Quick Take: PEARL iZUMi Summit Alpha Gloves

Getting the right gloves for winter riding is key to comfort and safety. If you can’t feel your hands, it’s difficult to maintain control, so the PEARL iZUMi Summit Alpha Gloves are here to the rescue on winter singletrack sessions.

PEARL iZUMi Summit Alpha Gloves Features:

• Insulated mountain bike glove with fast-drying Polartec® Alpha® insulation
• Water-resistant Ax Suede™ Slim Fleece palms with a cozy brushed fleece lining
• Smartphone compatible on forefingers and thumbs
• PFC-free Durable Water Repellent treatment sheds light precipitation
• MSRP: $55

Good foundation, but size matters

I consistently wear a size large with almost every brand of glove I’ve worn. However, the PEARL iZUMi Summit Alpha Gloves arrived in a size XL for review. I put them on and quickly realized that they were too big. Though not ideal, they were sill workable for a quick few rides to share my thoughts — assuming that the right size would perform even better. 

The construction of the Summit Alpha Gloves feature Polartec Alpha insulation on the top of the hand and fingers. It’s backed to a windproof, but breathable outer honeycomb polyester ripstop fabric. The AX Suede palms are unpadded for a natural ride feel and grip sensitivity. The stretchy, neoprene cuff then seals out the elements and provides a flexible, comfortable barrier.

Slipping them on, the raw Alpha insulating provides instant coziness as a proven active insulator. Over the years, I’ve worn several Polartec Alpha pieces (Marmot Alpha 60, Velocio Alpha Merino Air and Pearl Izumi PRO Alpha Layer, to name a few) and have appreciated how well it insulates while also managing moisture with panache. These were the first gloves I’ve tested with the wonder material and it’s great on your hands too. On a cold, dry mountain bike ride in the low-30’s, my hands remained warmer than I anticipated — particularly when wrapped around the grips.

The micro-fleece lined Ax Suede palms do get a little chilly and the exposed, uninsulated thumb does remind you that these aren’t made for sub-freezing temps. The unlined fabric between the fingers allows for comfortable finger spacing and warmth in the riding position. For dry, cold mountain bike rides in the 30’s and 40’s , the Summit Alpha is right at home. I returned with warm hands and sensitive digits, which was beyond expectations for these lightweight gloves.

Touchscreen elements are always tricky and PEARL iZUMi has made a good effort here, but they aren’t perfect (they never are). On the thumb and index fingers, you’ll find five rows of copper-infused stitches. While these work okay if you tap or swipe with the face of your fingers, they don’t work well if you’re trying to access smaller buttons. I might suggest that the threads continue forward on the finger tips for improved performance.

Imagining a more snug fit, I believe the touchscreen performance would be better and overall tactility would have improved as well. As it was, the bar, shifter and grip sensitivity was excellent. I could consistently feather the brakes and execute all shifts with SRAM NX Eagle without fuss.

The neoprene cuffs do stretch enough to wear on top of a jacket or remain snug enough to slip underneath. Either way, the stretchiness of the cuff works in your favor.

I would not recommend these gloves for cold, wet weather at all. While the specs say the palms are water-resistant and that the backs have a light DWR treatment, that’s being generous. In my testing, they soak up water like a sponge, so keep that in mind of rain or snow is expected. The Alpha insulation will help maintain warmth, but soggy gloves are never fun.

Note: Again, the size large would have been preferred, but I have been able to get a good sense of the initial performance you can expect. However, I was not able to speak to the long-term durability, but I would expect them to fare on par with other PEARL iZUMi gloves I’ve tested — above average. 

Buy Now: Available from PearlIzumi.com