Knox Handroid gloves review

RRP: £169.99 | http://www.planet-knox.com/en | Tested by: John Milbank

In 18 years, these are the most comfortable gloves I’ve worn. Described as ‘creepy’ by my wife, the flexible spines on the tops of the fingers slide in and out as you move your hand. They’re not just a gimmick though – every part of the glove is designed to slide in a crash, helping to prevent your hand ‘grabbing’ on the tarmac: a major cause of scaphoid damage.

Approved to the new CE prEN 13594-2012 standard for professional use, the Handroid gloves have been independently tested in 15 areas, including tear & cut resistance; seam strength; restraint; impact resistance; dexterirty; breathability and dye fastness.

The palms are Kangaroo hide, allowing them to be thinner than cow hide, for the same level of protection (Kangaroos only sweat from their tails, so there are no pores in the leather used). Designed as a race glove, the fit is tight when you first put them on, but they needed just ten minutes of breaking-in before they fitted like, well, a glove. The fingers are exactly the right length for my hands, but most importantly, I no longer get numb digits. For many years, I’ve suffered tingling in my first and second fingers when riding: while I’m pretty sure I’ll have to have my carpal tunnel cleared out at some point (too many years driving a computer), the perfect fit has been such a relief. Combined with the ‘dial-in’ Boa closure system on the armoured cuff, these come thoroughly recommended.