With the rainy season beginning here in Oregon, it was time to purchase a set of winter riding gloves. I’ve been pretty pleased with my REV’IT Inferno summer gloves so I decided to check out REV’IT’s winter line of gloves. My favorite gear shop (Cycle Parts/Triumph of Eugene) didn’t have their glove selection switched over to their winter stock yet, but they did have a few pairs of the Fahrenheit H20 gloves — and in ladies’ sizes too, lucky me!
Product Information
Manufacturer: REV’IT
Model: Fahrenheit H20 Gloves (ladies)
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Size: Small
Color: Black
MSRP: $149.99
Manufacturer’s Description
The FAHRENHEIT is the top of the line winter glove for the all-season rider. This glove features the active Schoeller® PCM insulator which keeps the hands at a constant comfortable temperature. The impact protection level of the FAHRENHEIT features a Carbon hard shell knuckle part that is integrated directly underneath the leather to reduce the amount of stitches and adds an unrepeated look. Silicon injected padding at the side of the palm and pink allow for extra comfort and protection. The FAHRENHEIT is also available in a ladies version and is a must for all cold weather riders.
Initial Report
The first thing one notices about the Fahrenheit gloves is that they aren’t very bulky compared to other winter gloves I’ve seen. The second thing you notice is the price tag. Steep! REV’IT attributes its ultra-thin winter glove designs to the use of high-tech materials; in this case, Schoeller PCM (Phase Change Material). Without getting too deep into the details, insulation made with PCM contains tiny microcapsules that supposedly absorb heat energy as the temperature of the body rises and release that energy as the temperature cools. The intent of this “active” system is to keep the body at a constant comfortable temperature: not too hot and not too cold.
The ride back from Cycle Parts was in 50 degree weather: chilly, windy, and overcast. My hands felt a tad bit chilled, but never outright cold. I tend to run coldblooded, too hot in the sun and too cold in the shade, so the performance of the Fahrenheit gloves has matched my experience with winter gloves in general. I’m curious to see if the gloves perform as advertised: if the PCM insulation works as it says it does, my hands should feel just on the edge of chilled no matter how cold it gets. Perhaps it’s time for some heated grips on the Rebel!
A nice side effect of insulation made with PCM is gloves that need not be as thick or bulky as those using other insulation materials. The result is a winter glove that fits a lot like a summer glove. The Fahrenheit gloves are designed with a pre-curved fit and a little extra length in the fingers — helpful if you’ve got long digits or when you’re gripping the bars. It appears that the sizing for the Fahrenheit gloves runs a bit bigger than their summer gloves. My Infernos are a ladies’ size medium, while I found that the small sized Fahrenheit gloves fit me the best.
The Fahrenheit gloves are fully lined with soft material that is very pleasant against the skin. There is only one seam that I can really feel while wearing the gloves, but unfortunately it’s a doozy, running right along the side of the thumb. I particularly noticed the seam on my throttle hand. It’s not terribly uncomfortable, but it is enough to notice and possibly cause a little discomfort until you get used to it.
It didn’t take me very long to get used to the feel of my bike while wearing the gloves. Thanks to the thinner insulation, the touch is superb and I didn’t feel like I was trying to ride while wearing ski mitts.
The outside of the glove is made of goatskin and Pittard leather. There are grippier patches of leather sewn into the index and middle fingertips and the palm. A carbon hard-shell knuckle protector is sewn beneath the outer layer of leather in such a way that there are no visible seams or stitches holding the knuckle protector in place. The result is a very classy, smooth look that’s a far cry from the chunky “robot-knuckles” look found on some other gloves. There is also a thin patch of soft material sewn along the sides of the index finger and thumb intended for use as a visor wipe. This was effective for the first few swipes, until the strip got waterlogged. Points to REV’IT for trying.
The Fahrenheit gloves have two hook-and-loop closures: one large one at the wrist and another smaller one at the base of the palm. The gloves have a gauntlet style and the wrist opening is large enough to let the user decide if they want the gloves outside of their jacket sleeves or inside. The wrist closure can be set to allow the hand to slide on without needing to open the closure every time the gloves are put on. The smaller closure is used to secure the glove at the base of the hand and is easy to grip even while wearing a glove on the other hand.
The gods saw fit to allow me to test out the waterproofing on my new gloves by sending some spots of rain. Thanks to the Fahrenheit gloves, my hands stayed dry and never felt clammy or damp. REV’IT uses a material called Hydratex in the waterproof/breathable linings in its gear. I’ve been impressed so far, but we’ll have to see how it holds up through an Oregon winter.
Like most companies, REV’IT designs its gear in house and outsources the production to China. Despite all the bad press Chinese manufacturing has been getting these days, the fit and finish on the Fahrenheit gloves is superb. Gloves are some of the most difficult items to sew, and the stitching is excellent overall. I had to hunt hard to find an obvious defect, and the only thing I could find is a slightly twisted middle finger on the right hand glove. This is an aesthetic issue that shouldn’t affect the performance of the gloves.
Summary
REV’IT’s Fahrenheit gloves are eye-poppingly pricey, but all those fancy (and expensive) materials combine to make a very well-made glove with excellent feel on the grips. The jury’s still out on the weatherproofing, but with nine months of rain coming up, the Fahrenheits will have plenty of chances to prove themselves.
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