Komodo Meso Race Gloves - Two Wheel Freaks Review

 

Komodo Meso Race Gloves

Friday, 24 October 2008
KOMODO MESO RACE GLOVES

Words by Mirage, Photos by Mirage

It’s often said that women who have a lot of shoes are shoeaholics. Although I don’t have many pairs of shoes I do have (and have had over the years) many pairs of gloves which I suppose makes me a gloveaholic. I’m aware of the problem and am seeking professional counseling but thanks for asking. Apparently I need a new therapist though since I recently got a pair of Komodo’s new Meso race glove which is like saying there’s a sale at Nine West to a shoeaholic. (The fact that he knows Nine West is a shoe store is slightly disturbing - Ed)

I’m currently using a pair of Alpinestars GP Tech gloves (read the full review here) so Komodo’s going to be compared to a heavy weight champion in the field of rider protection. Right after taking the Meso’s out of the box I could tell that these gloves mean business. They not only look the part but also provide valuable features that every rider will enjoy.

First and foremost these gloves are comfortable right from the start, with the outer skin constructed of leather so breaking them in for days on end wasn’t necessary. I’m always concerned when I get a new pair of gloves because I’m not sure if I’m going to have a problem shifting or if my hands are going to hurt after hours of wearing them. Thankfully I had none of those issues and after five hours of riding I didn’t miss a shift and my hands/wrists didn’t hurt at all. I’ll attribute this to the gel under the Kevlar enforced palms which not only reduced the “buzz” from the bars but also provided for additional comfort and impact absorption.

These high performance race gloves come in standard sizes: S, M, L, XL, XXL (US) and are true to form. This means if you’re a medium then order a medium. If you’re a large then a large it is then. No guessing if the glove is going to be too big or too small and waiting weeks for the correct size to be shipped. These sizes should accommodate almost every rider, which is a good thing since we all don’t have the same anatomy. I’ll let you create your own punch line here.

High impact Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) covers the knuckles and fingers along with Schoeller Keprotec abrasion resistant material under the palms and on the fingers show that this glove is serious about safety. Combine that with Kevlar reenforced palms and pinky fingers with a shell constructed of 1.0mm premium cowhide leather for abrasion and tear resistance and you’d be hard pressed to find a glove with more protection. Knowing that my hands are heavily fortified in the case of a crash puts my mind at ease. Yes, even I worry about crashing but luckily I haven’t had the misfortune of trying out any of my gear. I’ll leave that test to our illustrious editor-in-chief. (ha-ha - Ed)

An elastic wrist and top wrist strap helps keep the Meso’s in place so you won’t have to worry about them moving around during a ride. And while we’re looking at the wrist, notice that the glove has a nice size cuff to reduce wind turbulence that sometimes occurs when wearing just a jacket. Everywhere you look you see a quality product along with a well thought out design.

During the summer months when it’s hazy, hot and humid some riders wait until the sun sets for cooler temperatures to ride but others ride to work, have group rides planned or just “grin and bear it.” If you fall into one of the later categories then these gloves will help alleviate some of those heat issues since they provide great ventilation via knuckle air vents. It’s currently fall as I write this and the temperatures are cool so the aeration feels just fine. I can see though that anything below freezing might chill your fingers so be aware of this fact.

If I knew of these gloves when I was looking for a new pair they would’ve been at the top of my list. Komodo’s Meso product line of gloves provides superior protection and has all the characteristics that I (and you) should want in a motorcycle glove. I like to keep a low-profile so I chose black but Komodo does offer the Meso’s in the following colors: red, blue, yellow, green and silver. Add to the fact that it’s half the price of some of its competitors and it wins by a KO.

They retail for $114.95 and can be purchased at Komodo’s website: www.komodogear.com.

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