Alpinestars Gravity Gloves 2013
Reviews / Gloves
3,045,367
As the name suggests the Gravity glove is a downhill-orientated glove from the Alpinestars line up. Unlike many other heavy-duty mountain bike gloves however, these feel surprisingly lightweight and thin and you could be forgiven for thinking they are not up to the task. In fact they have been well thought out and constructed to ensure that they are very much prepared for the job ‘in hand’ (excuse the cheesy pun, couldn’t resist!)
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The palm is built using a single layer of Clarino synthetic leather, which is soft, comfortable and breathable. The low profile gives maximum feel when riding, yet the Clarino is durable and provides a good protection on your palms should you hit the dirt. Silicone printing on the index and middle fingers enhances grip on the key areas you where you need it.
The top of the glove is a thin stretchy spandex fabric, with 3D vented mesh on the little finger and at the cuff, which provides a little extra padding at vulnerable points. There is Thermoplastic Rubber (TRP) detailing on the fingers, again to enhance the protection element, but without making the gloves bulky or inflexible.
One of the biggest assets for having a more low profile glove, in addition to having maximum feel on the grips, is the airflow for your hands. At no point did my mitts feel unpleasantly sweaty even on the hottest of rides, and for the most part I completely forgot I was wearing any gloves!
An extra touch is the soft terry cloth strip across the top of the glove, great for a runny nose, sweaty brow or dirty goggles. The gloves also come in no less than 7 different colour ways so you can be sure you won’t rock up wearing the same ones as your mates, and this jade/purple combo will be a hit with the ladies for sure.
Overall, a brilliant pair of gloves for those wanting minimum interference and bulk in preference for maximum feel, and without sacrificing functionality or protection. We were impressed.
Buy Gloves onThis review was in Issue 24 of IMB.
For more information visit AlpinestarsRelated
By Mary Booth
Mary Booth has been a keen mountain biker for decades; she grew up on the Purbecks in the South West of England and has spent thousands of hours on the trails in that area. She moved to the South East to work in the IMB office and regularly gets out to the Alps and the Surrey Hills where she loves to ride the more technical trails…
