Tour Master Summer Sport Elite Gloves
TOUR MASTER SUMMER SPORT ELITE GLOVES
CW EVALUATION
Getting a handle on heat
IT SEEMS THAT EVERYONE’S ALWAYS nattering on about keeping your hands warm while riding in the cold. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but
what about when the mercury begins to rise? How do you properly protect your hands while keeping them cool and sweat-free in higher temperatures?
Good question. Fortunately, Tour Master has an equally good answer with its Summer Sport Elite Gloves. Looking for all the world like a baseball player’s batting gloves, the $35 Sport Elites are lightweight for avoiding the heat, yet designed for fending off road rash.
Fashioned from grade-A, drum-dyed
cowhide, they have padded palms and extra layers of leather covering the insides of the index fingers and thumbs. Tiny holes line the backs of the flatstitched, ribbed mitts (a non-ventilated version is also available), and beefy velcro closures firmly secure the elasticized wrists.
Because the Sport Elites are thinner than their cold-weather counterparts, donning the gloves for the first time is a bit disconcerting; it’s almost as if you’re wearing nothing at all. As such, feel is superb. Furthermore, the gloves’ effective venting is complemented by a comfortable fit and a soft, suede-like interior that wicks away perspiration.
After a summer of regular use, the leather and stitching continue to persevere, despite several unexpected rain showers. Happily, the wearer didn’t come home with stained hands. Chilled
paws, though, were the unfortunate upshot-the result of the cold rain infiltrating the vents. But then, the Sport Elites aren’t meant for riding in the wet.
Overall, the only real complaint is that the velcro closures, which are certainly sturdy, could be a little longer to accommodate smaller wrists. Speaking of size, the black-only Sport Elites come in both men’s XS-XXL and women’s S-L sizes from Helmet House (26855 Malibu Hills Rd., Calabasas Hills, CA 91301; 818/8800000). With summer just around the corner, give a pair of Sport Elites the nod. You know what they say, cool hands, warm heart...
