When you think about the ergonomic and anatomical requirements that a quality sports specific glove needs to adhere to, you begin to see why a good pair will outlive the rest of your riding wardrobe. While the rubber around our bars plays a big factor in the bridge between man and machine, gloves are what surround and support one of our most sensitive and complex components and therefore can be quite subjective to the end user, regardless of discipline or design features. In this review we’ll tale a little look at a stalwarts of the Fox glove range, the Sidewinder…

Words: Olly Forster | Photos: Thomas Gaffney

Named after that nifty flying menace that kept the Russians concerned during the 80’s, the Sidewinder glove from Fox is anything but ballistic! Before we even delve into the gloves pros, cons and economics, I’ll just say they’re the comfiest and most well fitting gloves I’ve used so far this year. The new Airs from TLD are doing the rounds with me as are some nifty numbers from Scott, but hey, we’re talking about these bad boys right now, which I think are number four so far this year for my glove tally? Why do they fit so well I hear you say? The thumb is the right size for my hand and I’m not joking either!

The synthetic suede palm offers superb comfort without any issues regarding excess material. The absorbent ‘micro-suede’ thumb is a great element and an essential one for all gloves in my opinion and the silicone fingertip prints are still there today, unlike some manufacturers efforts which end up on the trail and in the washing machine. A low profile velcro wrist tab takes care of slippage on and off, and everything just fits and fits rather well…

A lightweight air mesh fabric covers the top of the glove including the fingers offering a little more comfort and airflow, while the lightweight knuckle padding area adds a little extra protection just in case.

Conclusion

While they might not be heat seeking, the Fox Sidewinders are light, well vented and ideal for a variety of end users – although there is certainly a nod towards the gnarlier end of the mountain bike spectrum with the added protection and large rubber embossed logos. That said, they’ve been great on long XC rides as they have on a days DH riding, which is quite often the sign of a good product in today’s market place.

So, I said from the off these are good gloves and primarily because they fit rather well, but what’s more surprising is how do some manufacturers get it so right and others so wrong? More importantly, do some manufactures inadvertently cater to certain individuals with random digit sizes more than others? Who knows, but what I do know, is that you can grab a pair of these for £30, which is about right for a good pair of gloves and with four colours to choose from, what’s not to like? Rad gloves that do more than what it says on the tin! For more information, hit the logo below – happy trails, Olly.

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