The importance of wearing gloves
Bikers wear gloves for various reasons, which include keeping your hands dry and warm and to complete their safety gear
POLOKWANE – However, the most important reason to wear gloves when riding your bike is to protect your hands when you are involved in an accident.
A good pair of gloves will give you the look you want while providing you with the peace of mind that in the event of an accident, your hands will be protected from excessive damage.
Sapa Yopa Motorcycle Club president, Sarel Nong, shares some advice on choosing a pair of gloves.
He says the tricky part is finding the right balance between safety, comfort and style when choosing a pair of gloves.
The biggest downside of getting the best gear which is cutting-edge and safe is the high price and this is no different when it comes to buying proper gloves.
Nong says many biker think buying any type of glove will do the same job of protecting your hands during an accident, but this is not the case as proper motorcycle gloves are reinforced in key areas to protect your hands better than your average run of the mill pair of gloves.
There are several types of motorcycle gloves to choose from whether you are travelling long distances, tackling dusty off road trails or just riding around town.
“Being involved in an accident at any speed will most probably leave you with, at best, road rash, or at worst, severe injuries or even losing one or both of your hands. What many people do not take into consideration is when you are involved in and accident when riding a bike, your body is subjected to the punishment which would normally be taken by a car’s windshield or panels. This is why it is so important to wear safety gear when you ride your bike, even if it just to the shop around the corner,” Nong says.
He gave us a few pointers on what riders can look for when buying gloves and divided them into five sections:
1. Best for touring: gloves crafted with a perforated leather palm and DuPont Cordura-upper like the Air n Dry glove. It provides comfort, tactility and protection where it’s needed most. The gloves also have an integrated Gore-Tex waterproof chamber to prevent waterlogged fingers on a bike handle.
2. Best for summer: a minimalist glove that offers both track-ready protection and copious ventilation. These gloves have synthetic leather palm and rubber shields on the knuckles along with a perforated goatskin chassis to keep the rider safe and cool.
3. Best for the track: GP Tech Leather Gloves are made of kangaroo leather while a layer of Pittards leather reinforces the palm and outer hand to add breathability and grip.
4. Best for off-road: gloves that need a combination of polyurethane-injected knuckle pads and wrist sliders along with self-contouring temper foam to keep branches and rocks away. Ventilation is at the forefront with dedicated panels of air-stretch mesh layered at the fingers and cuffs.
5. Best for cold weather: these gloves employ Primaloft padding throughout to keep the cold out along with a full Gore-Tex membrane and double waterproof cuffs to keep out the elements. Soft, padded inserts at the knuckles and joints offer protection while pre-curved fingers and a goatskin palm maintain comfort and feel on the handles.
In closing, Nong says no matter what type of glove you buy, the most important thing is to make sure you buy the correct size.
“You do not want a glove that either moves around on your hand or one that fits too tight as this will take concentration off of driving and can result in an accident.”
