As a fancypants motorcycle journalist, I can have essentially any uber-expensive piece of riding gear I want, for free. But half the time, I end up wearing stuff that's years old and wasn't all that expensive to start with. These Dainese MX gloves are one of those items. They're probably a decade old, they smell like vinegar and, if my girlfriend would let me, I'd never take them off. Believe it or not, they used to be red, white and blue.
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Actually, I didn't pay anything for these gloves either. They were a
hand-me-down from David at Death Spray Custom, although I can't remember
if he actually gave them to me or if I stole them. Anyways, I acquired
them about five years ago when I still lived in London, they were
already heavily used. At the time, I'd never owned a pair of short cuff
gloves and didn't think I ever would, put off by the supposed lack of
retention and coverage for the wrist. But, for city riding, this design
isn't just near perfect, it is perfect.
Short gloves like this are so much easier to take on and off if you're
popping in and out of places, they fit better stuffed into a back pocket
or inside a helmet, they don't interfere with whatever kind of jacket
you're wearing and they're just generally more convenient in and around
town. You can even check the time while you're wearing them.
Don't let the "MX" name fool you, these gloves have nothing in common
with the thin little things you wear on a dirt bike. Solidly constructed
from an all-leather palm with double layers in all the important places
and a half perforated leather/half heavy-duty textile upper, Dainese
included knuckle protectors that are half carbon and half foam rubber
padding. There's also foam padding covering the external blade of your
hand, meaning you could karate chop shit without hurting yourself. I
haven't actually tested that.
What I have tested, multiple times, is the knuckles' ability to cushion a
punch. They work well; taxi mirrors snap off without cutting your
hands, car hoods dent without breaking your knuckles, drywall crumbles
beneath them. They're pointy enough that they'll shatter the side window
of a London taxi, don't ask me how I know that. What takes some getting
used to is that the carbon protectors over your two smallest knuckles
protrude further than your big knuckles, meaning your punches connect on
your pinky and the finger next to it. Not a problem since they absorb
the impact, but it can twist your wrist if you're not careful.
In all the year's I've had them, they've never shed a major stitch,
although one holding the velcro wrist patches on did fail, my buddy Sam
sewed it back on for me. Sam's nose can also attest to their ability to deliver a punch, sorry about that man.
The Dainese's ventilate well in even the hottest weather, dry quickly
after getting soaked by rain and are ridiculously comfortable to wear.
They also give your hands an incredibly sense of imperviousness; I keep
having to remind myself that I really shouldn't wear them if I plan on
leaving town.
The synthetic material used on the uppers is similar to that used on
most MX gloves, but here it's probably twice as thick and hasn't frayed
the way most of my dirt gloves have. Compared to the Alpinestars SMX-2
AC gloves, the Dainese's feel much, much sturdier, are constructed of
thicker materials and cover the entire palm in leather.
A couple years ago, during a particularly hot summer, they began to
smell like an old jock strap. To kill the sweat bacteria causing that
smell, I soaked them overnight in diluted white vinegar. But then I
couldn't wear them because they were even more rank, so I soaked them in
diluted peppermint oil. Neither smell has entirely disappeared, but
they sort of cancel each other out now. I have to remember to take them
off before going into meetings, shaking hands with a bunch of frou-frou
lawyers while wearing them is apparently a big no-no.
Overall, they're a mix of time-proven construction, restrained looks (I
wish David had gone for all-black), comfort and practicality. Sadly,
Dainese doesn't make 'em anymore, the nearest equivalent looks to be the
$99 X-ile.
