Fieldsheer Diablo Gloves
FIELDSHEER DIABLO GLOVES
CW EVALUATIONS
Refined roadracing apparel
ALL GLOVES ARE CREATED EQUAL, right? Not so, says Fieldsheer. The company’s latest roadracestyle glove, the Diablo, combines high-tech articulated leather-andfoam plating with super-soft Japanese calfskin.
Made in Korea, the Diablo offers the kind of top-shelf features that will satisfy racers and canyon riders alike. Most visually striking are the thick, foam-backed leather swatches that cover the knuckles and index, middle and ring fingers. Though a bit bulky in appearance, it’s a functional design: Grip the controls, and the top layer rotates with your fingers; protection is improved, yet neither movement nor sensitivity are diminished. For cooling, the interior of the pre-curved fingers and the top of the hand adjacent to the skin are machine perforated.
Kevlar-backed leather covers the lower palm, sweeping around the out-
side of the hand and extending the length of the pinkie. Another strip of leather occupies the area between the thumb and forefinger, and high-impact zones benefit from internal seams, double stitching and heat-resistant Nomex thread. Three inches in length, the elasticized, foam-padded gauntlet is cut loosely enough to swallow the bulkiest of jacket sleeves, yet even a sleeveless rider can achieve a snug, secure fit with
the unique and highly effective dual-tab closure.
Overall fit presented some concern, however, as our size-large prototypes fit more like welding gloves than high-dollar performance riding apparel. (Sizing has been corrected in production, says Fieldsheer, 27122A Paseo Espada, Suite 921, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675; 714/488-3930.) Even so, our in-house roadracing expert was so impressed with the gloves’ excellent feel and protection that he made them a permanent addition to his racing gearbag.
At a suggested retail of $120, the Diablo (available in S-XXL sizes in three color combinations to match most late-model sportbikes) is more expensive than most of its competition. Nonetheless, the glove boasts enough safetyand comfort-related features to warrant serious consideration come buying time.
