GTX Held Air N Dry Gloves

Product Information

Textile Textile Textile gloves use many different synthetic materials all purpose made to protect against the elements. (13) The Held Sambia 2 in 1 are the ‘evo’ version of the original: These are perfect for touring in the heat. Highly breathable and vented for hot days and slow speeds. Or, cool, wind- and waterproof for higher speeds or showers.

And the word “Dry” for the top chamber could either mean “Use this chamber when it’s dry” or “This chamber keeps you dry”. Apparently, it’s the latter. Outlast Outlast Outlast offers micro encapsulated phase change materials, which are incorporated into fabrics and fibres for absorbing, storing, and releasing excess heat. (1) Air doesn’t flow over the palm side of motorcycle gloves when you’re riding, because that’s the side that (hopefully) is on the grips. But this time, it’s a Gore-Tex waterproof chamber on top and a perforated leather chamber on the bottom. The fingers — with the exception of the thumb — feel a bit short, although the gloves are comfortable enough on the inside that it’s not too bothersome.The Held Solid Dry 2 in 1 gloves are the perfect choice for an average English summer: Waterproof when required, breathable with a perforated palm when not. The Taslan shell is highly water-repellent, which means these are light in weight, will not soak up rain water, and are perfect for the months between March and September.

Then the some interesting facts for the Motorcycling gloves. As stated, moisture is normally generated by a hot hand inside the glove with some cold air on the outside. But, now add some heated grips and a wet gloves! You get waterproof gloves with still some decent (reduced) feel with your grips (which you don’t get with a warmth layer). Gore-Tex Gore-Tex Gore-Tex is a waterproof/breathable fabric that resists water droplets from passing through while at the same time allowing moisture from the inside to evaporate. (1)

From “F.V.Z.” (October 2015): “A few comments on the Air N Dry gloves. The reasons the Gore-Tex liner is on the top chamber, is that you have way more feel with your grips when there is only leather between your fingers and grips. For me, during sportive rides, a very important aspect. Otherwise, these are a versatile pair of motorcycle touring gloves that are guaranteed waterproof in the Gore-Tex side and with some ventilation in the perforated (palm) side. Handily, Held make this easier because these gloves are available in three finger lengths. This makes it more likely you’ll find the finger length that’s comfortable regardless of whether your hand is in the ‘breezy’ or ‘dry’ chamber.

With my hands in the bottom chamber, any water on the grips immediately flows through the perforations — there’s nothing to stop it. Visor Wipe Visor Wipe Glove features a built-in visor wipe to enable you to remove excess rain water from your visor whilst riding. (110)

Protective Features

If conditions are warm and dry, put your hand in front of the tab and your palm will sit next to the glove’s perforated leather palm. This keeps you cooler and allows more feel for the bike’s controls. Which means these aren’t multi-season gloves, in our opinion, despite the claims you may read otherwise. The idea is that you don’t have to carry two pairs of gloves — or three if you count dry weather, wet weather and hot weather (perforated). A special dying technique ensures that our kangaroo leather is absolutely colour-fast, while a special tanning process makes it highly resistant to moisture and sweat. It also detracted from the feel for the bike’s controls, which is inevitable thanks to the extra weather protection they offer but there was a definite disconnected feeling to them.

Many claimed waterproof gloves fail this test, mostly because of sloppy stitching, where a needle has passed through the waterproof membrane liner. All you need is one tiny hole and it’s all over. Now what we have is that we are slowly getting a where hot palm of the gloves and a cooler inside. That hot grip means moisture in the palm of your hand. This moisture is transported, as designed, into the glove through the Gore-Tex, from the moist hot side to the now cooler inside of your glove. The Air N Dry gloves from Held are a brilliant concept, bringing together perhaps the two most useful and common gloves that you would use in spring or summer; a thin vented version and a dry, Gore-Tex one. The other issue that needs to be factored in is your finger length. If the gloves fit perfectly in the fingers while wearing them in Gore-Tex ‘dry’ mode then they are likely to be too short when wearing them in ‘breezy’ mode. It’s inevitable when the Gore-Tex membrane is taking up some of the space your fingers would otherwise occupy.

Visor Wipe Visor Wipe Glove features a built-in visor wipe to enable you to remove excess rain water from your visor whilst riding. (1)