Most cycling gloves are great when they are brand new, but after a few washes they go down hill quickly. These are better than most, standing up to many dozens of washes quite well.
The velcro is of high quality and has yet to stop sticking. The gel is still gel, unlike many gloves I've had where the gel dries up and starts cracking. They fit comfortably with no pressure points.
The only issue I've had is that the reflective tape on the back comes unglued and is only connected at the sewn seam. Otherwise, they have been great.
Be careful with the black gloves on the first couple of washes. The black dye will leach out and into your other clothing. Wash with solid black apparel only for at least 2-3 washes.
When you are out over 4K miles on the bike in an 8 or 9 month period, you are going to need great gloves and these fit the bill. All gloves are NOT created equal. Your hands are busy during a ride, so, give them and your associated nerves the comfort they need!
Can't say they are better than any other gloves I have had, but they do look cool. Would not have purchased unless they were discounted, and that was a good call.
Very well constructed. Most comfortable glove Ive owned. Love the design and materials, but thats expected from anything Pearl Izumi. The heat transfer reflective material came loose on my first ride, but I wasnt really looking for reflective properties anyway. I think it was just a fluke, but thats why I didnt give 5 stars. Price is up there, but worth it. They really do feel luxurious on my hands. The fit was spot on for me. Im not a small handed person. My hands are average, possibly slightly larger than average. I bought size large.
I tend to ride long distances (70-100 miles) and rely on my cycling gloves to provide padding and protection. I've used these gloves for several years now. These gloves are well made, fit well, and are a good value (very good if you find a sale).
Despite that, they are not perfect for my typical hand position. The split pads in the palm area, intended to protect the sensitive nerves that run through that area, work well when on the drops or with hands on the top of the handlebars, but don't protect my hands as well as I'd like when riding with my hands on the brake hoods. On the other hand (sorry for the pun), most other gloves I've looked at have the same type of padding with the same split.
This is my third or fourth pair of the Pearl Izumi Elite Gel Gloves. Every pair has lasted more than a year with several thousand miles of riding per year,
I finally bought a new pair this year because I wanted to see if I had just become accustomed to the older ones as they slowly broke down. Nope. I really cannot tell which pair I wear - the same great padding. I keep the older pairs in my bike bag as spares and loaners. I've had others forget their gloves, borrow my older pairs and go buy their own.
My only regret? I didn't buy the vented version...
I've been riding with these gloves for almost a year now, and it's the first pair that's not shredded by now. I'm rough on gloves, and wash them often, and every other brand I've tried is coming apart at the seams within a couple months. This first pair of Pearl Izumi's is still going strong, no deterioration at all. No sign of the reflective tape coming loose as reported by others, so I think that was maybe a temporary issue.
Function is there too. The palm padding is in the right spots and perfect density, and the leathery material is soft and gives good feel & grippyness whether dry or wet. The two little gripper pockets on the middle fingers to aid removal are great, every riding glove should have them. The back of the glove is stretchy & breathable, and the velcro closure strap is the right size and sticky.
To me, the best glove is one that I forget I'm wearing, and these do that. They don't do anything wrong to get my attention, and they last. Nice job Pearl Izumi. And the sale price got me to order three more pairs today so I can choose which color to wear.
I buy several pairs of these every year. They fit well and they last. Great value!
This is my favorite glove so far and I don't have anything negative to say about it other than wait until a year or so to see if it'll stay in shape like my giro glove or wear out like my specialized. I like giro but wanted to try PI, something new, to see if it'll withstand the test of time.
these gloves are light ,very breathable and have the padding where you need it. Good summer riding glove
Can get tight into the webbing of my fingers, but these are a good glove for the price.
I've been wearing the Pearl Izumi Men's Elite Gel Gloves since before I bought my first road bike... Yes, that's not an error, I wore them as a mountain biker as well. But for ROAD gloves, they are the only gloves I will wear. I ride 5,000 miles a year in an area that lets me ride all year long. So I'm pretty hard on gloves. The Elite Gel Gloves are the most comfortable I've found and hold up well.
Great gloves for those long rides to help keep my hands from getting numb, Also changed my handlebar to a compact 125mm drop, 80mm reach, silicone gel handlebar tape combine all these together and I get the best vibration dampening!! Also I ride all year long because of the weather in Hawaii!
I like these gloves a lot. Fit is true and they provide nice cushioning
There is a seem that cuts into my hands over the long rides.
I like the fit and amount of padding and ventilation provided, but would prefer a similar glove with full finger coverage and a more dense material covering the back of the hand, all for the purpose of reducing UV exposure to the skin there.
In addition, the Velcro closure tab should be longer to ensure a more secure attachment, as is provided on my other Pearl Izumi full-fingered glove.
I use these gloves on all my rides . They are slightly tight which effects their removal, a minor point
Pearl Izumi has always made great cycling gloves. Their latest version of the cycling glove fits true to size and fits snugly. The velcro closure system holds the glove in place. The glove is ventilated to cool your hands and the grip on the palm is very useful to maintain control of the bike.
These gloves are so essential to keeping me comfortable on long rides and the Ventilated design makes them cool to wear All day.
Always looking for an extra pair of these elite gel gloves!
I have worn Pearl Izumi Gel Elite gloves for years and they have always performed great. I've tried other gloves but I always come back to these. The padding is just right for preventing hand numbness and they always last a full riding season with some basic care. I ride a combination of rails to trails, gravel and road and they work great, cool and comfortable with excellent grip and control no matter how sweaty in the summer humidity!
