Gloves - what's "good" these days???

After being out of the game for almost 8 years, I'm fortunate enough that most of my gear the I kept was realtively new-ish when I hung it up. Most of it still fits, but the Kobe gloves, which are still in good shape, were never a favorite. I've had Helds, and they were nice, but my all time favorites were a cheap-ish pair of Teknic (sp?) Kangaroo race gloves that were supple and had a ton of feel. I've always gone full gauntlet, but wouldn't mind coming down off the pure-sport/race ledge at this point as long as there's enough protection. A few have caught my eye but I know little about them:

- Five Gloves: I don't think I can get them in the US anymore. They look nice, but it seems like the took a shot at this market and gave up. No idea where to source them at this point other than the UK, and would have to be sure they are worth the shipping...

- ONEX: They have the right "custom glove" pedigree and the price seems fair, but no one seems to know anything about them. Does anyone here have any experience with them? Worth the money?

- Alipinestars: OK, I know who these guys are but I've never owned any of their kit. I thought the SP-1 and SP-2 looked nice for the price.

Any other "off" brands out there I'm not aware of? A sincere thanks to anyone who can lead me down the right path on this one.

 

I am no longer a Held fan, but the Fives instantly fit. RSX4's on sale here at the moment.... a friend just bought a pair and they aren't a full gauntlet.
https://www.gpbikes.com/five-rfx4-gloves

I have to try gloves on before I buy to ensure the right fit........ or borrow someone else's to try on.

 

Had an interesting conversation with ONEX yesterday. Was told that the guy who runs the operation is using the same factory that the old Teknic Violater/Speedstar gloves were made. They were Teknic's "high end" gloves. As mentioned, these were among my favorites. It would appear that they have updated/improved them using similar materials. The last pair I had lasted at least 2-3 seasons IIRC and that was under pretty heavy/regular use. I'm going to try a pair and will report on my findings. They seem like decent people and I've blown $150 on far more questionable things.

(Note: No luck in finding Five gloves in the US. Possible only outlet that makes sense is Canada for me. The site listed above did actually have some but even after the exchange rate adjustment, the $30 standard-issue shipping to the US puts most models in the neighborhood of ONEX. Shame, as they seem like really nice, well priced gloves.)

 

Five is located in France, and you are correct, apparently no dealers in the US.

 

I struggle with the apparent dichotomy of comfort and protection and wrestle to find the right balance. I'm seeking the impossible - a glove that feels like a fine leather driving glove that offers the protection of a round table knight's gauntlet. It's not possible - I get that. I need to settle on a balance. I don't "want'" to ride the way that I did when I felt like truly needed the most/best protection my budget could buy, but bad things can happen regardless of riding style and intent. I'm over thinking it - paralysis by analysis - one of my more notable "qualities". The gear changed more than I thought it would during my 8 year hiatus - the needle in the haystack for me is a glove that's extremely comfortable, well constructed with top-shelf material but not armored like I'm going into battle. I figure the ONEX might at least find a place in my arsenal while I pursue my grail.

 

The most comfortable softest gloves are deerskin, which usually don't come with armour. Available at a hardware store near you, depending on the store some have different brands. Higher priced versions available at Aerostich as deerskin or elskin.
Lee Parks has a gauntlet style deerskin with external seams.

 

On my second pair of the A stars SP2 gloves. Killed the first pair with sweat after I forget how long.
Bought pair 2 because I like them. But not great for cold weather.

Also have a pair of Joe Rocket burner gloves with batteries and heating elements.
Kind of bulky but the 3M thinsulate and the heating elements work a charm when it's cold.
Cold here is down to maybe 45 or 50F, during the day. So, not really all that bad.

 

I'm interested in this thread also.
You don't happen to have a link to the ONEX gloves do you?

 

Sure thing: https://onexusa.com

 

I have had a few pair of Technik winter gloves and thought they were very good for staying dry and warm in the winters where I live. Have ridden 50 miles in -10C a few times coming home from work in the wee hours of the morning. They impressed me enough that when the first pair wore out, I went straight back to Technik for winter gloves.

For summer gloves, I have worn A-Stars (one pair) and Joe Rocket, (2 or three). I didn't mind the A-stars which were bought to replace my first pair of JR. But I like the JR considerably more than the A-Stars. Mine have always been gauntlet style until my most recent pair of JR. I have to say, comfort wise, I prefer these short gloves far more than the gauntlet style.

I have tried on many other brands including Dainese but none of them have felt as comfortable as the JR. But each to their own. Much like helmets.

 

I decided a few years ago to get rid of my winter gloves due to lack of feel. I now use summer gloves (thin) all year round which are Inox gloves. I may at some point decide to fit heated grips back on as at 0c its a little cool.. lol

I find as long as I can keep the core warm (layers) then my hands don't worry too much..

 

I am an Alpinestars fanboy, my current preferred glove is the SP-8, the seams are to the outside so internal comfort is great.

 

I took a bit of a different direction. When trolling about on eBay (something I rarely do these days...) I stumbled on a NOS pair of Held Ceramics at a price too good to pass up. I remembered these as being "the" gloves to have when they were released - at least among my circle of riders. For the money, I rolled the dice. They are indeed NOS, and the quality is what I remember of the Helds I had (and liked) in the past. The were what I was looking for - full gauntlet with enough protection in the key areas I was looking for. Extremely comfortable but still confidence inspiring. And they were comparably inexpensive to lesser, more current options. I can't comment on the current state of Held quality, but these seem solid. I will probably still acquired a pair of OneX at some point for those days when (if...) we decide to leather up and really get after it. I also stumbled across a nice deal on Original Bike Spirits polish - perhaps I should ping eBay a little more often.

Now all I need is the bike - possibly a new helmet - hopefully can pick it up in a few weeks.

 

I recently purchased a set of Lee Parks Design Deertour gloves for my everyday commuting. I really like them. They are really soft and supple. I only have a couple hours of riding in them, so I can't give you a thorough review. I would imagine they will be good with heated grips down to temps of 45°F and they breath well enough for hotter temps.

 

Check out Racer High Racer gloves.

https://www.racerglovesusa.com/collections/motorcycle-racing-gloves/products/high-racer-glove

Kangaroo palm. External stitching on fingers like you want, and Knox Palm sliders. Pricey but well worth it. Very little break in and great feel.

 

Any Knox glove is a good choice.

 

Normally I'm a Knox glove wearer, had a pair of Handroids that sacrificed themselves for me at the track. Although I would replace them with the same model, their price was a little steep for my current funding level. I found a pair of Cortech gloves that have the Knox SPS setup on them and with some other good good protection features but at about half the price. So far I've used them about 5 or 6 times at the track and they're starting to break in and feel pretty good. To be honest, their stiffness when I got them had me worried at first. The gloves I'm referring to are the Cortech Adrenaline 3.0 rr gloves and it looks like they're on closeout everywhere, so may get them for a great price, providing you can get your size.