Pearl Izumi Izumi Gloves

Price Paid:  $59.00 at LBS

Favorite Ride:
Road

Bike Setup:
frame, tires, a gear or two, sometimes a brake

Summary:
AmFIB Gloves - Overpriced and do not work well! In addition to racing, I commute every day in all kinds of weather. I gave the gloves a fair shot and should have returned them - they're still sitting in my drawer. The main problem was that they do not handle/wick moisture at all. So, when my hands perspire or there is a little rain the gloves get wet, and STAY wet. The result is cold hands. Further, they take forever to dry by themselves. So, on a cold morning commute they work fine for a short while, then get wet and cold, and then do not dry for the commute home.

I was also not that impressed with the fit. It did not lend itself to very much dexterity for shifting and braking.

I ended up using a pair of mitten-gloves I bought for less than $20 at REI. These are half finger gloves with a mitten pullover that is attached to the glove.

Strengths:
none, well, might be ok for a short walk in the cold

Weaknesses:
take your pick

Similar Products Used:
dish mits, latex gloves, hands submerged in blocks of ice

Price Paid:  $35.00 at pearl izumi outlet

Bike Setup:
Cannondale R3000

Summary:
I was so impressed with my last pair of gel lites that there was no question what to buy when they wore out after two seasons. I found it hard to believe, but the 2003 line is even more comfortable and cooler than the 2001 line.

Strengths:
excellent fit, comfort, and ventilation

Weaknesses:
A little pricey, but still money well spent.

Similar Products Used:
2001 gel lites

Price Paid:  $28.00 at Performance

Favorite Ride:
Anything paved that goes for miles

Bike Setup:
GT ZR 3.0 (Lotto colors), Mavic wheels, Michelin Axial Carbons, Kinesis carbon fork, Profile bar and stem, Shimano 105 double.

Summary:
This is for the 2003 Pittards. I bought these along with another brand I reviewed yesterday. I got these on sale, too from Performance. I think gloves, along with most other accessories cost too much when compared to the durability of a lot of items. I usually look for deals or sales. I have to say these are really comfy, much more so than the old White Line II's I have. I went through two pairs of White Line II's in about 10 months. I used these for half of a ride I did yesterday and the other brand for the other half. I got these because of several recommendations on the Forum board. The fit is great, and the padding is wonderful. It may be too much for some, but I want a little more than the norm for longer rides. I've heard that Pittards breathes well, but they got pretty wet just for the time I had them on (about 45 minutes). As to durability, I can't say yet. I just hope these last longer than the White Lines I retired. For value, I'll give them a 4 (PI stuff is too expensive), overall I'll give them a 5 (good reviews and they fit well and are super comfy so far).

Strengths:
Fit, padding, reflective logos.

Weaknesses:
May get too warm in the summer, not sure yet. I will review them again in about a month, though. Here in La., the temps. and humidity in the summer get downright torturous.

Similar Products Used:
PI White Line II (didn't last long), Trek Moby Gel, Specialized BG Comp and Pro ('01, '02, & '03), and Chiba (didn't last long).

Price Paid:  $12.00

Summary:
I bought the White Line gloves because they were the only thing that fit right (with what the store had). For the first two months they were decent gloves. They did not grip the handlebars as well as other gloves I have used, but it was never an issue. They held up to the washing machine and never had stitching issues. Not too much later, the padding became rock hard and my hands would become num even on short rides. I got on my trainier and found out that between the rock hard padding and stitches on the palm, pressure points were created on top of the nerves. At this point, they were thrown away.

Strengths:
Fit perfectly. Seem to hold up well during the useful lifespan.

Weaknesses:
Padding becomes hard quick and the stitching may lead to pain. They have had the worst grip of any bike gloves I have used.

Similar Products Used:
Louis Garneau ErgoAir (Well worth the price).
Cheap Cannondales.

Price Paid:  $40.00

Favorite Ride:
Newfields Rail Trail

Bike Setup:
Bianchi Eros upgraded to Chorus/Racing Tee, Shamals. ITM bar/stem

Summary:
A few years ago, PI redesigned their glove line. Gone were my old favorites, replaced by the whiteline gloves. Idecided to try the the Pearl Izumi Leather Pittards half fingered gloves - they looked the most like the old style PI gloves. I have had them for about a year (around 2,000 miles). I like them very much but I am disappointed by their durability. Major review points:

- At first, they have too much padding (XL size). The padding tends to flatten with use and gets comfortable quickly.

- Great terry cloth patches for those cold spring and autumn rides (yuk!)

- Do not ever wash these gloves in the wash machine. I had been hand washing them but they found their way into the washer once - the stitching unraveled.

- Materials are high quality.

- Pricey.

Strengths:
Comfortable, break-in nicely, materials

Weaknesses:
Construction - Stitching is unravelling.
Price - worth it if they were more durable

Similar Products Used:
Older, more durable but cheaper PI gloves.