‘How much?’ I said. ‘For a pair of gloves?’
Well nearly 12 months on, I will eat my words; barely worn in, never mind worn out, even with a lot of use, these premium Swedish gloves seem to epitomise the ‘get what you pay for’ adage.
They feel supremely soft when putting them on, and have great fit and feel, being a combination of Goatskin and a material called Spantex. They are the same spec and colour for men’s and ladies – it just means they come in smaller sizes. No naff pink motifs or lower spec that many manufacturers offer. For once I am not in the smallest men’s size, with 2cm of fabric flapping on the end of my thumbs. If anything I might have been better with one size bigger as they have not stretched at all – a snug comfy fit is such a nice change – and there’s not a single wayward thread.
My hands have remained warm due to the Thinsulate liner, even in some pretty cold conditions and reduced my use of heated grips, normally much used through winter. But these Advance gloves also contain an Outlast® Temperature-regulated liner which is designed to maintain heat in winter and expel it in summer. Invented in Colorado specifically for NASA to ensure space suits protected astronauts from temperature fluctuation, this material stores and releases heat when it senses changes in environment. It’s all very clever but I found it perhaps a little too warm when it’s over about 15°C. Of course then it’s time for summer gloves anyway.
I have (so far), never, ever got wet hands in these gloves, even in some torrential deluges and long, wet motorway journeys, so the waterproof layer obviously works well too.
I love the combination of leather palms and textile wrist – the best of both worlds for fit and comfort, but apparently there’s yet another hidden layer: HiArt® which is much more abrasion-resistant than leather. All these layers are bonded together so the good news is that there is none of problem of bunching, or fingers becoming blocked and it really does all add to the comfort feel. More obvious knuckle protection is provided and subtle reflective areas highlight the flexible finger protection.
Flexible panels at wrist and fingers ensure excellent feel on the switchgear, throttle, clutch and brake. Adjustment at the wrist and cuff is a bit fiddly but means they can be worn inside or outside jacket sleeves as per your personal preference or jacket style.
They come in my favourite colour – black – with a small area of white, that I think looks a bit out of place. The white leather is a bit grubby now, but I had expected it to fare far worse – and at least it’s not pink!
These gloves exude quality and I am sure will give me a good few years’ service – making them a bargain, and not the expensive item I first thought they were. Superb value compared with many cheap or even mid-range price gloves that might last a season or two, but are ultimately false economy.
Would I buy another pair? Yes, but I reckon I won’t need to for a long time yet. 
Jenny Cook
Sizing: Men’s 8–14 Women’s 5–7
RRP: from £104