I was at BNA House recently, performing for the cameras, when BNA Overlord, Christopher Jones, handed me a pair of Northwave gloves. The magic word “review” was said and… well, you get the picture.
I’ve never possessed any Northwave gear, though I do like the look of their wares. Possibly more well-known for their shoes, Northwave have a wide range of cycling wear: tops, knicks, rainwear and base layers, with gloves and sunglasses rounding out the offerings.
The Northwave Evolution gloves look and feel like a typical summer glove. A lycra back, with a little ventilation mesh across the upper edge for cooling, topped off with an absorbent thumb area to clear off the hard-earned sweat from time to time. Quite neatly and solidly stitched, there are four colours to choose from, the only difference being the lycra panel. The BioMap gel padding looks a bit sparse on the palm, but it feels quite good and does the job well.
Pulling them on and off is easy, with the extended palm flap pull and finger loops. My pet hate is having gloves turn inside out when you take them off, and this doesn’t happen with the Evolution gloves. The fit is nice, with good coverage down towards the wrist. Northwave put three massive tags inside the gloves with all the relevant manufacturing information, and removing these should be your first priority for comfort reasons.
These are very much summer gloves, but if you don’t go for early winter starts, they may serve you year round. For those who ride on the hoods a lot, the centre of the palm may be exposed now and then, especially if you hang your hands over the horns. Riders who prefer the tops won’t be let down, regardless of whether you grip the bars or rest the heels of your hands on them.
For those of us who don’t get sponsorship and free gloves, a quality pair that will last a long time is important. Even after just four weeks, there is no indication that the Evolution gloves won’t hold up to two years, or more, of weekly wear. Well made and comfortable; what more do you need?
The Italian company makes cyclewear from head to toe, to find out more about the gloves and other Northwave gear visit: www.northwave.com
