2010 Ladies G-Love Review - Part 2

Source: Elise

For centuries women have been adorning themselves in this fanciful accessory, so it seems of no small coincidence that you can’t say glove without love. And despite the fact that one might successfully argue bike gloves to be a necessary component of equipment, they also maintain their fanciful status.

Introducing the vast world of women's biking gloves. The sufficient, the appropriate, the functional, the good and, of course, the fancy.

Enjoy Part 2 of 2 inside,For the convenience of comparing, below you will find a nice chart with all the gloves. Two noticeable things excluded from this chart are how comfortable they fit and the sweat wicking capabilities. Comfort assessment was omitted due to the vast variety of hand shapes. Likely yours will not be the same as mine even if you were to have the benefit of measuring yours up to mine. And although some brands seem to have glove sizing charts, it’s tough to base your hand size on a knuckle circumference and finger length. As we all know from buying shoes, it’s ideal to try them on first. I mean just because a glove looks hot in a picture does not mean it will feel great after gripping your handlebar for hours. I strongly suggest visiting a bike shop near you to try a few on. There is certain to be one that has the appropriate fit for your specific sized hand.

As for the sweat wicking capacity, it was left out simply because I don’t sweat nearly enough to test that particular aspect properly. And without further ado, here are the gloves, listed alphabetically by brand.

Here is part 1 in case you missed it.

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Part 2: Mace, POW, Race Face, Specialized and Troy Lee Gloves

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Mace fit a bit on the big side for my hand. Turns out that there are many interpretations of size small.


The Haven is a sturdy hand cover. Its simple construction and material make it a great all purpose glove. The darker color makes it a solid choice for muddy conditions where you don’t want to wreck and stain your summer gear.


The Specter is a more attractive glove with attention given to the stitching construction. It features breathable mesh venting throughout the fingers and palms, double stitching on key stress areas, terry nose wipe, adjustable wrist strap and a 3mm gel patch for nerve protection on the palm. I’ll take a pair in extra small, please.

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Pow was the only brand that I was unfamiliar with. I found these slip on cuffs to be a bit tough to get on as well. Although once on they were very much like the second skin POW claims them to be. Snug and simple; I found that they could also be worn while typing on my laptop.


The Fremont is a cute glove, but a bit too minimal for my taste, but you might be able to change a flat without taking these off.


The Skinny has the exact same construction as Fremont, but wins my vote on the color choice. Lime green is pretty hip.

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Race Face offers one ladies' glove, and it's ready for anything.


DIY (Do It Yourself) is so tough that it’s even reinforced at the sides with Kevlar, incase you decide to graze the odd tree on a tight trail. This glove is all-purpose with double stitched palms, strategically placed 2mm foam and reinforced thumb crotch to add just the right amount of comfort. Although I found the fingers to be a tad on the long side, overall this pair fit rather well and definitely lives up to its next-to-skin marketing.

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Specialized has been around for a long time and if anyone knows gloves it’s them. Here are three solid representations of their product including a model in support of breast cancer.


The Enduro is hot pink and Specialized makes it. Need I say more? Yes, it’s got all the necessities, comfortable fit, sweat wipe, adjustable wrist, finger grips, airflow, supports breast cancer and has the added benefit of style.


The Gel Long (which also comes in a fingerless Gel Short) is a serious glove. It’s not a fashion statement, but rather a statement of, “I’m a serious biker, and want to have the best performance out of a pair of gloves.” The combination of gel in the upper and lower palms are sure to make those long bumpy rides a little less taxing. This glove is an ultimate handyman.


The Ridge is like Gel Long’s less feature laden younger sister. It’s not as aggressive, but will still give you more than adequate comfort with slightly smaller bells and whistles.

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Troy Lee Designs women’s gloves are specifically designed and pre-curved for female hands. They fit my hands exceptionally well and I like how minimal they feel.


The Ace gloves are lightweight and comfortable, so you don't even notice them. The two-way stretch panel on top provides a snug fit, while double-stitched leather protects your palm. It has silicone finger grips, added finger ventilation and a terrycloth outer thumb ideal for wiping away sweat.


Ace it up with some girlish bling. Leave it to Troy Lee to make gloves adorned with rhinestones. Hot, hot, hot! These babies are even available in white, pink, blue and red, so you can get one to match all your outfits. Same comfort standards and features as the black version above, only hotter.

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My personal list of must haves:

- Adjustable wrist strap
- Quality palm padding
- Snug fit
- Proper airflow
- Soft nose wipe
- Adequate style

My personal top picks, based on fit and must haves:

- Fox, Reflex Gel
- Giro, Xena
- Troy Lee, Ace

May your hands find the comfort they deserve and a stylish enough wave to attract new friends everywhere they go.

-Elise

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