Summary of Key Points:
- The Racer USA Pitlane Women’s Gloves are comfortable to wear, extremely breathable, and very lightweight.
- With CE Level 1 protection, these make an excellent product for warm weather dual sport or adventure riding—although it would be nice if they were a bit more weather-resistant.
- Getting the fit right can be a bit of a challenge—the knuckle protectors may sit slightly off of where they’re intended on some riders.
- Despite those minor flaws, the value for money these gloves offer is extremely good. Recommended for those seeking a solid summer glove.
Racer USA Women’s Pitlane Gloves: Appendage Aegii Extra-Ordinaire
Before we start, I should probably touch on something important to this review.
I am super anal about hand safety on a bike, and there’s a big reason why.
See Also: Best Motorcycle Race Gloves for 2022
Back in 2014, I was handling 7-foot Corvette parts in a cold press factory. The parts—coupled with the cool environs—created a tendon injury in both my wrists called TFCC (short for triangular fibrocartilage complex).
To those who want the nitty-gritties, the stabilizing band keeping everything tight in my wrist was torn, making it 10 times easier for me to get tennis elbow, tendonitis, tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel, you name it. I even had an exotic ‘de Quervain’s’ added to the list a few weeks ago, thanks to some heavy lifting and bad decisions.
In short, I, a musician and rider, have been living with chronic, on-and-off wrist pain since I was 22 years old.
My hands are the most valuable part of my career-working body (short of the ol’ think tank), so I always go the extra mile for safety equipment to ensure I make it to the good end of the stick without losing motor ability and confusing dinnertime with target practice.
With that being said, our good man and editor Marco Tam got his hands on a pair of the Racer USA Women’s Pitlane gloves just for me, and I’ve been itching to talk about them—so let’s give ‘em a whirl and see how they held up under scrutiny.
About Racer Gloves USA
Racer Gloves USA is a big name in the motorcycle industry. If you haven’t heard of them, they make a killer set of gloves called the High Racers—fantastic units that wouldn’t be amiss in a professional match on the circuit, to be sure.
As for the company itself, Racer USA was founded in 2013 and currently brags the following on their website:
“Racer Gloves USA is the exclusive US Importer and Distributor for Austrian motorcycle apparel brand Racer Outdoor GmbH. Racer Austria has been creating premium street motorcycle apparel since the early 1990’s and is well recognized throughout Europe. Racer Gloves USA is the culmination of 25+ years in the motorcycle and apparel industries for company founder Lee Block.
“Riding motorcycles since the age of 8, Lee has been a lifelong motorcyclist. A former Loudon, New Hampshire road racer in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, Lee has raced a variety of motorcycles at racetracks across the country. Residing in California since 1997, his current motorcycle collection consists of both street, road race, and off-road motorcycles. Racer Gloves USA’s mission is to bring you premium quality products that make your riding experience safer and more enjoyable.”
I would like to thank Racer Gloves USA for giving me the opportunity to review the Pitlane Gloves!
Racer USA Women’s Pitlane Gloves Features
While virtually any moto store will turn up a decent pair of armored gloves, the trick isn’t in how much stuff is on there—but where/what that stuff is, and how it vibes with your paw.
Key features for these gloves include:
- Construction blend of 100% leather and 100% polyester mesh
- CE Level 1 Protection (via hard knuckle shell)
- Double-sewn seams at the thumb base for extra strength
- Great breathability
For a complete list of features, visit the product page for the USA Racer Ladies Pitlane Gloves.
Racer USA Women’s Pitlane Gloves First Impressions
First impressions?
Impressive.
Upon donning said gloves and heading out for an evening hoon, I knew for a fact the gloves were of great quality; the clever positioning of fabric mesh and leather was a stretchy delight (though I wasn’t used to feeling such a thin layer of leather at the palm, I’ll admit).
Regardless, the gloves did what gloves are supposed to do; they protected against debris, gave fantastic comfort for longer rides (hence the ‘Adventure & Touring’ and ‘Dual Sport’ tags), and hugged my palm nicely for the harder bits of riding.
See Also: Best Adventure & Touring Gloves for 2022
Racer USA Women’s Pitlane Gloves Construction
Outer Shell
The Pitlane gloves’ leather extends out from the palm of the glove and wraps around the fingers and outer wrist, with breaks being in the breathable mesh on top of the hand, as well as the polyester material at the inner velcroed wristband.
