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Miyuki GP Star Gloves.
Being an avid motorcyclist
I am very aware of motorcycling fashion. In fact, I'm more aware of how,
and how not to dress whilst riding a bike, than I am in civvies mixing
with the general populous.
Now, I get products sent to me all the time that cover the full spectrum
of motorcycle swag. We get stuff that can be classed as functional, bits
and pieces under the heading of fashionable and sometimes parts that are
purely cosmetic.
We got some gloves
recently from GP Star that are all of the above and more, with the added
bonus of being groovy. Not groovy in a mid 70's way, but groovy fashionable
with added function. The GP Star company slogan is "Where racing
meets fashion" Well, nobody can deny that slogan after seeing these.
I realize I'm turning
into a bit of a glove expert because have reviewed a few different types
and due to my propensity for crashing, I can't get enough of them.
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GP Star kindly sent
us three different styles: The Octane GP's, Trigger and a pair of Love/Hates.
All three pairs are
very thoughtfully made - starting with the material, it's soft A-grade
leather that is very supple and needs minimal usage or break-in to feel
comfortable. There are no bulky finger seams and the gloves feel very
luxurious inside and out. That A-grade leather also retains a high level
of elasticity throughout the manufacturing process. That elasticity is
of vital importance, as it keeps the leather from splitting should an
accident occur - which in my case is very likely.
The Octane GP features
a carbon fiber/urethane mix top knuckle guard, and further dime-sized
carbon pieces protecting the impact zone on the top of each finger. The
top guard is on a leather pivot that is cushion by high-density foam.
Two things come into play here; firstly the carbon fiber knuckle rotates
into position to stop bunching for max comfort and secondly, in case of
a major impact, nestles on the foam for maximum protection
The stitching is double
stiched with "Keprotec" Kevlar thread in the impact area's and
double layered on the palm and pinky finger.
For further security,
the glove features two Velcro closures at the wrist and gauntlet area
and reflective Schoeller padding in the wrist bone area that both protects
your Scaphoid bone (the pointy bit) and offers nighttime visibility for
being-seen-in-the-dark safety.
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Miyuki's Octane Glove
is available in blue, yellow, red, and all black and is thoroughly recommended
as a beginner racer/higher-end sport ride glove.
The second and third
pairs are called the Trigger and the Love/Hate. Construction is the same
for both pairs, but with subtle differences. They both feature a tough
urethane/carbon mix shell to protect the knuckles. It's a material hard
to describe, but stylish in both construction and visual design. Again,
all the stitching is Kevlar thread and they are double stitched in all
of the impacted areas, top and bottom. The palms have a Kevlar mix contact
patch for additional protection and have a tad more padding that the Octane.
The gloves also have stretch panels on the back of each thumb and on the
back of the palm for flexible fitting and movement.
The Love/Hate version
of the Trigger, are to me, keepers. I'd hate to ding these cause' they
are so unique, they really are. The gloves feature the fairly prominent
Love/Hate logo embossed on each finger reminiscent of a jailhouse tattoo.
I tried to look up the origins of that tattoo and the only quote I could
find was, "One who is affected with a personality disorder marked
by antisocial behavior". If that's not an accurate description of
my motorcycling lifestyle, then I don't know what is.
Everyone who's seen
these Love/Hates has tried to steal them from me, a sure sign of a quality
piece and a definite need to keep them in close proximity at rest stops
or at my local bike night.
The only shortfall
is that the Trigger and Love/Hate's could do with a wrist restraint to
be 100% effective. Other than that, they are great gloves and well worth
the moolar. GP Star president, Elias Corey, did mention that if market
forces dictate, the gloves might eventually be modified with a further
wrist restraint at the manufacturing end.
The Octane GP's are
$69.99. The Trigger is $49.99 as is the Love/Hate $ 49.99
Who says you can't
buy style?
Contact GP Star at
www.gpstar.net
Mike Emery
