Dainese Universe Gore-tex Gloves £189.95
www.dainese.com
THANKS TO HEATED grips on more bikes, the days of thick restrictive gloves are over for many. These Dainese Universe GTXS are billed as three-season gloves but are insulated enough so that, with a bit of electrical assistance, they are warm enough to get you through winter. In fact, I’ve found that you really only need to put the heated grips on when the ambient temperature falls below 8°C.
I’ve been using these ever since the weather turned and I’ve found them to be a decent all-round glove so far. They feature a waterproof and breathable Gore-tex lining which, in the last 1000 miles of rain and sleet, has done its job well with no leaks, water ingress or sweaty hand moments. Built from goatskin with a suede insert on the palm, they have plenty of feedback and allow a reasonable amount of feel for accurate throttle and brake actuation.
And they feel safe, too. There is Ce-approved hard knuckle armour and a decent wrist restraint, meaning they feel as reassuring as a set of race gloves. The cuff Velcro is a cut above most gloves too — being elasticated, it allows a lot of flexibility. This means you can wear them inside or outside jacket cuffs. I waver between both but it’s easy to get the glove cuff tight enough to prevent seepage with the jacket cuffs outside, which also cuts down on draughts.
There are a couple of minor niggles though — while I applaud the fact it has a visor rain wipe, it’s too small and is on the left thumb, not the forefinger — far less effective. Secondly, the thumbs are long, which can result in poor feedback on the switchgear, so try before you buy. They’re a good product and just about worth the premium over something like Knox’s Covert waterproof glove.