I'm a bit of a 'tweener when it comes to wearing gloves, preferring the natural feel of the grip without being bothered by too much extra protection that takes away from that. Appealing to my near no-glove preference, the Air glove is a rather simple design, really allowing for a next-to-skin feel of the grips and handlebar. The mesh upper, although heavier than would be expected from a lightweight glove, lasted much longer than expected, especially when taking a constant whipping from unfriendly desert shrubbery that fences in a lot of my local singletrack. That said, the 3D welded rubber graphics did not provide much protection and serve mostly as visual eye candy. Sizing-wise, I went back and forth between two sizes but ended up with the larger option in order to accommodate my long and skinny middle finger. After punishing these gloves for over two seasons now, the palm material has far exceeded my expectations, as most gloves with similar construction develop rips and holes after only a couple months of hard use. The silicone grippers, on the other hand, did not put up a strong battle and continue to rub off with the miles. Consistently securing the gloves in place, the 3D molded Velcro strap made quick work out of getting the gloves on and off and, even after two seasons, they still hold strong throughout the ride. At a fair price, the Troy Lee Designs Air Gloves have been trusty throughout the years, with a good feel, breathable fabric, and robust construction. All told, the only change that I'd make would be the addition of a soft nose-wipe along the inside edge of each glove as you find on most of the competition - the lack of one can quickly rub your nose raw on a cold weather ride if you're not careful. - Dylan Stucki |
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Time will tell if my Deft Family or 100% iTrack (very similar feeling gloves) will hold up as well, or if I'll have to get some new Air Gloves.
Tree seasons of DH/XC/AM/DJ abuse, all faded from sunlight and machine washes - but still not a single hole, loose thread, torn velcro closure or missing silicone-thingy to be seen: peecee.dk/uploads/082014/2014-08-05_14.43.18.jpg
Not my only pair of gloves in that period, obviously. But still, by a large margin, the longest living gloves I've ever had!
They have the same snug "barely there" feel as the Air Glove, but without the velcro strap. They have their work cut out though, if they want to match TLD's long term comfort and durability!
www.troyleedesigns.com/moto/gloves/apex-pro-glove
TL;DR - make these durability reviews a regular thing, and archive them properly for easy searching!