Dakine Traverse Gloves Review
Gloves for Winter, gloves for Summer, gloves to match your shoes, gloves to match your bike, gloves to match your hair….it never seems to end. But hey, that’s a good thing because who doesn’t love an excuse for new glove day?
Riding in the warmer months of the year means you can generally get away with wearing lighter, thinner gloves. But what does this mean in terms of durability and comfort? Well, Dakine has created a glove that’s lightweight, breathable, and very functional with their Traverse glove. Pretty much perfect for our riding conditions.
Photo: ©Richard McGibbon
First Impressions
The black colour gives the Traverse glove a stealthy appearance and will mix and match with any bike/kit combo. The cuff is short and slightly padded with a velcro/rubber closure tab. Running down the metacarpal and phalanx area of the fingers are some plastic strips, which we assume are for added protection.
The main fabric is made from a lightweight, moisture-wicking, 4-way stretch nylon mesh and the entire palm section is made of a single piece of grippy silicone. There’s also a micro-fleece thumb wipe section.
All in all they have a slick and stealthy appearance. They remind me of a James Bond movie or something a hitman would wear.
Photo:©Richard McGibbon
Features
There are quite a few features to the Traverse glove, such as the fine mesh fabric on either side of the fingers which allows air to flow freely around your fingers, keeping your hands cooler throughout the day.
The single silicone mesh palm is one of the cleanest palm profiles designed for improved grip. The back of the hand features abrasion resistance TPR panels.
Additional features include an adjustable wrist closure, touchscreen compatibility, and a micro-fleece thumb wipe. And they’re light! In terms of weight, the Traverse gloves (men’s size large) weighed in at only 38grams, a pair.
- Back of Hand: Lightweight, moisture wicking, 4-way stretch nylon mesh
- Palm: Vented silicone mesh / one piece seamless construction
- Closure: Adjustable hook and loop
- Touch screen compatible
- Microfleece thumb wipe
- Single layer palm
Photo: ©Richard McGibbon
On The Trails
As we mentioned above, the Dakine Traverse Gloves are light. “Yeah, but who cares” we hear you say. Yes, it’s true, you don’t notice the weight once you actually have your gloves on, until halfway through a very hot day…then you notice.
The traverse gloves are noticeably lighter and cooler when riding and especially on hot days. We tested these on a particularly hot, dry day in Sydney and my hands never felt hot or sweaty throughout the day.
Bar feedback is exceptionally good due to the lightweight materials and the lack of gel or padded palm sections, which can tend to interfere with trail feedback. Grip levels were high but not overly grippy, which can be off-putting.
In terms of durability, it’s early days but we’ll keep you posted. I guess we just need a good old-fashioned palm plant to the trails. Hopefully, we can put that off for some time.
Conclusions
If you are in the market for a new pair of gloves, then the Dakine Traverse is a great option. With its uber-breathable mesh sections, sticky single palm pad, and stealth-like aesthetics make these a great choice for aggressive riding in hot weather.
Where to Buy/Price
Dakine Traverse Gloves: $49.99 approx
At most good bike shops, local or online.
