Waterproof gloves are a motorcycling accessory that became more and more valuable and appreciated as my riding career progressed. When I first started touring, I looked for comfortable gloves that had decent protection. When the weather turned sour, I just put up with wet gloves and red (or blue, or black) hands as the glove dye soaked through the glove and stained my digits. And then the next day, my previously comfortable gloves became a size or two smaller as they dried out.
So, I truly appreciate having gloves that are purpose-built for keeping my hands dry. My old waterproof gloves were fairly bulky, made from a rubbery material, and they didn’t breathe at all; my hands were sweaty and damp even if it wasn’t raining. And because their main purpose was to be waterproof, they only had very basic impact and abrasion protection.
The Leatt ADV HydraDri 7.5 gloves have been a revelation. These good-looking, comfortable, waterproof gloves required no break-in. They don’t make my hands sweat, and they have all the modern hand-protection features that were missing from my old waterproof gloves.
The leather palms gave me a good feel for the bike’s controls, and the rest of the glove is made from Hydradri Evo material, which keeps the gloves light, waterproof and breathable. Hand protection is provided with the use of 3DF soft impact foam, TPR (thermoplastic rubber) protection on fingers, and palm sliders to protect the old scaphoid when you fall hands first. A dual-layer material is used in critical impact areas for abrasion protection.
The HydraDri7.5 is available in two lengths, standard and short. I tested the standard version, which I prefer for waterproof gloves. The standard glove has a Velcro strap that reaches across the back of the glove on a peculiar angle. The strap location is supposed to provide your wrist with a greater range of motion, however when tightened it felt odd. But after I started riding, I forgot about the strap almost immediately. So that’s good. The material in the index finger allows you to use your phone or GPS while you have the gloves on, which is a bonus.
Another feature of the glove is a small rubber wiper on the left thumb. It allows you to wipe your visor more effectively than just using a gloved finger.
While they are close to perfect, the HydraDri gloves do have some sizing issues that need to be resolved. While they fit well around the palm area, the fingers are too long, which makes them a little unwieldy. Also, I found the cuffs on the standard gloves too small to fit over the cuff of my riding jacket; as a result, one glove goes on easily, but trying to poke my jacket cuff into the glove cuff (with the extra-long fingers) becomes a challenge.
Overall, I think these are great gloves, and they will be coming along with me on my next trip. Hopefully the next version of the gloves addresses the long finger/small cuff issues.
Leatt ADV HydraDri 7.5 Gloves
MSRP: $189.99 (Standard), $176.99 (Short)
Colours: Stealth, Desert, Steel, Camo
Sizes: S to 3XL (Men and Women sizes available)
Visit www.kimpex.com and www.moto.leattcanada.ca for complete product details.
Pros:
+ No break-in required
+ Waterproof, yet breathable
+ Built-in rain wiper on left thumb
+ Available in standard gauntlet and short-cuff
Cons:
– Fingers are too long
– The standard glove cuff is small