For protection, rubber and hard-shell protection dresses the knuckles and wrist bone. The Pitlane also features additional padding on the outer palm, at the primary inner palm knuckle and extends partially to the two trigger fingers.
A particularly smart—yet subtle—addition was the little bump of raised leather at the base of the middle of the palm.
When in full throttle mode, that bump ensures your hand is still fully around the throttle of the bike—especially if you have deep or meaty palms with lots of muscle.
Base material: 100% leather
Additional: Breathable 100% polyester
Interior
A stretchy polyester material lines the interior throughout for breathability and comfy handling—and, dare I say, the brand has tossed in a blend that I can only compare to memory foam.
The inner polyester fabric contains padding backed against the chunkier protection at the wrist bone and knuckles; if you reach in and push against the harder bits from the inside, you get a thin layer of delightful, soft ‘squish’ that retains slight memory after pulling away.
And yet, the glove’s silhouette is still ridiculously thin.
Nicely done, Racer USA.
Colorways
The Racer USA is available in black—though that scheme includes the rich, tawny/amber leather number that accentuates the palm.
Racer USA Women’s Pitlane Gloves Overall Build Quality
Sizing
The Racer USA Pitlane gloves come in the following sizes: S, M, L, and XL.
Overall, my measurements were:
- 21.5cm width to my palm
- 19.25cm length from wrist to the tip of my finger
That translated to 8.46” for width circumference, and 7.57” for the length requirements, landing me squarely in the Women’s XL (8.25”/7.5”), or Men’s S (8.5”/7”). I ordered an XL in Women’s sizing, since I also have a wide palm/narrow wrist combo.
A HEADS UP: Because my palm is so wide, I found the primary knuckle shell couldn’t have fit me better.
The same couldn’t be said for the equation at the wrist after I velcroed her shut.
Due to my extreme palm-to-wrist measurements, I had a bubble of fabric at the top of my hand that pulled the outer palm padding out of alignment. This may not have affected my riding performance for the duration of the review, but was still in the way aesthetically.
Apart from this, everything else about the glove is certainly high-quality. I didn’t have a single construction element go wonky during the entire handful of months I used the Pitlanes, which is saying something.
Comfort
I really haven’t much to say here, beyond the fact that a thin, leather glove in the right size with stretchy components—a glove like the Racer USA Pitlane—has the ultimate combo for long-term comfort.
Since leather isn’t waterproof and this glove IS a thinner unit, I wouldn’t feel so comfy if I were still reviewing this glove in the next month. Canada gets abominably cold at the weirdest times of Q3, so expect this glove to dole out the perfect bit of comfy-factor for the warmer, drier seasons of riding.
Adjustability
The Racer USA Pitlane gloves can be adjusted via the wrist strap, which uses velcro for closure.
WARNING: If you have a wee wrist/thunder-knuckles combo like I do, you’ll find the glove material folds over itself at the wrist joint. For me, that fold is a no-go, since I need a glove that doesn’t put too much pressure on my tendon injury and the material pushes right against that sore spot.
Racer USA Women’s Pitlane Gloves Functionality
Waterproofing
Say it with me:
Leather + water = no bueno.
The Racer USA Pitlane gloves use leather and polyester mesh to protect the rider and provide a hefty element of comfort to your scoot o’ choice.
Unfortunately, breathable mesh and leather are both porous and will let in just about as much water as you could imagine.
Combine this with leather’s unique characteristic of warping after water exposure, and it’s safe to say that the Pitlanes are NOT going to be a good choice for the more dubious, drizzle-potential rides—at least, not if you want the gloves to last the standard recommended length of 20k of riding/2 years of wear and tear.
My ride in the rain with the Pitlanes returned a happy, squishy pair of gauntlets to the dry rack, where they stayed in front of the dehumidifier for the remainder of the week… poor things.
It should also be mentioned that Racer USA categorizes the Pitlane gloves in both the Summer section and the Adventure section of their website, not the Street section.
If you’re getting the Pitlanes for adventuring, THERE HAD BETTER NOT BE ANY RAIN INVOLVED, or you will shorten the lifespan of your gloves.
Ventilation
The Racer USA Pitlane gloves have good breathability, thanks to the 100% polyester mesh at the back of the hands and the stretchy material at the velcro band/ molded air intakes on the fingers.
