Driving Gloves?

[CivicBeater]

A few weeks ago spending several hours doing some spirited driving through the mountains I found my hands sweating like a beast on the old leather steering wheel. I think it would be a good investment to get gloves for the track. What do you guys recommend that I guess breathe/stick well and won't break the bank? (Of course if they had a version in yellow that would just be uber cool.)

Thanks

Eric

[coolhandluke]

I use the IronClad gloves from Northern Tool. $20.

[stinkycheezmonky]

Yeah, generic mechanic-type gloves from Pepboys/Autozone/etc. actually work fairly well, and are stupid cheap. The advantage of the brand-name driving gloves is usually quality of materials, and nomex construction. If you go with brand-name, try on a few pairs, every manufacturer is different. For example, I could not find one pair of AlpineStars that fit me well out of something stupid like 50 pairs of gloves.

[heel_touge]

you must indeed try them on.

i like my pumas alot. combined with my suede wheel, i need to barely touch it to move it. no white knuckles here. you have to finesse it like a fine piece of ass.

[CivicBeater]

interesting. Anyone near Raleigh know of a place I can try some on?

[stinkycheezmonky]

Waiting for the We-todds to chime in.

I did find this, but I have no idea how quality/reputable they are: http://www.autosportgallery.com/racing.html

[bluebomber]

This is a great topic. I just picked up a set of gloves that I use for driving now. The ones I got are made for men and are used for gardening of all things! I bought them for when I install lights so I don't have to touch the plastic wiring with lead in it, but I think I'm going to use them for my car instead now.

The glove is called The Pallina and there is sticky rubber all over the palm and fingers. It offers amazing grip on your steering wheel and shift knob and gives your driving a feeling of finesse. There is a thin, water-filled pouch on the knuckles and palm for extra comfort, which sounds weird but works well. You don't have to hold the wheel very hard at all when you wear these. I also like that the fingers don't have a seam at the end of the finger tips, so you have more feeling and can still pick up small objects if you need to. The gloves come with a caribiner clip for the hole at the bottom so you don't lose them.

I have only one complaint with them and that is that the thumb has a seam at the finger tip, unlike the other 4 fingers, which have the seams on the sides of the fingers. It's a minor gripe, but I feel it's a significant one. It's not enough to keep me from getting another pair of these gloves, however.

They only come in bright red, but I highly recommend trying on a pair if you see them. Best of all? They only cost me 30 bucks!

Here's a link to them: http://thepallina.com/products_veganglove.htm

And here's a review of them: http://www.examiner.com/x-346-Gardening ... egan-Glove

[Doespike]

I picked up a pair of Nike baseball batting gloves several years ago for this....work great and are highly breathable. I paid $10 at Dick's.

[CivicBeater]

Sounds like buying expensive gloves is overrated. My birthday is in a few weeks, so unless someone asks me what I would like (i.e. Nice namebrand gloves) I'll pick up something cheap for now.

[itrsteez]

just pick up a set of mechanix gloves, if you don't like them for driving then you'll always have a good use for them.

[bluebomber]

I've found what makes or breaks a driving glove is the grip. I don't like gloves to drive in unless there is some kind of grippy rubber-like bits on the palm side so your hands don't slide all over the shift knob and steering wheel. Also, proper fitment is key so try on several sizes to see what works best for you. I like mine super tight so I can feel what I'm touching with them.

[Dave-ROR]

I only use gloves for racing, where it's required with the suit, etc.

[get RIGHT]

I picked up a pair of Nike baseball batting gloves several years ago for this....work great and are highly breathable. I paid $10 at Dick's.

I use Nike baseball gloves for AutoX as well. I really have found a need for super sticky fingers more so at the AutoX where the surfaces are not always smooth or flat.

Use a leather glove for track.

[stinkycheezmonky]

Leather glove + leather wheel usually works pretty well. Similarly, suede gloves + suede wheel is the same. Mixing and matching doesn't typically work out right.

[tartje]

I have some suede Sparcos that I love. I know that I wouldn't be able to stand using mechanics gloves. It's all preference, and what feels right.

I don't have the gloves for stickiness, if I want stickiness then I would wear no gloves and my hands would get all sweaty/sticky in short order.

Which is why I wear gloves, to stop that happening

[Doespike]

I wear the gloves because palm sweat + leather wheel = slick for me. Hate that feeling. haha

[CivicBeater]

I wear the gloves because palm seat + leather wheel = slick for me. Hate that feeling. haha

Yeah exactly, that's what I'm trying to avoid.

[Erik95LS]

I use an older version of these

[Dave-ROR]

I have some suede Sparcos that I love. I know that I wouldn't be able to stand using mechanics gloves. It's all preference, and what feels right.

I don't have the gloves for stickiness, if I want stickiness then I would wear no gloves and my hands would get all sweaty/sticky in short order.

Which is why I wear gloves, to stop that happening

My hands don't sweat at all. I think those glands never developed or something. As a penalty, I think it's why I also have uber dry skin on my hands.

I've never had an issue without gloves, which I guess is why I only use them when it's required, which is only in w2w racing. I do have a nice set of Sparco's with suede-like (not sure exactly what they are) palms for those times though.

[stinkycheezmonky]

I used to have the sweaty-palms issue, but have found lately that I don't anymore. Not sure if it was a nerves thing or what. That being said, they do come in handy when the temps are like 30* and it's raining

[coolhandluke]

<- sweaty palms. That was the only reason I picked up gloves.

[cheezthis]

The only time I've wanted gloves is karting. On track, I've never really needed them. I should give them another shot though.

[JDM FACTOR]

I guess if your just taking your car out once in a while there's no need to buy expensive nomex gloves. But if you do, you can find some that aren't too too bad on your bank account. Steer away from the Puma, Alpinestars and brands like that. I believe saferacer sells gloves for really cheap, also simpson has some that are cheap as well.

For the best of the best in gloves, alpinestars are better if you have smaller hands, they tend to run a bit small in the finger region.

As much as I like Puma, they are gloves that you wear a few times and then get new ones. Ever since they had to discontinue their leather gloves to meet FIA requirements, the suede gloves are made cheap and tend to come apart near the outside lining of the finger region. The suede cushion lining the palm will wear out a lot faster than before.

OMP are the best but, they come at a hefty price!

Sparco also has a pretty accurate sizing chart and the gloves aren't too bad in price for the base model stuff. You could probably get away with buying a pair of sparco karting gloves which might be cheaper being non-nomex.

[CivicBeater]

I'm thinking about snagging a pair of these:

http://www.soloracer.com/safequipglove.html

They're made of Nomex and they're on sale.

[Little_Nolan]

I'm thinking about snagging a pair of these:

http://www.soloracer.com/safequipglove.html

They're made of Nomex and they're on sale.

Not a bad price.


No need for that Nomex though, it would just be wierd if your hands were the only part of your body uncrispy.


I will use some Home Depot Firm Grips