Spidi Carbo 1 Gloves
Spidi Carbo 1 Gloves
CW EVALUATIONS
High-tech paw protectors
IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN A TOP ROADRACER’S hands, you’ll know why Spidi's Carbo 1 gloves exist. That is, to prevent the kind of soft-tissue damage that many racers have endured during their multitudinous crashes.
The Carbo 1 gloves are the next step up in both cost and protection from the popular Carbotech gloves. Differences include additional molded carbon/kevlar cladding, slightly shorter gauntlets with dual wrist closures and four (as opposed to six) color combos.
Available in M-XXL sizes, the gloves are manufactured in Italy at Spidi’s race shop from 0.7mm-thick kangaroo skin backed by kevlar cloth. Foam rubber and the aforementioned carbon/kevlar cover the top and outer bones of the hands, as well as the lower palms and wrists. A mix of cotton and kevlar thread is used throughout.
These features were put to the test dur-
ing a 40-mph low-side streetbike crash, which opened the seams on
HHE Lockhart Phillips USA 151 Calle Iglesia San Clemente, CA 92672 800/221-7291 Price........................$300 Ups A Super-secure wrist closures A Fashionable molded carbon/kevlar protection Downs ▼ Lofty pricing ▼ Widespread use of kevlar may deplete world’s supply of the “stronger than steel” material
three of eight fingertips and tore a hole in the right thumb. Quite frankly, we expected better from gloves of this caliber. Fortunately, damage to the wearer consisted of little more than an abraded right middle finger.
Otherwise, there was but one complaint. When combined with beefysleeved riding jackets, the gauntlets are a tad short. That will change with the soon-to-be-released Carbovent model, which features a longer tripleclosure gauntlet, venting and a retail price of $350.
Expensive? Absolutely. Then again, what price protection?
