|
|
Brief I wouldn't take a trip to the store without wearing a good pair of gloves, yet they are often overlooked when it comes to safety gear. While there are plenty of good manufacturers making a wide range in style, quality and price, there is a newcomer who may be setting the standard with their line of riding gear. Icon hasn't been around long, but their gear seems to be right on the money when it comes to good looks, protection and quality. Overview The Titanium clad Ti-Max Gloves have 13 plates providing protection at both the knuckles and wrist, making the wearer resemble something simular to "The Terminator". The palm also contains 60 steel rivets to help protect them from the unforgiving pavement. There are also re-enforced patches of leather in all of the important wear areas like the palm, thumb and pinky. Although the gloves will feel a little heavy in your hands, you won't notice the weight when you're atually wearing them. I thought these gloves may be a little too much for my taste, but after my first ride I think they will be seeing a lot of time on the bars. I'm very impressed with the fit, finish and performance of these very interesting and unique gloves. It appears to me that Icon's sizes run a bit small so you may want to try a size larger than you usually would wear. This is even more apparent in the shorter glove version which is also available. I fit well in the XL full glove but found the XXL short glove a little more tight. Details I first took these gloves out on a Saturday ride which started off warm and ended in a cold ride through fog and mist. At first, the gloves felt a bit warm in the 65-70 degree weather as they are lined with soft material which makes them comfy and easy on the hands. They do take a little longer to put on with the wrist strap, zipper and dual wrist enclosures, so your buddies may give you a hard time while waiting for you to suit up. Once the gloves are on, you won't want to take them off. The pre-curved fingers fit great on the bars and the gauntlet style cuffs fit easily and securely over my thick leather jacket. On the road the Ti-Max Gloves provide more than enough protection from the cold weather, but demand a little extra caution when it comes to maneuvering around the levers. A few times the large knuckle flaps caught momentarily on the brake and clutch levers, but not enough to cause any problems. These gloves are very well made and quite possibly surpass the quality of any glove I've owned, including such manufactures as Alpinestar, Joe Rocket or Teknic. It's too early to tell how these glove will hold up in the long run, but my first impression was, "Wow!, these things look, fit and feel awesome". Are these gloves for you? Well, the hefty price of $150.00 will probably send most people searching for a cheaper route, but for those who desire great craftsmanship along with a unique style and a statement that says, "go ahead, make my day", these gloves will truly fit nicely.
|
 |
Copyright © 2003-2013 |
Streetbike Review |