has suffered a similar fate since manufacture stopped in Australia and New Zealand respectively. Product managers should ask the question as to what they're trading off in return for things being manufactured in a low-wage economy.

[vifferman]

Product managers should ask the question as to what they're trading off in return for things being manufactured in a low-wage economy.
They don't ask - just enjoy the increased profit margins.
As for Icebreaker stuff - I've bought all mine (and the wife's, son's mother-in-law's) from the outlet store down't'road. Nowt wrong with any of it, even though it's supposedly seconds or ends-of-line. Oh OK, my shirt doesn't have an Icebreaker logo on it, coz some 8-year-old Chinese dwarf forgot to do it, but otherwise I'm happy. (About my clothes, at least...)

[Hitcher]

They don't ask - just enjoy the increased profit margins.

Until the poor old customer stops buying it and they go tits up.

[Quasievil]

Measure your hand and I will make you a custom pair bro, hopefully wont cost anything extra, but only cause I like you ya big git.

[Ixion]

When first I bought gauntlets, I took a size M for summer and for winter.

Now, my latest glubs, size 3XL (!) barely fit. My hands are the same size as they ever were. Why have they changed the sizing

I have decided I will no longer bother with winter grade glubs, the winters are so warm nowadays that they are no longer needed. Which is just as well, because I think I would need 5XL at least..And I am a small person .

What strange beings do they use for their measurements.

[Swoop]

...my gloves have had to be sent to the Big Paw Protector Bin In The Sky solely because the fingertips (especially the left thumb) have worn through during normal use.
Is there a correlation between your glubs and your Vifferhorn or Vifferindimacator switch wearing out??

:SPUDWHAT:

[Number One]

WOW 3XL?! :shutup: what's the one about men with big hands... :whistle: :chase:

[yungatart]

WOW 3XL?! :shutup: what's the one about men with big hands... :whistle: :chase:

...they need big gloves?

[Number One]

...they need big gloves?
Yeah...Sure...I'm positive that was it :lol:

[vifferman]

Is there a correlation between your glubs and your Vifferhorn or Vifferindimacator switch wearing out??

:SPUDWHAT:
:spudwhatareyoutalkingabout:?
No.
Although that gives me paws for thought

.................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ............

Perhaps I should wear the indicator knobule out a bit so it's not so abrasive...

[James Deuce]

OMG, you have ducks feet for fingers?!?! :eek:
Better than a projectile vomiting tummy button.

I have found a solution. I lent a pair of barely worn summer gloves to a mate a couple of years ago. He never used them. I asked for them back.

Problem solved.

The are XL Orina Summer Carbon. I would be interested to compare them to the latest iteration of the Orina Summer Carbon and check the sizing.

[ZephyrMark2]

Just a google search brought about
http://www.leatherdirect.co.nz/store.php?c=450

which looks like it has 3XL summer gloves... not sure if that's looking like what you are after?

[James Deuce]

I've tried their 3XLs. No good. The girls in the shop can't quite believe it.

[Owl]

Better than a projectile vomiting tummy button.

I have found a solution. I lent a pair of barely worn summer gloves to a mate a couple of years ago. He never used them. I asked for them back.

Problem solved.

The are XL Orina Summer Carbon. I would be interested to compare them to the latest iteration of the Orina Summer Carbon and check the sizing.

Glad you sorted it JD! I was going to suggest Alpinestars, as their sizing seems a little larger. I usually take XL, but the Alpinestars fit nicely in L and I know they go to 2XL.
Strange that I get shit at work over my ridiculously large hands! Must be a proportion thing?:confused:

[pritch]

I used to wear small cricket gloves but I've got a bit larger since then.

My Held "German" (Made in Hungary) gloves are medium 8s.
Italian gloves (they aren't saying where...) in the same size are called "large".

