Alpinestars' C-1 Windstopper gloves caught my eye for the very reason they shouldn't have. They are surprisingly humble, coming from their otherwise ostentatious Alpinestars roots. There's nothing showy or striking about the C-1. I dare say they look generic, but Alpinestars has not overlooked their function.

Constructed of thick Windstopper nylon for insulation, ...

Snow is coming. You can smell it in the air. This morning I stepped out into my driveway to find a thin frost over everything. It feels sterile and unwelcoming. It is also a harbinger of much time to be spent in a car. Enough lamentation -- I'm not off the ...

As it is the most obvious drawback, I'm going to address the ugly first. Icon's Hooligan 2 gloves are not pretty. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but nothing coming through my retinas is being translated as stylish. I think it's the big, 1990s-style cartoon lettering on the knuckles ...

Oh wee little Icon riding gloves, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

Don't worry, I'm not about to whip out the ol' poetry on you, but I do have a soft spot for these gloves. They are much like my old, beaten-down riding standby pair. Leather on ...

When a manufacturer says their leather is "distressed," they mean that it looks like you've put the miles on it when you haven't. To get that look on some modern leather, after it's been softened and treated, you have to buy it. The way old leather used to scuff was because ...

People buy Fox Racing products based on the name, because the name is known for quality. Fox's Dirtpaw glove, which is updated constantly so make sure you're looking at the 2009 model, is their low-end beat-me-up glove.

Constructed of tough vented synthetics, the Dirtpaw won't let sweat disturb your hold. The palm ...

Ah, simplicity. So much in the riding world is about flash and flair, but I've always preferred that my apparel be straightforward, and there is nothing more straightforward than a pair of short black gloves.

Alpinestars SMX-2 gloves offer function over frills. More akin to a chopped-down pair of motocross gloves, these are ...

Top-of-the-line, $80 gloves are great if you get them as a gift from some rich uncle, but for most of us that's not going to happen. Don't get me wrong; high-end equipment is an investment and provides a lot of protection for motocross riders who need it. If you ride pro or ...

Where I live, riding year-round is out of the question due to iced-over roads, but there are other lands where the bold-blooded can ride all year. Sounds like a mythological fantasy land to me up in the northlands, but it's very likely you live in such a place.

If the frigid ...

Finding a decent pair of gloves can be hard for me. I have small hands. Adult small gloves often have fingers that are still too long, and kids glove's fingers are too short. Caught between these worlds, I've found that the very thing more riders don't like about Alpinestars' SP-X gloves is my ...

It is a little-known fact, among those who don't keep or ride horses or cattle, that roping gloves are for the right hand only. Roping gloves are all right-hand gloves. So should you ever find yourself riding through northern California during an unseasonably cold June and discover that you are ...

Alpinestars SP-1 gloves, if and when you own them, will never be your only pair of gloves. These are not made for a light ride down to your friend's barbeque. For that, you will have to look elsewhere. But these gloves are designed specifically to protect your hands in hazardous conditions.

Tightly-sewn leather ...

We've all heard the advice: "Keep it simple, stupid." The myriad features sewn into every piece of equipment are fun, but do you really need all that? Probably not. Dainese proves that all the flash and flare doesn't replace a well-made leather glove.

The Black Jack gloves are goatskin with reinforced ...

Years ago, I was shopping for gloves and I found that women's gloves were often made dainty with the idea that women riders wanted to express their femininity. Unfortunately, that also meant the gloves were less protective. One good scrape and the fine leather was gone. It looks like manufacturers ...

I'm a wuss. Once the snow starts to fly I'm off the road, and my machine goes into a 3 to 4 month hibernation. Last winter I sat in my car in awe of the sight before me. An early '70s Honda was parked in a structure downtown in ...

Icon's Tarmac gloves are not unlike today's nimble street bikes. They are small and they are complicated. I mean complicated in the best way possible -- complicated the way a watch is complicated, complicated because they pack everything you need into a small package.

The outer construction of these gloves is nylon and ...

Three words used by Firstgear in the description of their Fargo gloves confused and amazed me: waterproof, breathable leather. Leather is not known for its breathability. If you oil it, you can usually expect some water resistance, but waterproof? Really? Apparently, yes.

As the name suggests, these are for the kind of ...

Joe Rocket has earned a name in motorcycle gear, and that name is now proudly paired with those of Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Kawasaki. The officially licensed Yamaha Air Force gloves are one of the many products that bear the Yamaha logo, but rest assured you're getting more for your ...

When you ride 500 miles north or south, you experience a lot of weather. When I set out on my current journey, I would sweat in my leathers every time I had to stop to fill up, but by the end I had closed my vents as I was still ...

I am a big fan of Icon's leather gear. They have impeccable stitching and ergonomic architecture, so it should be no surprise that I would recommend the Pursuit gloves to just about any rider. Comprised of perforated sheepskin, your hands will stay cool and the gloves themselves are oh-so-soft. Don't ...

