Product review: Five RFX2 Airflow Summer Gloves

For most road riders, a decent pair of gloves is a non-negotiable item of safety gear. However, there are plenty of riders who prefer the bare-knuckle option – the consequences of which make me cringe.

I’ve met riders who claim they don’t have the feel they need wearing gloves, so they go without. Every time I hear the comment about a lack of “feeling” I imagine the “feeling” they’d have if they crashed a road bike without anything covering their hands.

Naturally, you’d put your hands out to save your fall and without gloves I hate to think of the bloody mess that would make of your palms. And if you tried to save your hands by keeping them on the handlebars, you’d run the risk of having them smashed under the weight of the bike, not to mention the gravel rash to your bare knuckles.

I’d like to see all road riders wearing gloves, but if I can’t be convincing on the basis of safety the least I can do is tell you about a pair of gloves I hunted down that offer incredible feel through a range of well thought-out designs.

That pair is the RFX2 Airflow glove from French motorcycle glove company Five and the feature most likely to get a non-glove wearers fist into a pair is how thin and supple the palm material is.

A thin palm doesn’t sound all that protective, but to provide protection and feel, Five uses full grain goatskin leather in the palm of many of its gloves. The goatskin on the RFX2 glove extends along the inside of the fingers and thumb, providing excellent feel on the grips and levers.

A lack of feel is the common complaint I hear from the bare-knuckle brigade, so I reckon the inside face of these gloves addresses this issue.

The RFX2 Airflow gloves, as the name suggests, flow plenty of air to keep your hands cool through masses of ventilation.

Most of the leather is perforated while ventilated mesh around the cuff and the outer of the thumb gets even more air whizzing through.

Most summer gloves are a short cuff design, only just covering the wrist, whereas the RFX2 is a full-length option to provide much more coverage.

The extensive use of mesh helps make this glove light and flexible as well as the obvious cooling benefits.

The only downside is the Velcro on the two wrist closures tends to grab the mesh and cause fraying. I’ll be giving my hairy bits an occasional trim and hoping I don’t cause too much damage in the process.

Mesh on the outer of the thumb concerned me initially as I didn’t expect it to offer much resistance to road rash. Thankfully, Five thought this design through and lined the area and the top of the hand with Kevlar.

Due to the use of mesh in certain areas I wouldn’t use this glove for track days, but the addition of Kevlar lining in key areas put my mind at ease for road riding.

Non-perforated leather is used down the outer edge of each glove from the tip of the little finger to the base of the palm.

The little finger and the one next to it are joined with accordion leather to help prevent your pinkie finger being whisked away in an ugly direction, should it get caught under the bike in an accident.

The heel of the palm is significantly reinforced for both protection and comfort.

There’s a flexible plastic insert, or palm slider as Five calls it, stitched in to absorb some impact if you hit the deck.

Glove additions like finger bridges and palm sliders can scare off those who ride with their hands in the nude, expecting the gloves to be restrictive and annoying.

Five, however, has added these safety features without compromising comfort. There’s also an unobtrusive section of padding in the heel of the palm, which not only provides comfort but is also a bonus for riders who suffer numbness from hanging onto a vibrating pair of handlebars on long rides.

My only gripe regarding comfort is just below the wrist knuckle on the inside of the glove where I could feel the end of the narrow wrist closure rubbing against my forearm.

If you have skinny wrists like mine, take notice of this area when you’re trying a pair on. You may need to opt for a short cuff glove that doesn’t have the narrow wrist closure.

Another cool feature, one I’m yet to see on other brands, is the red leather on the inner face of the left index and middle fingers.

Apparently in Europe, waving to oncoming motorcyclists is all the rage, instead of the obligatory nod I’ve always used on Australian roads.

So, when you wave wearing Five gloves you effectively send across a bright red V for victory or a peace sign to your fellow motorcyclist.
I’ve since switched from the nod to the wave and I have to say I get a lot more in return from other riders than I have in years. Perhaps the land of nod is a thing of the past…

If you’re part of the bare-knuckle brigade, Five is a brand worth considering. While protection is key for the French brand, so is comfort.

The RFX2 glove packs a fistful of protection with features you’d find on a full-blown road racing glove, but scores big comfort points with supple goatskin palms for maximum feel, stacks of venting and loads of flex so you won’t feel restricted.

Look out for these gloves when you’re next at your local bike shop. They’re also available in black if you don’t like the red and fluoro version.

You might be surprised by how much feel they provide and you’ll shake your own hand with gratitude should you ever put them to the ultimate test.

Five RFX2 Airflow glove pricing: $199.95

For more info on Five gloves and to find your closest stockist head to www.motonational.com.au.