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Olympia Gel Reflector Motorcycle Gloves
Olympia 710 and 711 Gel Reflector Gloves
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Owner Report
by "Sharkin" for webBikeWorld.com
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Comments (Below)
Summary: The best bargain you can find for summer motorcycle gloves?
Can a $25 pair of gloves
actually be worthwhile?
It's a good day when you can
find a pair of gloves that not only look good, but have
a comfy fit. For the past few weeks I've been
wearing the Olympia 710's and am very pleased.
These summer gloves have a
somewhat subdued style compared to many of the other
"Star Trek-esque" motorcycle gloves available.
The fingers are articulated,
and the low profile allows excellent dexterity. I
purchased this pair of the Olympia 711 Gel Reflector
gloves in black/yellow for $25.00 at the Helmet Shop in
Daytona Beach.
Olympia Sports has been making performance gloves for
over 60 years for motorcycle, ski and snowmobile use.
While I have no desire to test a pair of snowmobiling
gloves, I think the company has some good experience
which they bring to bear on all their products.
Plus, other reviews I've read about Olympia motorcycle
gloves were positive.
Fit
Right off the hanger, the XL's fit -- for lack of a
better term -- like a glove. Not too tight, not
too loose. My fingertips didn't rub inside the
glove tips, and the absence of plastic armor allows my
fingers to move freely around. The horn switch is
now a minor target for my left thumb.
Construction
The Olympia Gel Reflector 710's have a good feel --
substantial yet light. The back of the gloves is
covered with abrasion-resistant nylon with neoprene over
the knuckles, while the palms are leather. The
fingers are made from synthetic leather, carbon fiber,
and Lycra panels. The hook-and-loop wrist strap
cinches down well. The stitches and sewn areas
were well approximated with no loose threads or seam
breaks.
Protection
Summer gloves aren't generally known for their massive
protection, and the Olympia 710 Gel Reflector gloves are
no exception. But the leather and carbon fiber
reinforcement should help. My feeling is that the
gloves will offer some protection in a slow speed tumble
-- just don't expect them to protect against some
serious road rash like a pair of race gloves would.
Reflective Capabilities
Anything we can add to our visibility at night is a
bonus. The Olympia 710 gloves have a strip of
reflective piping sewn in the back of the hand, as well
as small patches in the mid-knuckles. Standing in
the yard, in the dark, the gloves showed good reflection
when zapped with car lights.
Vibration Absorption
Three pieces of gel padding are sewn in to the palms of
the Olympia Gel Reflector gloves. The gel is
supposed to reduce vibration, fatigue and the dreaded
"pinky numbness".
My first cruise with these
gloves was during two hours of hard interstate riding,
and my hands felt great after the trip. No
numbness, no tingling and none of the "my hand feels
like I'm still riding" syndrome.
Air Flow
At speeds under 30mph, I don't feel any air movement,
but at 50mph and above it's all air! The air
enters between the fingers and spreads out across the
glove towards the wrist. These Olympia 710's
definitely move the air resulting in cooler hands.
Colors
The Olympia 710 Gel Reflector gloves come in
black/Yellow, black/blue, black/gray, and black/red,
while the Olympia 711 Gel Reflectors are in black only.
Note that the Olympia 711 is identical to the 710 except
for the color.
Conclusion
These aren't crash 'n' burn, save-your-finger gloves.
They offer protection, but no armor plating. On
the other hand, they do offer some protection, and some
is better than none. For those of us cruising in
the heat, the Olympia 710 Gel Reflector gloves offer
excellent cooling in a lightweight glove with gel pads
for comfort. It's hard to beat these gloves for
around $25.00.
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Product Review: Olympia 710 & 711 Gel Reflector Motorcycle Gloves |
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| Available
From: Olympia
Gloves |
Suggested
Retail Price: $29.95 |
| Colors: Black (711) and
Black with Gray, Red, Blue,Yellow (710).
Sizes: XS to XXXL |
Made
in: China |
| Review Date: June
2008 |
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Comments are ordered from most recent to oldest.
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From "M": "I agree that the Olympia
gloves are not crash and burn gloves, but my pair held
up o.k. during a recent 30 mph get off. The only
part of the glove to wear completely through was the
outside of the thumb (by my thumbnail). Definitely
will pick up another pair. The comfort is
unbelievable."
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