Velocity Gear Exhibition Pro Gloves

Velocity Gear Exhibition Pro Motorcycle Gloves Review
by Bill C. and "Burn" for webBikeWorld.com

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Summary:  Probably the most coverage available on a pair of summer motorcycle gloves.  Comfortable and correct fit with plenty of protective features not usually found in gloves designed for hot weather riding.

Introduction
Regular webBikeWorld readers know the search for the "perfect" summer motorcycle gloves is something akin to Diogenes endless quest.  Will they ever be found?

It's all about the tradeoff: do you want protection or do you want ventilation?  Given a choice, the former is more important, but the Velocity Gear Exhibition Pro gloves may have just the compromise you're looking for.

The front half of the Exhibition Pro gloves are all leather, "Grade A" cowhide, according to Velocity Gear.  They're built with the same techniques learned in their quest for CE approval on the Prodigy (review) and Formula (review) gloves that have passed the EN13594:2002 tests.

Protective Features, Stitching and Gauntlet
The Exhibition Pro gloves have the majority of the safety features found on their Big Brothers, including Knox SPS (Scaphoid Protection System) and Schoeller Keprotec stitching. 

Stitching is important, but have you noticed how so very few motorcycle glove manufacturers mention anything about it?  Cotton or other common threads just won't cut it -- you can have the best leather in the world, but if it's held together with gossamer, you'll have a blowout as soon as the gloves touch asphalt. 

What's the sense in that?  There oughta be a law -- the material used to stitch a pair of motorcycle gloves together should be clearly described on the label.  How 'bout it, glove manufacturers?  Fess up...

The Exhibition Pro gloves have a short gauntlet that's also functional, unlike many/most of the other short summer motorcycle gloves we've reviewed.  And more good news: the gauntlet is not only protective, it actually works in conjunction with the back-of-the-wrist strap to keep the gloves securely attached to the hands. 

Once the wrist strap is cinched up tight (and we prefer the wrist strap on the back of the wrist Exhibition Pro style, by the way) these gloves stay on.  We can't pull them off.  That in and of itself is a revelation in hot-weather motorcycle riding gloves.

The Knox Scaphoid Protection System consists of a couple of plastic or ABS or TPU or nylon (or something) pucks sewn into the back of the palms.  They look like two halves of a beer barrel and they're designed to slide rather than grab.  Grabbing is bad; it can cause the rider's hand to fold under, breaking fingers or worse.

Knuckle Protection
Velocity Gear uses TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) protectors cover the top knuckles -- all five of 'em -- plus an extra one on the middle knuckle of the pinky finger. 

Soft rubbery vent covers probably don't do much to protect the middle knuckles of the first three fingers, but they do let in a small amount of air that diffuses through the glove liner material.

The TPU knuckle protectors are mounted on generous sections of leather stitched on to the main body of the glove.  These extra leather sections are cut and formed to allow maximum flexibility.  The additional leather covers the outer edge of the palm and the middle of the palm, where the hands hold the grips, and these sections, which are located on the underside of the gloves, are double stitched.

A large main knuckle protector is also made from TPU and it floats on a wide separate piece of leather for comfort.  The big knuckle protector includes vent slits, but they're for looks only, as there's no way for the air to get through them, through the liner underneath the carrier and down through the top of the gloves.  But hey -- they look cool!

Speaking of cool, other than the middle knuckle vents, which provide a small amount of air flow, the only other ventilation comes through the mesh used at the back of the gloves on top.  As long as the gloves aren't buried under the jacket sleeve, the air is free to flow through the mesh and it can be felt.

Fit
We've noticed a tendency towards over-sizing on most of the Velocity Gear gloves we've reviewed, but the Exhibition Pro gloves fit exactly as expected for a size large.  The fingers are generous, making these gloves very comfortable.

Miscellaneous
The Velocity Gear Exhibition Pro gloves come with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects and the Velocity Gear "Half Price" replacement guarantee: "If your glove is destroyed for any reason we'll replace it for half of it's original purchase price, no questions asked."

Conclusion
The Velocity Gear Exhibition Pro gloves are the new hot-weather favorites around here.  While the leather front half may not provide perfect air flow, the bias towards protection rather than ventilation is a bonus, in our opinion.  The price may be a little higher than the average summer glove, but the high level of protection, the secure wrist closure and the warranties more than make up the difference.

wBW Product Review:  Velocity Gear Exhibition Pro Gloves
Manufacturer:  Velocity Gear	List Price:  $129.00
Colors:  Black Sizes:  XS to XXL	Made in:  Pakistan
Review Date:  October 2009  Note:  Gloves provided by Velocity Gear for this review (more).

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