See if you can find a shop selling Held. I was buying Held gloves from overseas because you couldn't get them here. By carefully following the measuring instructions I got four different pairs that fit. The last pair, "Akira", required some running in, and I still don't put them on for a ride up to the shops, but they are coming along nicely.

If you are going to take up Quasi's generous offer do your measuring very carefully to avoid embarrassment:Oops:

Whatever, good luck.

[1 Free Man]

WOW 3XL?! :shutup: what's the one about men with big hands... :whistle: :chase:
Big hands small dick. Isn't that how it goes?

[Ocean1]

Similar problem here. My shopping wasn't quite as extensive but the only glubs I could find to fit that didn't resemble sleeping bags were 2XL Dryrider summer things.

I think I managed to force my hand into a couple of others, but they were the only ones that didn't have the base of the glub finger about where my 2nd finger joint is.

I was initially a bit doubtful about them but they've worked well for a couple of years.

[Monamie]

I've tried their 3XLs. No good. The girls in the shop can't quite believe it.

I bet they can't:clap: Those really are big hands Jim:dodge:
The sizing change is probably something to do with where they are made now? I have an XL jacket and a M-go figure (different brands of course).

[Crasherfromwayback]

WOW 3XL?! :shutup: what's the one about men with big hands... :whistle: :chase:

Small hands are where it's at. Makes ya knob look much bigger!

[jrandom]

WOW 3XL?! :shutup: what's the one about men with big hands... :whistle: :chase:

Have you lost something that needs retrieving?

[vifferman]

My Held "German" (Made in Hungary) gloves are medium 8s.
Italian gloves (they aren't saying where...) in the same size are called "large".

See if you can find a shop selling Held. I was buying Held gloves from overseas because you couldn't get them here.
I bought my Helds (size 9) at Motohaus. I know Kerry wasn't importing them himself, so that must mean one of the motorcycle gear importers are.
I really like them - they're cheaper'n comparable Spidis, well featured, and very comfy.

[bungbung]

I bought Lisa a pair of Held gloves from TSS, very nice. Medium size seemed to agree with previous pair of A*star gloves sizing

[James Deuce]

I have retrieved my Orina Summer Carbon's and they fit nicely. They are a 2XL.

Rant over until these wear out.

[vifferman]

Rant over until these wear out.
So... how much time does that give you to hunt down some replacements?

[Dealer]

I use Orina summer carbons, which i bought from cycletreads, about $65 pair.
The first set lasted me 2 years, they are comfortable, and have carbon fibre knuckles. Had to get CT to order my 2nd set in as they didn't have any on the shelf.
Bought a $200 pair of waterproof winter gloves which i will only wear in < 5 degree temperatures as they are too thick and dont give good control.
Would rather have cold fingers.

[Winston001]

It's not that initial tightness you're talking about is it?



Mmmmm........like that initial tightness......in fact continued tightness oh yeah.......guess I'll have a little lie down..... :devil2:

[Gizzit]

Mate I have no hesitation recommending Quasi's new gloves. Got a pair from him a few months ago, and they are very comfortable and well made.

[Trudes]

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I have a pair of Revit gloves, hard armor in the knuckles and fingers etc, they're pretty water proof for leather gloves, cool in summer and not too bad in the winter but they are a little better with some liners when it's cold.

[BigGuy]

I got me the Alpinestars 365GTX XXL. They cost $395 retail. I have normal size Kiwi hands I would say and I love the fit.

[Hitcher]

I have a pair of Revit gloves, hard armor in the knuckles and fingers etc

Arrrrrr. I wager they be women's gloves...

[geoffm]

I have some RJays gloves - can't recell the size but I had to order them in as I have the same problem like you with hands bigge than the average Pakistani or Chinese. Had them for 5 years with daily commuting for half that time, and only starting to get worn now.
Geoff

[portokiwi]

Some good glove deals at BlackHawlk web site if anyone interested,
http://www.blackhawk.com/product/LightFighter-Full-Finger-Padded-Gloves-V1,1106,1358.htm

Dont think will last long