Motorcycle Explorer February 2015 Issue 4 | Page 275

F
or under £70 you could really do a lot worse than these Richa Arctic gloves with the
amount of features that the gloves come with is rather impressive. The gloves are very tactile for
the controls with the balance of keeping the thermal balance in line. The glove is a textile upper
with Hipora waterproofing and wind proofing while the palm is made from cow hide and goat
leather. The tactile experience is made better by the inclusion of three grip strips on the index
and middle finger for lever grasping. Insulation is good and after 20 mins of riding in 2 degrees
at 60 mph I could feel the temperature coming through on the fingers and but the back of the
hand kept the heat longer.
The knuckles are armour protected to CE standard EN-13594:2002 (yawn) but it does mean that
you’re protected. The armour also goes down the fingers in the form of studs to three fingers and
the thumb is included giving great overall protection for your hand. The textile area of the glove
is made of Schoeller Kelprotec - Basically it means that it’s made of high tensile fibre like Kevlar.
Dexterity is improved with the use of the floating knuckle protection. This means that the
knuckle guard is stitched at three sides leaving the top open so when you make a fist to say grip
the brake then the glove flexes further and quicker as the knuckle guard stays in place.
It’s a nice touch that there is a wiper blade on the index finger of the left glove, they do keep
moving these things around. Abrasion pads are all over these, on the gauntlet cuff, the outer
hand and the outer palm.
The gauntlet has a Velcro section to adjust the tension on the jacket sleeve and really does aid in
keeping the water out. After a good ride in the rain there is really not a lot you can do about a
soaked jacket sleeve tucked into a glove taking on water but you can slow it down. You also get a
Velcro strap for the wrist section that again slows down any water penetration as well as making
a good secure grip of the glove to your hand.
Brilliant value for all the kit you get
with the gloves, hard pressed to beat at
this price.
7/10