Held Thrux
Price $149.99
As with its more expensive cousin, the Held Thrux uses kangaroo leather in the palm area-but in order to keep costs down, cowhide leather makes up the rest of the glove's construction. A molded carbon-fiber shell provides knuckle protection, and a layered design allows the shell to float for unhindered flexibility. The finger protection also incorporates vents in the outer three digits, with the tops of the fingers and the side of the hand receiving additional leather layers and Schoeller Keprotec fabric. The same flat-seam design as the Phantom improves comfort, along with a polyester liner. The wrist strap has a flap to prevent damage in a crash, and the gauntlet's cuff is well padded.
The Thrux scored high marks in comfort with nearly every tester, although fit evaluations tended to run across the board, with some smaller hands noting slightly excessive finger length and not enough adjustment in the wrist strap. Control feel is excellent with the relatively thin kangaroo leather in the palm and fingers, but some testers wished for a bit more protection in the side of the hand and little finger. Quality was rated highly by everyone.
Helimot H-20
Price $199.95
Helimot's made-in-USA H-20 glove is another subscriber to the kangaroo-leather crowd, with the marsupial skin used in the palm and grip area of the fingers. An extra protective layer lined with padding is sewn into the heel of the palm and grip area of the thumb. The back of the glove is cowhide leather, with knuckle/finger/gauntlet protection provided by Helimot's proprietary "tandem foam" system that is softer and more pliable than any hard armor. Precurved tailoring ensures a snug and comfortable fit, and both wrist and gauntlet have hook-and-loop-adjustment fasteners.
Helimot only provided us with large sizes in the H-20, and even some of those testers felt the fingers were a bit too long. Other than that detail, all agreed that fit was otherwise snug. Some thought the leather was too stiff, but we've spoken with a couple of people who have Helimot gloves, and they report that they break in quickly and become more pliable. Comfort was rated highly, although most were wishing for more protection for the fingers and the side of the hand. Overall quality is top-shelf.
Joe Rocket Sonic
Price $59.99
An entry-level sport-riding glove, the Joe Rocket Sonic utilizes drum-dyed leather construction throughout. A molded plastic knuckle protector with gel padding handles impact protection up top, while high-density padding on the fingers, cuff and wrist takes care of the rest. Double layers of leather are attached to the grip area of the palm as well as the heel and side of the hand and little finger. There is no wrist strap, although the gauntlet cuff has a double closure system. The edge of the articulating portion of the glove where the knuckle protection is mounted is lined with reflective material for nighttime safety.
While all our testers were impressed with the Speedmaster 7.0 glove, no one was that impressed with the Sonic. Fit and tailoring were very loose and flimsy, and nearly all testers had issues with the inner seams on the fingers causing discomfort. The absence of a wrist strap is a major safety omission in our opinion (especially with the loose fit), and every tester bemoaned the lack of additional protection. Overall quality is also pretty far down the scale, with a couple of unfinished trims and rough seams visible.
Icon Merc Long
Price $100.00
The Icon Merc Long glove has a cowhide-leather construction throughout, with a reinforced goatskin palm for abrasion resistance. A molded carbon-fiber shell protects the knuckles, and the articulated design allows freedom of movement without the shell binding on the rider's skin. Foam padding inserts protect the fingers, heel of the palm and majority of the glove's long gauntlet. Silicone inserts in the palm assist with grip, and a hook-and-loop wrist strap ensures retention in case of a fall.
Comfort ratings with the Merc Long were middle-of-the-road, with many testers stating that the seams in the fingers were a bit obtrusive and irritating. While bigger hands didn't have a problem with a snug fit, smaller hands found the fingers a little too long and the fit generally loose overall. Although offering a feeling of decent protection, the Merc Longs are definitely on the big and bulky side, especially for those with smaller hands. Quality ratings were very good for the most part, belying the Merc Long's inexpensive price.
Joe Rocket Speedmaster 7.0
Price $159.99
The latest iteration of Joe Rocket's Speedmaster glove, the Speedmaster 7.0 adds yet another to the growing legion of kangaroo-leather converts, placing the 'roo leather in the palm and grip area of the fingers with conventional cowhide leather on the back. Injection-molded plastic shells for the knuckles, back of the hand, fingers, thumb and gauntlet provide impact protection, along with high-density foam padding on the fingers, cuff and wrist. A heat- and abrasion-resistant Kevlar fabric liner shields the back of the hand and fingers, while the unique double-cuff gauntlet closure and wrist strap keep the glove in place.
The Speedmaster 7.0 won high marks from nearly all testers for fit and comfort. Control feel through the kangaroo-leather palm is excellent, and the split knuckle armor articulates with the hand nicely when gripping the bars. Some testers were wishing for a bit more protection on the side of the hand and little finger, and the double-cuff gauntlet made the glove labor-intensive to put on. Overall build quality is very good (much better than in years past with Joe Rocket gloves) with clean stitching and almost no rough spots.