# Another armored glove thread! What is your glove of choice?



## Simplemind (Jul 17, 2006)

After fracturing my fourth metacarpal and fourth proximal phalanges (more information than I ever wanted to know), I'm a believer in more protection is better. 
Anyway, I'm looking at what my options are in armored gloves. I might have broken my wrist instead, but I doubt it. Hands, because of their very intricate nerve system do not heal fast or well, so you gotta protect them as well as possible.
The options as I see it are 1) MX gloves, 2) Football lineman's gloves, or 3) some sort of DH glove. I don't think palm side padding is necessary, but a tough palm material is. What is your experience and comments?


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## Flayer (Oct 15, 2012)

Race Face Diabolus DH

Using these for more than a year and a half and I'm extremely satisfied. Saved my palms many times and still look like new.


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## dancingoutlaw (Dec 2, 2010)

Personally, I believe in protective gear but honestly don't think a pair of gloves made for mtb or even mx is going to do much in the way of protecting your hands from an impact-related injury like what you suffered (sorry to hear that btw). A little bit of padding or fabric is better than nothing and certainly will protect your skin. Unlike gloves, I think other protective gear like forearm/elbow/knee/chin protection can actually make a real difference in keeping bones from breaking. 

Gloves, to me, are first about having something between my grips and my sweaty hands so that I have more control. I also like them for warmth and for dabbing my constantly running nose when it's cold out. 

Having said all that, I like my Thor Impact gloves in terms of their overall heavy duty feel. However, there is a trade off in that they don't breathe. So, they make my hands hot and uncomfortable and I don't wear them unless it's fairly cold. 

For all other times, I currently ride with Specialized Body Geometry Ridge Wiretap. They have padded palms but it's not really for protection in a crash as much as it is pressure reduction on your ulnar nerve. I would like to try their Enduro model but it's been out of stock forever on the Spec. website and my LBS doesn't have it either. 

I have no personal experience with them but you may want to check out Dainese's Atrax Gloves. They are a well respected protective gear manufacturer. Good luck. I hope you find a pair you like and that you heal up and get to go ride soon!


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## PAULUNM (Aug 18, 2008)

I wear Fox Bomber gloves for XC- I like them a lot. Comfy and good protection.


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## Simplemind (Jul 17, 2006)

dancingoutlaw said:


> Personally, I believe in protective gear but honestly don't think a pair of gloves made for mtb or even mx is going to do much in the way of protecting your hands from an impact-related injury like what you suffered (sorry to hear that btw). A little bit of padding or fabric is better than nothing and certainly will protect your skin. Unlike gloves, I think other protective gear like forearm/elbow/knee/chin protection can actually make a real difference in keeping bones from breaking.


I would have to agree with your comments re padding, however what I am looking at is a glove with a carbon-fiber armor plate that "may" distribute the impact loading over several knuckles. No two crashes are alike, so what protects you in one crash may do nothing in another type. I'm too old to learn the "tuck and roll", so I'm stuck with sticking my damned hands out to take the impact! 

Thanks for the advice!


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## bikeabuser (Aug 12, 2012)

Armored Glove ?

I don't think you're gonna find what you're looking for.


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## dancingoutlaw (Dec 2, 2010)

Simplemind, this is what the guys wear who are riding MotoGP bikes at 200 m.p.h. on asphalt. As far as a protective glove, I doubt there is anything better than this on the market. It would be way overkill for riding a mountain bike but you would certainly have the most protection. Have a look around the Dainese website. If you're into protecting yourself, they've got everything including full body armour. Here's a link to the gloves:
Dainese - FULL METAL RS - Motorbike - America - Inglese


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## Simplemind (Jul 17, 2006)

dancingoutlaw said:


> Simplemind, this is what the guys wear who are riding MotoGP bikes at 200 m.p.h. on asphalt. As far as a protective glove, I doubt there is anything better than this on the market. It would be way overkill for riding a mountain bike but you would certainly have the most protection. Have a look around the Dainese website. If you're into protecting yourself, they've got everything including full body armour. Here's a link to the gloves:
> Dainese - FULL METAL RS - Motorbike - America - Inglese


Although I'm way past having vanity as an issue, I think I'd be taking some heavy criticism if I sported a $350 pair of gloves! However, Dainese has some pretty awesome gloves, so thanks for the idea.


