Just got these; so can't comment much on longevity, but I'll talk about design and feel.
Background: This is my 7th pair of gloves. I've tried brands like dainese, rs taichi, and alpinestars; so my review would be based against those brands.
Design: These High Racers were very well thought of. Nothing extra or flashy was included. Instead, they concentrated on the details, like what kind of stitching goes where, and how the leather parts are joined together.
In terms of looks, the design is very low profile. Even in areas that feature significant protection (like the knuckles), they look streamlined and unobtrusive (compare these to rs tachi padded knuckles). I got these in black, and these look really stealth compared to my daineses. I also appreciate that the palm is done in a lighter colour. This is especially helpful for road riding,easier to give hand signals to car drivers. For a full on race gauntlet with this much protection, the High Racer is not a bulky glove at all.
In terms of features, I won't list down the whole lot, but a few things I noticed:
- All the digits feature carbon fibre sliders (2 on each finger), except the pinky which uses double layer of leather instead. This would allow better fit between the levers (if you use anything less than 4 fingers to brake or clutch)
- The knuckle protection uses a floating design, with a secondary short piece underneath (unlike dainese which normally use a long hard piece throughout) This allow for better range of movement; and paired with the ulna protector, provide enough protection for the back of the hand.
- Above the wrists, it's all soft leather, with only a small piece of carbon fibre on the outside. Doesn't look as protective compared to the tpu sliders normally found on alpinestars gloves; but this made putting the gloves on and off much easier. Also when worn over a leather suit, I feel that the protection is adequate. Coverage is good; much longer than most gauntlets, so even if your jacket sleeves are a bit short, these will not bunch up against them.
Feel: What's there to say? Every part fits perfect.
I bet these would feel even better after a short ride or two, but you don't have to spend a week breaking these in like the daineses.
Conclusion: I should've bought two pairs.
