5 Minute Glove Review - Knox vs Racer

[alex]

Because my RST Tracktech Kangaroo gloves didn't fit well and fell apart all too easily, I have had to buy another set of gloves for this year (and hopefully beyond!).

Just had delivery of 2 pairs to compare and keep one;
Racer High Speed £220
Knox Handroid Mk5 £250
From Sportsbikeshop.

TL;DR I am keeping the Knox Handroids but both were very nice

The Racers are lovely and soft. Great mix of Kangaroo, Stingray etc. The fingers and thumb are on the longer side which is good for me. Protection seems great scafoid and cuff hard points, webbing on the little finger bridge. Honestly very little to fault and they are decent value compared to the competition.

The Knox. Equally supple, the fingers are the right length and diameter for my digits. Similar levels of protection, though the cuff is less pronounced and very flexible. The boa system claps the forarm really well even without the suit on. Its quick to release and easy to adjust. The wrist strap is equally able to clamp my IT worker wrists. The biggest upside for these glives was the ease if wrist articulation. The racers felt stiffer but maybe in an accident that would be a benefit.

The RSTs before were cheap but wholly insecure. The wrist strap was no where near my wrist, it was at least 15mm too far up the palm to allow me to close it.

The Racer wrist strap was just a fraction too high and too wide it was going to dig into the heel of my thumb (or whatever ots called). The Knox is just right.

Highly recommend the Racers, very comfy if your hand fits, I genuinely wanted to like them more. But for me the Knox just fit that few percent better.

 

[Steve940]

I've got the mk4 handroids...superb gloves..I did.lose the aerofoil that sits on top and knox sent Mr a new pack of them out..no questions..can't get better than that..I've had mine 3-4years I think..we'll.worn in but still solid..really well made

 

[Grumplestiltonskin]

I've got the racers, really like them but found they took a bit of breaking in around the wrist and palm supports.. Spot on now though. Like held gloves as well.

 

[Allie]

Because my RST Tracktech Kangaroo gloves didn't fit well and fell apart all too easily, I have had to buy another set of gloves for this year (and hopefully beyond!).

Just had delivery of 2 pairs to compare and keep one;
Racer High Speed £220
Knox Handroid Mk5 £250
From Sportsbikeshop.

TL;DR I am keeping the Knox Handroids but both were very nice

The Racers are lovely and soft. Great mix of Kangaroo, Stingray etc. The fingers and thumb are on the longer side which is good for me. Protection seems great scafoid and cuff hard points, webbing on the little finger bridge. Honestly very little to fault and they are decent value compared to the competition.

The Knox. Equally supple, the fingers are the right length and diameter for my digits. Similar levels of protection, though the cuff is less pronounced and very flexible. The boa system claps the forarm really well even without the suit on. Its quick to release and easy to adjust. The wrist strap is equally able to clamp my IT worker wrists. The biggest upside for these glives was the ease if wrist articulation. The racers felt stiffer but maybe in an accident that would be a benefit.

The RSTs before were cheap but wholly insecure. The wrist strap was no where near my wrist, it was at least 15mm too far up the palm to allow me to close it.

The Racer wrist strap was just a fraction too high and too wide it was going to dig into the heel of my thumb (or whatever ots called). The Knox is just right.

Highly recommend the Racers, very comfy if your hand fits, I genuinely wanted to like them more. But for me the Knox just fit that few percent better.

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I really like Knox gloves both these for road riding and Orsa for off road and they last well, the boa system is excellent.

 

[alex]

Update: I'm not 100% getting on with the Knox gloves. They are fine in the most part. but for some odd reason they dig in, painfully, at the base of my left hand index finger. The finger is bruised by the end of the day, and it's only from curling the fingers, not even gripping the bars particularly hard.

I may have a word with hill 4 leather and see if they can do something to correct this one issue. I thought it would give over time, but using them on Sunday at Snetterton reminded me that it was still there.

 

[Bimmer]

Ive a set of handroids and the plastic scaphoid protection presses against my dodgy scaphoid and hurts me after time.

I wear Kushitani, hard to come by but like wearing velvet.

 

[pauly]

I've had some short RST gloves for quite a while. No idea what type they are, but they were less than £100. What do you get from gloves that are 2 or 3 times the price?

 

[alex]

Well as I put earlier RST fit was designed around short hands...i was happy with the comfort but they never fitted.

I was investing hoping to find a pair that really were secure and safe for my mitts.

 

[pauly]

Guess I'm tight, as I've never paid more than £70 for gloves or £300 for a lid. I recently bought a Motorrad Xomo carbon composite, which looks very much like a Shark Spartan GT Pro. It has a nice interior and visor system, and BMW were selling them for under £300. Obviously people can spend their money however they like, but £600+ lids seem a bit extravagant to me.

 

[Ajj]

I've had some short RST gloves for quite a while. No idea what type they are, but they were less than £100. What do you get from gloves that are 2 or 3 times the price?

Cuff protection.

I use Dainese Full Metal 6, which are very comfortable.

 

[Bimmer]

When youve had a van drive over your head you can appreciate the quality and safety of an Arai. My head is precious and I will buy the best protection I can. As the old adage goes, 50p head 50p lid. I wear Arai exclusively and have done so for >30yrs. A £300 lid will likely be as good, but I have had good reason to trust Arai. I also do track riding and I will buy the best protection I can afford. Ive had about 10-15 Arai's in my life. It isnt about extravagance, it is about getting the best protection I can. There are equally good lids out there, Shoei etc. But Arai fit my head.

Gloves are another matter. Comfort is more important. Ive yet to find gloves more comfortable, for me, than Kushitani. Ive tried alpinestars, rst, dainese, Knox etc. Each person will have different needs and requirements and the fit will be a personal thing. Mine cost £70 this time as they were NOS. My original pair I replaced were >£200. Theyd lasted me for >5yrs and I loved them. They were so comfortable and I was fortunate to find them again NOS on ebay.

Ive broken both my wrists, twice. (Pre Kushitanis) Motorcycling is dangerous and you make your own choices about personal protection.

 

[pauly]

I've had Arai helmets in the past, and the helmet I had before the latest Motorrad/Shark was a BELL carbon fiber. As it happens a 12 tonne tipper truck ran into me, and put me into ditch, resulting in a blue light and nearly a week in an emergency ward, so I know how much I need to spend on a lid to be safe.