Good morning,
Now that I'm back home, I'm taking a few minutes to tell you a little about a piece of equipment that is as "innocuous" as it is essential: gloves.
During my trip, I used 3 different pairs of gloves each for different conditions. Among them, two are from the same brand, Five, and another from Rev’it.
So, in order of appearance in the photo (left to right):
- Five gloves : TFX1 – GTX : https://five-gloves.com/glove/tfx1-gtx-3/
- Rev’it gloves: Dirt 3 (remplacé par les Dirt 4) https://www.revitsport.com/fr_fr/gants-moto-dirt-4-noir
- Five gloves : TFX3 – Air Flow (offert par Motovan): https://five-gloves.com/glove/tfx3-airflow/
The TFX1 are my rain gloves. Thanks to Gore-Tex, water absolutely does not pass through and ventilation is what you would expect from such gloves, not ideal in case of high heat. On the other hand, since they have no lining, when the temperature drops, it is interesting to wear undergloves to keep a little warmth.
Then come the Dirt 3 which are ventilated intermediates. They offer a very high degree of protection while allowing a little air to pass through so as not to overheat.
Finally, the discovery of this trip: the TFX3 – Air Flow. When I received them, two days before my departure thanks to Motovan, I put them on without being on the bike. My first impression was that they are very light but seem narrow. So I couldn't wait to try them.
Come Sunday, I set off to go to Pointe-aux-Outardes on a day over 23 degrees. So I didn't hesitate and put on the new pair. I don’t know how else to say it, but they fit the adage “fit like a glove” perfectly. Five is a company that does just that, gloves, and you can feel it right away. They are like a second skin. On the handlebars, I didn't feel them, they were completely forgotten. My first impression of tightness was completely unwarranted, they simply stick to the skin to become an extension of the hand. The tactile aspect is not reduced when using the various controls of the motorcycle.
Of course, in order to have maximum airflow, the protection is not the same as for their Gore-Tex or road range itself. But it is perfectly adequate for normal use both on and off-road:
- The palm of the hand is made of perforated goat leather with a Kevlar reinforcement on the bottom to resist slipping on the road
- A double ventilated metacarpophalangeal protective shell as well as two protections on the phalanges ensure absorption in the event of a fall
These are just the main characteristics, I'll let you read the technical sheet. They quickly became my favorite in the heat with a very nice compromise of lightness and protection. They are very stable in contact with the handles, do not slip, both when seated or standing on the pegs for better control of the motorcycle in the event of more or less pronounced gravel.
On the other hand, it should also be noted that their strength, Air Flow, is also their weakness. Below 15 degrees, my hands started to get cold and I switched back to my Dirt 3. As far as I'm concerned, I consider that their range of use is for 20 to 21 degrees minimum or even a little more. Also, only the index is "TouchScreen" but, for three quarters of our use, it would be nice to also have had the push (Zoom for photos or Google maps for example). But hey, it's a "nice to have", because you just have to remove them or use both index fingers to compensate.
As far as I am concerned, they are there to remain in my essential range both when traveling and during my short walks. Thanks to Motovan for introducing me to them and I hope that this completely personal and impartial review will be useful to you.
Merci 😊