All told, I rode in temps ranging from a couple of cubits past 100°F, down to 53°F (sometimes within the same day).
The hotter days made me extremely glad that I was wearing the thin Pitlanes. My original gloves were the Alpinestars SMX-Air Carbon V2s, and there’s something about black at the palm that conducts so much more heat than the camel tones of the Pitlanes’ palm.
I didn’t ride with the Pitlanes in cooler weather than 53°F, but if I had need of Macgyvering a warmer solution, I’d have used my cheap, single-layer cotton finger gloves (the ultra-common ones you can buy pretty much anywhere, including Walmart, Target and various dollar stores) and donned the Pitlanes on top, dulling a bit of the breathability for an instant layer of DIY insulation.
Protection
The Racer USA Pitlane gloves offer the first level of protection:
- Knuckle shell rendering CE Level 1 protection
- Additional protection via the wrist bone padding and multi-layered leather on the palm
This is a very decent protection rating for the glove—albeit one that puts it squarely in the recreational category. Understand that these gloves won’t pass for use at the track—at least, not if you’re hooning legally…
However, there’s a honking big factor that makes this glove less protective than the above rating, and that’s how your hand fits the size you chose. As you read above, my knuckles are hella wide and my wrist is hella wee. When I cinch the velcro band, the outer/ulnar palm padding cinches in with everything else.
This means that the padding is no longer protecting my ulnar palm, but the top-outside of my hand. I believe this design vulnerability could be rectified via either an additional ‘wide’ category of glove sizing, or by introducing some sort of design adjustment where the material folds over itself.
Compared to my Alpinestars SMX-Air Carbon V2s, I’d also add a wee bit more padding at the base of the palm, but that’s just my preference for gloves—it’s not a necessity, and by no means required for the Pitlane’s CE certification level.
Care Instructions
Again, these gloves are leather—so it’s best to treat them like the dead animals of which they’re made.
- No water. If you absolutely need to clean off the surface, wipe it down with a damp cloth. Then, let it drip dry if you get caught in the rain.
- A leather glove-specific cleaner is preferable, but understand that virtually any liquid that is applied to the leather of this glove will eventually alter it.
Warranty
The Racer USA Pitlane gloves carry a one-year warranty (the standard), provided the gloves are ‘free from defects in materials and workmanship… to the original owner.” Normal wear and crash damage are NOT covered under warranty.
In other words, if Nancy Sue here decides she’s enamored of your Pitlanes, takes them for a scoot, and practises wheelies into the Thames, expect not to get your money back—especially since Racer USA will want photo proof.
In fact, better just to leave the photo proof with us so we can pin it on our ‘Yoink O’ The Week’ board…
For details, please visit Racer USA Order Processing / Customer Service.
Final Thoughts on the Racer USA Ladies Pitlane Gloves
I got my hands on the Racer USA Pitlane gloves back in late Q2 of this year and have had about 3-4 months with them by this point.
Despite the little quirk in fitment, I’ll come out and say it: these gloves hit smack on the target for me. They’re lightweight, they move VERY nicely with your hand (whether hot or not), they’re breathable, and they have a smart allocation of fabric-to-hand ratio.
Not only this, but the Pitlanes look smart, nestle nicely into virtually any armored motorcycle jacket, and will be pretty much guaranteed to last you the generic 20k/two-year marker before it comes time to replace them.
The Pitlanes also score moderately well in the bang-for-buck category; while $109.99 USD is a tad more green in today’s motorcycle market, you’re getting decent protection and style for the price.
All told, I like these gloves, and they’ll be going straight into the same pile of gear as the jeans I save for when I’m bloated after the weekend’s gluten and sodium shenanigans. Nobody wants a judgemental pair when you’re trying to conquer the world—and that includes yoink-happy leathers when you’re swinging a leg over your scoot ‘o the day.
Thanks for making it to the end of this review! Let me know what you think by dropping a comment down below, and as always—stay safe on the twisties.
Specs
- Manufacturer: Racer USA
- Price: (When Tested) $109.99 USD
- Made In: Austria
- Colors: Black
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Review Period: June to August 2022
Important Links / Where to Buy
The Racer USA Women’s Pitlane Gloves can be purchased directly from the manufacturer and many retailers across North America.