Aerostich Luxury Cowhide Winter Gloves
Aerostich Luxury Cowhide Winter Gloves
CW EVALUATION
Fight cold, fight wet
HANDS ARE OFTEN THE FIRST ITEMS UP for numbness on cold rides. You either lose dexterity and feeling from the chill, or from the fact that your winter riding gloves are so pillowy you become detached from the bike by virtue of their sheer bulk. Sure, your hands are warm, but you still can’t feel the controls.
Aerostich Luxury Cowhide Winter Gloves offer a good balance between feel and warmth. Made in Japan from superbly soft, 1.2mm-thick leather and featuring diamond-quilted backs, pre-curved fingers and plush synthetic-pile interiors, they are comfortable and fit well. A nice touch is the thinner insulation on the palms, which puts you more closely in touch with the bars, and allows greater passage of electric-grip heat, should your bike be so-equipped.
Because the leather has been treated with a waterproof coating, these luxomittens are also resistant to the elements. After several successful outings in the rain (warm, dry hands), we submerged our gloved hands in a tank of water, replicating the on-box sticker that boasts “Waterproof” and shows a gloved hand entering liquid. After 10 minutes, our hands were still dry. There was, however, mild soak-through after the gloves had sat a few hours. Short of rubber gloves, though, that’s admirable water-resistance.
One downside is that Mr. Big Hands will have to find another pair of gloves, unless Aerostich can convince its supplier to build larger sizes for the U.S. market. Currently, the gloves are only available in sizes 8, 8 and 9. At least they run about one size large.
Some folks regarded the Luxury Cowhide Winters as odd-looking, the top-of-hand quilting in particular. Should any of your riding buddies give you flak, simply salute them with one of your warm and dexterous digits. You choose which finger. □
DETAILS
Riderwearhouse 8 South 18th Ave. West Duluth, MN 55806 800/222-1994 www.aerostich.com Price..........$97
Ups A Gauntlet fits inside sleeve or out A Reinforced palm Downs ▼ Available in only three sizes
