Maja Kenney of Maja’s Motorcycle Adventures tests new RST Urban Air 3 Glove with many thanks to RST UK check rst-moto.com for more info
With the spring teasing us with the first of the warmer days the dreams of summer motorcycling are very much awake. With the change in seasons, the motorcycle clothing gets a once over, too in anticipation of swapping the winter textiles for lighter summer gear.
It is nearly time to retire my winter quilt-like gloves that have served me so well and look for something lighter to stop my hands from sweating in the heat of the summer.
Enter the RST Urban Air 3 glove.
Due to a mix up in the delivery, I originally received the men’s glove size medium. The fit wasn’t great, too big overall and especially the ring and the little finger were lost inside the glove. When I received the ladies’ medium size the difference was noticeable. These fit ‘like a glove’! A great tight fit that isn’t too difficult to get on and off your hands.
In previous seasons I have always opted for a full leather short summer glove and was curious how the leather/textile mix will feel and perform. One thing I can tell you straight away – the air circulation in the RST glove is incredible. You can feel the air going in through the fingers and cooling your hands. Perhaps a little too much in April and thankfully the heated grips did their job whilst I was testing them, but I can see how this will make a huge difference in the summer months.
The mesh sections are fitted on the upper side of the fingers allowing for ventilation and preventing your hands from sweating too much. This means the glove stays dry in hot weather and should be easy to put back on after a pit stop for coffee and cake.
Because they fit so well you feel every control as if you weren’t wearing gloves which makes for a much more enjoyable ride especially after taking the winter ‘quilted’ gloves off. The control of the clutch increases, the throttle responds better and the breaking becomes smoother.
These gloves don’t only look smart and help you ride smoother, they are also Level 1 KP CE certified so they will keep you safe in case of a slide. The protection comes from TPU on the knuckles and TPR on the fingers as well as a memory foam thumb. The palm of the glove is full-grain double layer leather. The index finger also has a smart touch leather for handling your phone/sat nav (never whilst riding!). There is also a large hook on the inside of the glove to help you pull it on the hand if they feel tight or your hands have swollen. The gloves fasted with a hook and loop velcro strap at the wrist.
The glove comes in a few colour variants – full black, black/blue, black/red, black/fluo yellow and my chosen colour combination in black/white to match my Supersport.
I may be a latecomer to the RST brand, having been fairly unfamiliar with it until recently but I see it slowly becoming a regular in my motorcycling wardrobe. The quality, the design and the attention to detail is evident and very impressive.
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