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## cyclelicious (Oct 7, 2008)

My TLD DH gloves offers added protection for the knuckles, and back of the hands. The gloves are flexible and grip is good. They will not prevent fractures... that is determined by how you land


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## mbell (Sep 9, 2008)

I've been wearing armored gloves for a few years now. After multiple hand injuries, I started wearing something to give some more protection on my pre-existing injuries. Who knows if they will reduce your chance of getting an injury, but if you want them, go get them. 

I've worn multiple versions of Fox Gloves, and am now wearing some TLD's. The only issue I've had with the TLD's is that they put quit a bit of pressure on a knuckle injury. After it healed up (3x months) they are now fine.


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## schwing_ding (Oct 3, 2005)

No direct experience with the carbon knuckled variety, but have heard that they simply pass the shock into the knuckle they attempt to protect.

I have been using the Dakine Sentinel. About $35 retail, d3o over the two smallest knuckles and heal of the palm, and tend to fit well. I have nailed trees and rocks while dropping into tight spaces where they were bar high or higher in the landing zone. They tend to take the edge off better than anything else I have tried. I hit hard enough so that I rub the outer layer of skin off the knuckle (no blood), and it smarts a bit. Nothing broken so far. Last set I retired because I wore though the finger tips. The covering over the knuckles was gone to the point you could see the orange d3o from repeatedly protecting my mistaken lines. Now these are glancing blows that I was able to ride it out (sometimes narrowly) vs. strait on impacts where I would have been blown off the bike due to an abrupt bar turn.

My biggest complaint is the colorways. White/green/black is not my cup of tea. All black tend to be hotter than other color choices in the AZ sun. Wish they made them in a medium gray instead.


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## Mac_Aravan (Nov 22, 2012)

I have two set of "armored gloves"

EVS wrister: I bough them after an injury on my wrist (hopefully no broken scafoid, but close). These restrict the wrist back movement. A bit warmth but nice when you want to ride safe after injury.
I also bough a set of giro remedy LS, nice gloves with poron/3do pads on the outside of the palm. These pads are thin but effective. Bit expensive (performance bike in the US sell them with a discount online).


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## mykel (Jul 31, 2006)

One other thing to look at is Mechanix work gloves. I have a pair of Impacts (can't remember what version) they have a tough slightly padded palm and lots of TPR webbing across the back. They have a huge selection of variations.
I had a fall a few years ago that resulted in broken bones and permanent nerve damage in my right hand.
I have been using the Mechanix gloves since for gravity riding. They also wear very well.

just a thought

michael


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## roma258 (Apr 20, 2012)

Simplemind said:


> Although I'm way past having vanity as an issue, I think I'd be taking some heavy criticism if I sported a $350 pair of gloves! However, Dainese has some pretty awesome gloves, so thanks for the idea.


I come from a motorcycling background and I've been kind of wondering what the carryover would be in terms of gear. I think full on road racing gloves would be complete overkill, but a good pair of summer gloves might make some sense. Something along these lines:
Alpinestars SP-X Gloves - RevZilla

So while we're at it would something like this work in terms of armor?
Fly Racing Barricade Body Armor Suit - RevZilla
I realize that mountain biking is more athletic than motorcycle riding (although a track day will wipe you out just as well), so the gear be designed for more freedom of movement, but there still seems like a lot of overlap that's possible.


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## 83stumpjumper (Feb 14, 2011)

I had leather palm patches sewn onto my full finger Rockgarden gloves. They help absorb shock and vibration during rides, and if I crash palms first, they should help out there since I've never seen a full finger glove that offers protection.


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## QuenteK25 (May 29, 2007)

When I broke my hand biking I talked to my surgeon about gloves. I ended up buying Fox Bombers and he said he would say it's probably 50/50 on whether they would have stopped the break. It's really a lot up to chance I think, but I'd rather improve my chances at least a little bit.

(They do have thick palm material too)


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## sdemars (Mar 3, 2011)

You might also check out Dakine

Dakine Bike : Defender for the Hard knuckle

or the Fox Unibomber for the D30 foam stuff 
Fox Unabomber Glove - Fox Racing


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## shellshocked (Jul 9, 2011)

I wear MX gloves. Fox and Moose seem to fit my hands well. They would help with a crushing injury like fingers caught between brake lever and tree.


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