Mechanix Gloves
April 17, 2010
I can tell whether I’ve run into one of my soul sisters on the trail when I see a savvy MTB rider wearing Mechanix gloves. The blunt truth is that if you’re into MTB and you haven’t clued into these babies, you are behind the times. Why? Because if you buy Mechanix you get a burlier, longer-lasting glove with the same padding, the same armor, and the same grip with better Velcro and tougher construction for less cash. So if you’re still dropping your paychecks on MTB-specific gloves, get with the program and visit the Mechanix Web site to get yourself the glove that makes other MTBers nod knowingly.
The Velcro on Mechanix is so much better than on bike industry gloves it’s pretty ridiculous. I won’t wash my guy’s regular bike gloves with our technical clothes because the Velcro is so crap that it always comes loose and snarls up our lycra. Needless to say he quickly caved and bought his own Mechanix. One of our more notable arguments involved his callous return to the house bearing new Mechanix gloves for himself and none for me. What kind of monster would do such a thing, I ask you? He’s over my shoulder now, defending himself with some line about going back to the store to look for gloves for me but not being able to find any in my size; a likely story.
I’ve been riding with and washing the same pair of Mechanix for three years now and the Velcro is still stuck fast. There’s no visible wear to the gloves and they are still just as nicely padded as ever. I bought mine so long ago that I don’t even know which version they are, but they are pretty standard with a padded palm and full fingers. No armor on them, but I don’t feel that I need it. If you want armor, they have gloves with armor. If you want pink, they have gloves with pink. If you want flourescent yellow, they have that too. Most importantly though, they have a great, tough, useful glove at a great price.
You can order them through the Mechanix web site or grab them at one of the big box home improvement stores. The latter comes with the (typical) downside of not having much choice for size; I’ve never seen a size small utility glove at one of those stores. The web site has them, though, so that’s probably the best option for us ladies. If you are in a pinch, the mediums will probably work; mine are size medium and although they are a little big, they are fairly comfortable. I have been meaning to buy new ones in size small but since my old ones are still in such good shape, I don’t see the point. Then again, if I wait for them to wear out I might never get to buy new gloves; an interesting conundrum.
Mechanix has gloves for cold weather; too, and they even have fairly decent arm warmers. One thing they don’t have, though, is gloves with much ventilation (except for their ventilated gloves, which don’t have palm padding), so just get used to sweaty palms and serious wrist tan lines. They don’t have any fingerless gloves and they don’t even really make bike gloves at all. But they do make gloves that are excellent for biking.
Dakine Cougar Gloves
April 5, 2009
Embrace your inner feline with the Cougar Gloves from Backcountry.com.
OK ladies, here’s your big chance to try the gear that nets younger husbands. With these gloves, you’ll be unstoppable at your local apres-ski haunt, preying on those out-of-towner twentysomethings and worshipping your goddess, Demi Moore. No, just kidding, these aren’t for THAT kind of Cougar. Actually, I really don’t know why they are called “cougar” gloves, but I DO know that I repeatedly turn to these gloves when the pow is flying. They’re really well-padded (read: not nimble) and moderately warm, which is nice, but what keeps me coming back is the well-sized wrist cuff that keeps wayward snow out of my sleeves. Dakine has thought of everything; giving you a nose wipe patch AND a goggle squeegee, one on the left glove and one on the right. Of course I keep forgetting which glove has which, and I’ve had some painful nose-squeegeeing incidents. You’d think I’d learn….
Dakine Targa Glove
December 18, 2008
Get your grab on at backcountry.com – ON SALE at $59.96!
One of the most eye-catching gloves in my arsenal, the Dakine Targas have quickly become one of my staples. That could have something to do with how they PERFECTLY match my orange and brown (cooler than it sounds) ski outfit, but it also is because they are sized correctly for women’s hands and are very warm and water resistant. They have a rather rare form-fitting cuff that doesn’t end up pushing your jacket sleeves up your arms. The cuff is also shorter than usual which is nice for getting your sleeves over them. I like its precise fit and the adjustable closure that gives you as close a fit as you want.
They’re fairly warm, though I’d say they’re for milder winter temperatures from upper teens to upper twenties, but their real attraction is their water resistant nature. It took many, many wearings for these gloves to let any water through, and that was after pretty much digging through slushy snow with my gloved hands for a while. They also tend to get wet when I’m working with snow with my hands, because the short cuff tends to let snow in when I reach down into the snowpack. But honestly, most people won’t be plunging their hands into snow so I think you’ll be fine.
I thought they might be kind of gimmicky because of the trendy design, but I was pleasantly surprised and found that they have significant function value as well. I think I use them most days unless I know it’s cold enough to need mittens. And, extra bonus: the flashy design attracts commentary, which is a good way to strike up a conversation with your favorite ski instructor. And what Geargal doesn’t like a good, healthy “conversation”?
Mountain Hardwear Torsion Gloves
September 30, 2008
Jeez, all these great products from Mountain Hardwear are really making my reviews predictable. The glove of choice for changing seasons, the Torsion promises “less glove, more results.” I think a snappier tag line would have been “less glove, more love,” but Mountain Hardwear doesn’t pay me for my opinions on their advertising. They don’t pay me for anything, actually, but as long as they keep making great gear, I’ll forgive them.
More love is what I’m feeling for the Torsion gloves, which are lightweight, thin, stretchy, and completely windproof. They are popular as well, from the number of times I’ve heard “hey, I have those gloves too.” The leather palm allows maximum grippage (another patented Geargals technical term) and is tough enough to take abuse from sharp rocks and rope friction. While the Torsions aren’t waterproof per se, they shed the weather and only really soak up liquid when you force them to by dunking them in puddles or handling soaking wet ropes. These gloves get worn so much they haven’t even made it to the laundry – the Geargals can’t bear to part with them long enough to wash them. And that, readers, is a ringing endorsement.
