A good pair of mountain biking gloves goes a long way for me. Isn't it a shame that I'm so dang picky with them? I'm intolerant of poor fit, disdain numb feelings on the bars, and cannot stand poor temperature regulation. I often wonder at the cont…
A good pair of mountain biking gloves goes a long way for me. Isn't it a shame that I'm so dang picky with them? I'm intolerant of poor fit, disdain numb feelings on the bars, and cannot stand poor temperature regulation. I often wonder at the continued confidence of companies that send me mountain biking gloves for testing… While not every pair of gloves lives up to my lofty expectations, this here is a killer pair. The PEARL iZUMi Summit Pro Gloves really work for me for a variety of reasons. Let's dive in.
PEARL iZUMi Summit Pro Gloves Features:
D3O® Ghost™ knuckle protection wrapped in ripstop back material provides impact protection and durability
Durable Clarino suede palm material made to withstand aggressive riding
Touch screen compatible index finger and thumbs
Microfiber on thumb provides an ultra-soft sweat wipe for the face
Box tip stitch provides ultimate comfort
Hook and loop closure provides adjustable wrist closure to give more room to put on glove
Made with recycled content
MSRP: $50
A wee bit of cross country flight time.
Glove at First Sight?
Let's start with the standout feature of these gloves: the almost moto-cross style knuckle guard. They're a pretty burly feature on an otherwise light glove. The guard is made by D30 and consists of a clever molded form of joined triangular plastic shapes. It easily flexes and conforms as you move your hands, and doesn't restrict grip on the bars, which I was worried about when I first saw the design (having ridden motorcycles with similar gloves and found them a nuisance). And the protection they provide is good. I punched a couple trees to get a feel for the level of protection, then punched a couple more as I rode… for testing. And it works! No broken or even sore knuckles here.
The D30 knuckle protection, looking very armadillo.
Beyond the big name feature on the knuckles, the Summit Pro gloves are just generally well constructed. The ripstop nylon upper is decently breathable, as is the thin, perforated suede palm. They can't compare to the airiness of gloves like the TLD Air, but they aren't really trying to either. I'd say their sweet spot temperature range is about 50 to 75 Fahrenheit.
The materials used across the board are thin, which aids with mobility, and makes gripping the bars easier. The suede palm material provided me with good friction on the grips both when they were dry and when they were soaking wet. That's something of a requirement where I am. Some folks might wonder if the bright silicon stripes on the fingertips slip on brake levers in the wet. I didn't run into any such issues, which was a pleasant surprise.
Dirt and use. You love to see it.
One standout about the Summit Pros was their all-around comfort. They conform well to my hand and have perfect proportions, something which bothered me about the OR Freewheel gloves. They flex well when I move. The materials aren't harsh on the skin. The wrist closure is adequate and secure. I could go on. I suppose most importantly of all though, I really didn't end up thinking about them much. There wasn't anything about them that brought my mind off the riding. They just… did their job. And it sounds a bit ridiculous, but that's exactly what I'm looking for. Anything extra is just a cherry on top.
Perfect day out with some easy-choice gloves.
However, durability may not be one of those cherries. I wrecked pretty decently a month or so into testing the Summit Pros, and landed hands down on the dirt and gravel. This resulted in a new hole into the palm, increasing breathability for the fast-approaching summer months. Jokes aside, I'd expect gloves to get torn up with that kind of fall. It was rough. But it is something to be aware of. These gloves are great, and they protected me well, but the palm is a thin suede, and it just isn't going to tolerate abuse quite like leather. Still, I wouldn't change the material choice here.
Thin suede palms: comfortable and pliable, but not invincible.
Continuing on down durability lane, I'd note that after a couple months of consistent, hard riding, the palm material between my thumb and index finger has started to develop some pilling. It's not a big deal functionally, but it does open up questions about lifespan overall. If I were to guess, I'd say I could eek out a year of riding with the Summit Pros if I rode with them only. It wouldn't be a bad year though.
Fit: I tested a size Large, as I typically do for gloves, and they fit well. No complaints.
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