Pearl Izumi Divide Trail Glove Review
While I’m not particularly picky with cycling gloves, I do appreciate a comfortable glove that is durable and has a good bar/trail feel. From the description, the Pearl Izumi Divide Gloves were right up my alley, so I was excited to get them out on the trails for a test.
As soon as I received them, I was impressed with the quality and the features that were included. The leather-like palm seemed tough, but not too thick, and the mesh-like back of the hand material seemed surprisingly durable for how light it was.
Pearl Izumi utilizes what they call 1:1 Glove Fit for a more anatomic fit that prevents the palms from bunching at all. When I slid my hands into the Divide gloves I noticed that the palm did seem to fit a little snugger than many other gloves, but was not uncomfortable. I really could notice that the gloves did not bunch at all all when closing and extending my hand which was a good sign for when I finally got my hands on the bars. I’m not sure what it is in the design or pattern that helps, but I was surprised at how noticeable it was.
I’ve worn the Divide Gloves for several mountain bike and road rides and find them very comfortable and breathable. The non-padded palm allows me to feel and control the bars, shifters, and brake levers really well while not being too rough on my hands. The palms also have a few small holes to allow a bit of airflow which must have worked since I never noticed my palms feeling to sweaty or clammy during rides which I find happens often in leather or faux leather palmed gloves.
I also appreciate a few of the other features included in the Pearl Izumi Divide Trail glove. The silicone additions on the fingertips gave me confidence that my fingers wouldn’t slip off the brake levers at inconvenient times a.k.a. on scary descents. There was also a soft material at the base of the thumb for wiping sweat, dirt, etc. off my face and even off my sunglasses without scratching either. I tend to wipe my face a ton during summer rides, so I really appreciated this feature. The mesh back of the glove provided for plenty of airflow and cooling on my hands on hot and sunny days in Moab and Colorado’s front range. The material actually has tiny holes, so I would recommend wearing sunscreen on the backs of your hand with these gloves.
The fit was spot on to the size chart on Pearl Izumi’s online shop and the velcro closure on the inside at the heel of the hand allowed for additional adjustment.
The Divide Trail gloves from Pearl Izumi are available in two colors and retail for $30.
