I’m not a fan of chunky gloves, because I hate not being able to feel the controls properly. Even in low temperatures I tend to wear thin gloves and rely on heated grips for warmth and handguards for wind protection.
I have small hands and long, thin witchy fingers so finding a glove my hands don’t swim in can be tricky. In an ideal world they should also look pretty cool to appease my inner fashionista!
On a recent trip to Japan I was running a new Icon Airflite helmet and was so blown away by it that I thought I’d try the Icon Pursuit CE gloves.
Having previously gravitated to BMW or Klim mesh gloves, I was excited about trying out a leather pair as they’ve been on my bike kit wish list for a while.
Looks-wise these gloves aren’t anything super special, but looking in more detail shows why riders who use them regularly rave about them.
First of all they are incredibly comfortable, with accordion flex zones for maximum flexibility and a suede construction that makes them not only soft but also strong and able to fit the contours of my hands perfectly.
The wrist closure is easy to use and means the gloves can slot under the tightest of jacket sleeves and stay closed without catching on things, which is a plus.
There’s protection from a sturdy knuckle plate and a goatskin palm, while not as feature-rich in this department as higher specced gloves, they offer great value.
Icon’s TouchTech leather means I can use a touchscreen phone without taking them off, which is great for quickly changing or checking something on the fly without taking all my gear off. I didn’t think I would ever use this function, but now I don’t know how I managed without it.
These gloves are billed for summer riding and do a great job of keeping my hands at a comfortable temperature on both warm and chilly rides.
While they obviously aren’t designed for all weathers I’d say they coped admirably when I used them in conditions for which they’re not designed.
They did dye my hands blue at one point, but that was after riding in biblical rain in Japan for six hours straight – and they don’t claim to be waterproof, so I can’t really complain on this point!
I’ve since completed a long trip from Alaska to Los Angeles wearing the gloves in temperatures ranging from -6°C (where I definitely felt the cold!) up to 46°C and I still loved them afterwards. They fit as expected and have shown little to no sign of wear across the 10,000+ miles I’ve put on them.
If you’re looking for a well-made pair of short summer gloves that do everything they should then I’d definitely add these to your list of ones to consider – and they look pretty cool too!
Fit & Comfort
Some of the comfiest gloves I’ve ever used, fit is what you’d expect and the goatskin construction is lovely.
Protection
There’s knuckle armour and strong goatskin palms but that’s where the protection ends, if you’re after full safety features then you need to look elsewhere.
Feel
Form fitting and soft construction makes these gloves a perfect option for those wanting full control in all situations.
Breathability
The ‘pores’ on the gloves give good airflow in most conditions; not quite as much as a dedicated mesh glove but not far off.
Build quality
After 10,000+ miles there’s zero sign of wear so that’s got to be full marks here. They have survived typhoons, sand, dust and snow.