This year, I’ve been monkeying around with different grips and gloves. I had previously settled on the ODI Oury Lock-on grips, but with the various test bikes coming through, I didn’t always have time to change them out, so I picked up a pair of ultra squishy and breathable Pearl Izumi gel gloves. Using them in combination with my Ergon GX1’s have been a bit wonky because of the thick gel padding. So, the Giro Xen gloves have worked their way into my preferred glove of choice for all-mountain duty. After miles of abuse, they are still standing tall.
Giro Xen Gloves Features:
- Upper: Moisture-wicking, 4-way stretch breathable mesh with sonic-welded armor
- Palm: Super Fit design with three-panel palm and vented Clarino synthetic leather for durability
- Padding: 2mm Technogel to evenly-distribute pressure
- Highly-absorbent microfiber wiping surface
- Sonic-welded pull tab
- Low-profile Velcro closure
- Silicone fingertip
- Colors: Cyan, Grey/Tree Camo (tested), Brown, Black
- MSRP: $38
Giro Xen MTB Gloves Review
Stepping from my Pearl Izumi Select Gel gloves, the Giro Xen gloves were a bit more substantial in their material, but with less bulky gel padding. As I have switched from several grips and finally settled on the Ergon GX1’s, that extra gel became unnecessary and cumbersome. I was glad to have the Xen’s on-hand (literally) to ride with the GX1’s.
Summertime riding can spell the death of many gloves as they are simply too hot to wear. The Xen’s have a great balance of protection and breathability to span from Spring through Fall. While some gloves immediately stand out as awkward or ill-fitting, the Xen’s really have been invisible from day one. The Xen’s have delivered excellent control, grip and braking feel throughout the duration of my tests and have never let me down.
This week has apparently been my awkward riding week as I’ve now had two crashes that tested the durability of these gloves. Both crashes were slowed initially by the double-hand skid on rocky, firm soil. After all this, the Xen’s are tear-free and feel just as solid as ever.
The lightweight gel inserts provide just enough shock protection to take the edge off and the entire package is simply performing well. These haven’t stretched out and gotten all loose on me over time, so that’s a good thin to note as well.
Good Xen
- Lightweight yet durable design
- Pull tab makes for easy on
- Grippy finger tips provide excellent brake feel
- Lightweight silicone takes the edge off
- Breathes well, but still provides enough protection for Spring/Fall
- Articulated knuckles add to the natural feel and overall comfort
Bad Xen
- Maybe a tad higher priced than the competition
- Could add light Technogel to a few more areas of the glove
Bottom Line: Giro Xen Mountain Bike Gloves
Comfortable, breathable and invisible… the Giro Xen gloves have performed well and held up under several crashes that could have shredded other gloves. Really a great pair of all-around mountain bike gloves.
Buy Now: Search for Giro Gloves at JensonUSA
