When it comes to motorcycle riding gear, I typically have a three monsoon life-cycle expectation. My exisiting, combat-style textile gloves were bought as a monsoon stand-in for my regular REGear leather gauntlets and lasted beyond expectations as an all-ride runner. I knew I was pushing my luck though and the pandemic-induced break was put to good use as I weighed up the options.

The Contenders:
The two contender shortlist of ViaTerra’s GRID and Rynox’s Urban-X gloves, became a three-way toss-up as Rynox launched the Storm Evo 2 gauntlets. The Urban-X were tempting, but dropped them off the list, since the full-gauntlets style is what I wanted.

Face-Off:
The ViaTerra Grid and the Rynox Storm Evo 2 were almost evenly matched on the safety front. The ViaTerra GRID impressed with the pinkie finger bridge, visor wipe, perforated leather and sliders over the fingers, etc.

The Storm Evo 2’s pulled ahead on their full-glove CE Certification, carbon fiber and KNOX scaphoid slider protection, roomy, touring fit, etc.

A Winner Emerges:
Sadly, the pinkie bridge protector on the ViaTerra Grid – started to pinch painfully on the inside after about half-hour into the trial. Switching sizes as well as a different pair resulted in the same painful pinch. This was the final point that swung the decision in favour of the Rynox Storm Evo 2’s. Went with the brown colourway, which I find to be quite attractive with the striking red piping and white accents.

Initial Observations: There are a few things I’ve come to appreciate about the Rynox Storm Evo 2‘s over the thousand kilometres I’ve clocked up so far.

1) Comfort – If you love to tour and prefer a roomy, relaxed fit, these are super comfortable from the word go

2) Protection – The Knox sliders in all the right places and the full-glove CE-Certification are a big safety net. Kudos to Rynox on the latter – I think they’re the first in the market to have this.

3) Looks – The brown colourway with red and white accents looks gorgeous and is a welcome change from the eternal favourite, black! Must appreciate Rynox for this.

4) Wingman Insurance – A complimentary safety net of INR 50,000/- insurance against hospitalization/permanent disability expenses against purchase of jackets/pants/gloves priced over INR 4,000/-. Valid for a year after purchase, this is a fantastic gesture and there is no one else in the market offering it.

A word about the Runner-Up:
ViaTerra’s GRID gauntlets are of top-notch in terms of materials, build and safety features. Many of my fellow riders swear by them, when touring, as well as on track. It is just that they didn’t suit me individually and it is something I discovered only when I wore them for a while.

Online vs. Off-line Purchases:
Online purchases are super convenient and I use them equally. Brands today are quick on shipping and the reputed ones are quite flexible on exchange/refunds brands today are quick on delivery too. But this purchase has reminded me of the benefits of the ‘try-before-buy, wherever possible’ approach when it comes to riding gear.

Buying from authorised dealers also supports the distribution network along with the gear brand. Not to mention the fact that you get the chance to meet moto-pals, old and new.

That’s it from me on my gloves journey. See you on the road sometime and beyond…