With a good blend of protection and flexibility, Furygan’s Waco Evo 2 gloves have been an ideal companion for a couple of months of summer riding.
They’re made from a combination of leather and textile, with goatskin in key areas like the palm, knuckle and little fingers.
Two different types of polyester material bring the flexibility. There’s a knitted mesh on the backs of the two largest fingers, around the outside of the thumb and for half of the wrist section. The rest of the wrist has a stretchy neoprene-like material, which extends to the underside of the glove.
This construction means these gloves were flexible and comfortable enough to wear on a weekend trip from Lincolnshire to Anglesey without needing any breaking in at all.
I sit on the cusp of two glove sizes - medium and large - and I went for the large on this occasion. For sportier riding, or track sessions, I would possibly have taken on a medium and waited for them to bed in, but these are short gloves for road riding and comfort is my priority.
Adding to the protective qualities of the gloves there are plastic protectors for the knuckles and the base of the palm.
The knuckle protector is protective enough for the Waco Evo 2 gloves to meet CE safety standards at the 1KP level, with the last letters standing for ‘knuckle protection’.
Photography: Helen Meeds
The plastic section at the base of the palm sits further towards the outside of the hand than a regular scaphoid protector. I’d say this makes it more likely to protect in an impact on the side of the hand, rather than one with outstretched palms.
It also means I caused some light damage when riding a Suzuki GSX8R in a more spirited manner than usual. This came from the leather surrounding the plastic guard being sandwiched between the edge of the plastic and the bike’s metal handlebar end, and then starting to wear through.
This is an unusual issue that I can’t see being a problem in normal riding, where these gloves have been excellent performers.
There’s enough airflow to keep my hands cool in temperatures of around 30°C, but they equally don’t make my hands feel cold if the mercury falls down below 20°C.
They’ve been comfortable over long distances and great in a range of temperatures.
Another handy factor is a very effective touchscreen capability. The very tip of the forefinger and also the flat part at the end of the finger work with my phone, so there’s no need to approach from a certain angle to be able to use the touchscreen while wearing the gloves.
Overall, these gloves are excellent and the asking price (£69.99 at the time of review) is very reasonable too.
