The Pearl Izumi Attack glove ($30) is a cycling glove that minimizes the damage to hands from crashes, harmful UV rays and the energy-zapping vibrations from road and trail.
What I Liked
Contoured gel padding. Not only does this do a great job of absorbing road and trail vibrations to mitigates numbness and fatigue in my hands and wrists, it’s shaped to fit into the arch of my hand.
Flaps under the middle- and ring-finger holes. A little thing, maybe so little that Pearl Izumi didn’t think it worth mentioning in the product specs but I love this feature. With many cycling gloves that are designed to fit like the first skin (as opposed to the second skin), the glove removal process can require the jaws of life. These come off easy. Just insert finger tips under the finger flaps and your paws are free.
What I didn’t Like
They’re snug. I have small hands and the size small gloves feel more snug than I like. I was hoping that after all the miles of riding they would loosen up a bit but they’re still pretty snug. Not cut-off-my-circulation-and-need-hand-amputated snug but I think I’d be happier with a size medium.
Ventilation comes up a little short. On days that are warm and humid and the rides are long and hard, my hands feel clammy and bloated. This could be a by-product of the snugness.
Final Thoughts
The Pearl Izumi Attack gloves are fantastic for absorbing trail vibration, no question about that. But try them before you buy them. You may need to go one size up depending on the size of your hand.
