I ride all year long and in all weather conditions, so over the years I have acquired a lot of cycling wear. Without any hesitation at all I would tell anyone that Pearl Izumi is my favorite manufacturer of cycling clothing—they are known for their high quality products. However, even a great company can sometimes let a product go to market that doesn’t live up their normally high standards. One such product is the Pearl Izumi Thermal Glove.
Pearl Izumi Thermal Glove
The Pearl Izumi Thermal Glove has many great features. The first thing that drew my attention to this full-fingered glove was the Hi-Vis Screaming Yellow color (it is also available in solid black). Since I often ride in low-light situations I always appreciate gloves that allow motorists to see my hand signals, and very few gloves are as effective at this as the Pearl Izumi Thermal Glove. This glove also has reflective elements for additional low-light visibility. The fabric on this glove provides great insulation, odor-resistance, and moisture transfer. You will also find a soft fleece wiping surface on thumb and the silicone grips on the palms are the best I’ve seen in any cycling glove.
These are thermal gloves and they do an excellent job at keeping your hands warm, even though the gloves are very lightweight. These gloves are designed for cool weather, not the heart of winter. No glove can possibly work at all temperatures, but I think these gloves are very well suited for days when the temperature is in the 40’s.
Unfortunately, one fatal flaw makes this glove a product that I could not recommend to any cyclist—there is absolutely no padding on the palms (zip, zero, nada). Normally I wear cycling products out on at least five rides before I write a product review for them. However, these gloves were so painful that after one ride I knew I would never wear them again. I took these gloves out for a 50-mile ride, but had to turn around and head home after just ten miles because my hands were so numb because of the lack of padding in the palms.
The Pearl Izumi Thermal Glove retails for $25 and is available at most bike shops. If your local bike shop does not carry this glove you can easily order it from online retailers. I believe the glove is true to size, and while I cannot recommend it for cycling, I think any runner would love them!
Tracy Wilkins
January 27, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Hmmm….that’s an interesting point of view which is exactly opposite of mine. I don’t consider padding a requirement, and in fact, if the weather is warm enough, wouldn’t wear gloves at all, except that they offer some degree of sun protection on my hands (I’ve exposed them so much that I’m having to watch out for skin cancer). I guess that’s what makes us all different.
If I were a mountain biker, I might have a different view…..
All Seasons Cyclist
January 27, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Tracy, I guess that is why they make different kinds of gloves! I can’t imagine riding with these gloves on a 70 mile training route!