This is the time of year where a lot of us are yawning and stretching from our winter slumber, getting our rides ready for the season and reassessing our gear to see if it’s fit for another season of riding. Since the day I started riding, I’ve never really found the right kind of gloves for myself. They’ve either been too thick, too thin or not warm enough.
And their performance while riding in the rain is typically nothing short of dismal. Is there anything worse than a raw, rainy day with your hands sopping wet and freezing, only to find your hands stained with black dye from the leather? That’s just not good riding.
LOTS of companies make the promise that their gloves are waterproof. So you can imagine my interest, along with a bit of skepticism, at the discovery of Hugger Glove Company. Their tagline is “a dry hand is a warm hand” and they claim to have completely waterproof, yet breathable leather garments.
Perusing through their online catalog, they do have an impressive selection of glove styles for both men & women. They offer lined gloves, unlined, fingerless and touring styles and while the majority of the men’s styles come in basic black, the women’s styles have a bit of color incorporated in between the fingers or offered in the form of piping giving them a bit of extra flair. While they’re definitely not priced at “rally prices” they certainly aren’t astronomically priced, either. And if they’re as good as they say they are, I think a lot of us would agree that they’re probably worth the price. They also offer some jackets, chaps and accessories (leather clutch bags, scarves and face masks).
100% waterproof leather motorcycle gloves
The gloves from Hugger Gloves are indeed pure leather, but they use a process called Technaline® that renders the leather absolutely waterproof. This process ensures that your hands stay dry and that your gloves don’t stretch, get misshapen or crack. In addition, the inner Wonder Dry® lining keeps your hands dry and warm. Sounds too good to be true, right? Keep reading.
So here’s the skinny: I tested a pair and here is what I found.
As I said before, there are lots of styles to choose from and since it’s just the beginning of the season where I live, that still means some colder and potentially inclement days ahead. For me, that definitely meant lined gloves. And since I’m a bit of a traditionalist in style, I wanted more of a classic riding glove and chose the Mary classic riding glove. But instead of going for my normal basic black I got a little kooky and got them with a silver accent. Plus, I thought they would go well with the gun metal gray paint on my bike.
So, are Hugger Gloves really waterproof?
We had an especially craptastic day here in New England, with lots and lots of rain. Seemed like a good day to put these gloves to the test. To my amazement, the water literally beaded up and ran off the gloves. My hands were nice and toasty, not even a hint of dampness. Hmm. It was a steady rain out but I’ve had to ride in some real torrential downpours and my outdoor test just didn’t do these gloves justice. So in an effort to really put them to the test, I decided to put my hand under my kitchen faucet for a few minutes. Nothing. No trace or feeling of water on my hand inside the glove. SWEET!
So, are Hugger Gloves really waterproof? You bet they are. Do they keep your hands warm? Yes they do. Are they worth the $40+ price tag. Yes again.
If like me you are in the market for a new pair of riding gloves that will be perfect for inclement weather, the Hugger Motorcycle Gloves should be top on your list.