Gloves, without a doubt, are an important part of any rider's protection apparel. The general rule of thumb is: the more protection the better. That may be true, but not everyone is willing to sport a glove that goes all the way up to their elbows just to be safe. Alpinestars ...

While the trickle-down effect might fail in the economic world, it holds steady in riding gear. First, the need is determined by bold blooded racers, then the gear is refined for them -- but eventually it finds its way to the common rider with a lowered price and a few ...

If you ride hard, chances are you will eventually fall hard. The key to making a bad fall a little less sucky is quality protection. Although you should take care of your entire body, there are certain key areas that you really should not skimp on when it comes ...

Alpinestars dances back and forth between standard consumer gear and race gear, between practicality and functionality. Some of their products bridge both of these worlds, and I would be inclined to say that this is the case for the SP-2 gloves. Realistically they're more track than travel, but they offer everything that either ...

When an industry leader in moto-gear and a motorcycle manufacturer come together to release a line of riding apparel, you know you're getting function, fit, and a little fun.

The marriage of Suzuki and Icon has spawned numerous offspring including helmets, jackets, and gloves designed for the ride. The ARC women's ...

The Pursuit is one of the more sophisticated designs I've seen as far as motorcycle gloves go. Lean and clean lines closely following the shape of the hand and covered knuckle protection make this one stand out. And it stands out from the rest precisely because it doesn't stand up ...

How many times has this scenario played out in your garage? You're hunched over your bike, reaching through a tangled mess of metal and wires in an attempt to unscrew a tiny little bolt that has been eluding your massive sausage fingers for the past half hour, only to ...

Icon is known for making products that are flashy, classy, and tough to boot. Plus, their lineups always come in a wide variety of color schemes, graphics, and materials. These gloves are no exception. They come in five different colors, all of which can mix-and-match with other Icon ...

If Lexus could manufacture gloves, they'd come up with something like this. The analogy fits since these gloves are the top-of-the-line. And they're also not cheap.

These men's gloves are built with their own DC-heating unit, producing 15 watts of heat at 12.8 Volts per glove. But Firstgear recommends buying the ...

Seems like kids are always getting themselves scraped up and bruised no matter what comes along, right?

Protect their future touchdown-throwing, piano-playing hands with a pair of these Answer Ion gloves, created to withstand a whole lot of youthful wear and tear.

The biggest feature here is the addition of ...

Tour Master's set of leather gloves will give you the essentials you need for a lightweight, classy riding accessory.

They're made of genuine cowhide leather, which is a great start.

The leather fingers are interspersed with cooling Spandex, enabling comfortable elastic movement, an easy grip, and breathable fabric.

There are a large ...

Your first reaction looking at these gloves probably went something like, "Ooh, a butterfly, how cute is that?" Right? OK, maybe not.

But don't let the overpoweringly girly design distract you from the Answer MX's construction. It's pretty impressive. Answer melded a lot of different stretch fabrics together to make everything ...

These Teknic gloves are just what you're looking for if you need something lightweight, waterproof, wind-blocking, and sturdy at the same time.

They're non-insulated, so depending on what country and climate you're in, this may or may not be an all-weather glove for you, especially if your road trips include ...

These gutsy gloves will keep your hands safe on the road, comfortable in the sun, dry on the inside, and looking great to boot.

They've got a drum-dyed leather top with a Pittards Ceramic infused-leather Armor Tan palm.

The knuckles are injection molded and vented to let heat escape, and ...

Here's another addition to the Alpinestars Stella line that once again proves Alpinestars doesn't skimp out on durability requirements, while still keeping comfort and quality features intact.

The women-specific ergonomic design seems to denote a smaller, narrower cut -- a great choice for a snugger, more comfortable fit, and it's ...

Ladies, start your engines! Protect your hands during the race with these gloves from Joe Rocket. These are intended for the cruiser, but may be appropriate for other riders as well.

Drum dyed leather tops are durable and stylish. High density padding over the knuckles will protect you from the scrapes and ...

Check out the customer reviews on these gloves and you'll be satisfied that they are a great deal. But if you're looking for something a bit more rugged, or if you want leather, check out the Alpinestars SP-S model.

Still here? Great!

These gloves feature a knuckle guard that is reinforced with Cordura and ...

I doubt these gloves will stop a bullet, but they are pretty darn strong.

The full-grain genuine leather is just the start. The palms are constructed with a second layer made of Kevlar-reinforced leather. The back of the hand features additional protective carbon fiber, while the fingers have a second layer of ...

These are one of the best pairs of gloves you can find for cold-weather riding. They are probably going to be overkill for milder days, but when the chill bites, these are an excellent choice.

Everyone's got their waterproof, breathable material, and MSR is no exception. In this case, it's "Hipora", designed ...