Riding on the street is one thing, but riding on the track requires a completely different set of riding gear designed specifically to optimize performance and protection. It's no surprise, really, that track-oriented helmets, gloves, suits, and boots are so expensive. Nevertheless, you can't really put a price on safety. That said, with the riding season in full swing, some of you track aficionados may be looking to refresh your wardrobes.
So far, we've seen a lot of motorcycle gear and equipment manufacturers roll out their collections for the 2023 riding season. French brand Ixon has just released its newest race-spec gloves called the Vortex GL. These gloves have been designed with the incorporation of technology from MotoGP. After all, Ixon is the brand of choice of some of the world's top racers such as Alexi Espargaro, Miguel Oliveira, and Takaaki Nakagami.
In the styling department, Ixon's new Vortex GL gloves take the form of a full gauntlet that are clearly designed for the track. They are, however, meant to keep riders' hands cool in hot weather. As such, we find a lot of goatskin panels at the back and the palm. Apart from being lightweight and durable, goatskin panels provide excellent tactile response. On top of that, the gloves feature a pre-shaped hand construction which reduces riding fatigue and accelerates the break-in process. The gloves also feature a lot of ventilation in the form of perforations in the leather, as well an internal mesh lining with moisture-wicking properties.
On the safety side of the equation, we find all of the top-shelf safety features in the race-oriented gloves. Of course, it features reinforced leather on the palm, and even aramid fiber reinforcements at the back of the hand and the fingers. Ixon has also thrown in a TPR palm slider, as well as extra TPR protection on the cuff. The joints and the fingers, meanwhile, get overmolded reinforcements with some ventilation for extra comfort. Thanks to all these features, the gloves are certified PPE under the EN13594:2015 Level 1KP standard.
Finally, on the comfort side, the Vortex GL is secured via a partially elastic Velcro tab on the wrist. The cuff can be tightened via a double-Velcro system, and a pull-on tab makes putting the gloves on much easier. There's even a tactile insert on the index finger allowing you to toggle touchscreen devices. Ixon offers the Vortex GL in three colors consisting of black, black/white, black/white/red, and in sizes ranging from XS to 3XL. It retails for 259.90 Euros, or about $284 USD.
