The REV’IT! Summit 2 H2O gloves are the latest revision to the popular Summit waterproof gloves
These are street gloves designed for general use or touring in mild wet weather.
The Summit 2 H2O gloves have several protective features, including a main knuckle protector with REV’IT! SEESOFT protection.
The protector has a unique design, with a semi-rigid, bendable material similar to that used in theRREV’IT! SEESOFT back protectors we reviewed.
The gloves also have yet another unique REV’IT! wrist security system; this one is a clever triangular strap that automatically opens and closes with the gauntlet (see animated .gif below).
Like the REV’IT! Cayenne Pro gloves we reviewed recently, the overall build quality of the Summit 2 H2O gloves is outstanding.
The fit is slightly different than expected however, as the fingers are slightly long for the glove size.
As their name implies, the Summit 2 H2O gloves are fully waterproof but not insulated, so they work best in mild-to-cool wet-weather temperatures.
And the best part may be the price; at $139.99 list, the Summit 2 H2O gloves seem like a bargain.
Background
REV’IT! has a huge selection of gloves of all different types. It’s easy to find your “niche” glove and the Summit 2 H2O gloves are a good example.
These would probably be perfect for motorcyclists in the northwest U.S., with its mild-to-cool temperatures and frequent rains near the coast.
But they’ll work fine for any motorcycle rider who needs a good wet-weather glove with above-average protection, no matter the location.
We never did review the original Summit H2O gloves, so I can’t really compare the “2”.
But the Summit 2 H2O gloves remind me of another pair from the REV’IT! review archive — theREV’IT! “Ultra” gloves we reviewed about 10 years ago.
Since we first started reviewing REV’IT! gear back in 2005, the Netherlands-based company has focused on continuous development and improvement in all their gear, something we have noted over the years.
In case you’re wondering, that’s a good thing.
Unlike too many motorcycle clothing manufacturers who use the “throw a handful of darts at the wall and hope something sticks” approach, a slow and careful evolution of gear that has been proven to work in the “real world” of motorcycling is the way to go.
“Automatic” wrist security system tightens the strap when the gauntlet is pulled back.
Open the gauntlet and pull the tab to release the wrist strap system.That Wrist Strap
Since we started the REV’IT! Cayenne Pro gloves review with a description of its unique wrist security system, let’s do the same here.
The Summit 2 H2O system is completely different from the Cayenne Pro gloves, and actually, that’s pretty amazing.
I have to give the REV’IT! designers a lot of credit to be able to come up with two completely different — and very good — glove security systems, when most of the manufacturers can’t even get a simple wrist strap right, as you have noticed in many of our reviews.
Like we wrote in the Cayenne Pro gloves review, a secure wrist strap is crucial to any motorcycle glove design.
That’s because the gloves absolutely have to stay on your hands during a crash, or any protection the gloves might provide is lost.
It’s very strange that some glove manufacturers completely miss this important safety feature.
What’s the sense of designing a motorcycle glove with all sorts of impact protectors if the gloves won’t stay on your hands?
The system on the Summit 2 H2O gloves might be called an “automatic” wrist security system.
Again, I don’t think REV’IT! has a patent on this design and being my greedy self, if I was in charge at REV’IT!, I probably would have.
On the other hand (can’t avoid that standard glove review pun!), maybe REV’IT! is being altruistic by not patenting the system.
Could their wish be that other glove manufacturers will copy it and improve glove security for all motorcycle riders around the world?
“Only the Shadow knows…”
Anyway, the system works like this: when you pull back the glove gauntlet, the “V” or triangular-shaped strap arrangement formed by two looped nylon webbed straps tightens around the wrist, by passing through a central plastic buckle device.
This tightens the gloves around the wrist very securely; we can’t pull the glove off with this system secured, which is excellent.
To release the strap, pull the tab that has an “OPEN” printed label. Unfasten the hook-and-loop gauntlet and remove the gloves.
We created an animated .gif in addition to the two photos above to hopefully illustrate how this works.
The gauntlet on the Summit 2 H2O gloves is larger than on the Cayenne Pro gloves, so the former can be worn over the sleeve cuffs of a thin motorcycle jacket and underneath the cuffs on heavier jackets.
Leather and Shell
Also included in the shell is some Kevlar stretch material along the tops of the fingers and the gauntlet and some suede leather along the inside of the forefinger/thumb area.
All of the materials are treated with a water-resistant coating.
There’s an extra section of diamond-patterned embossed goat leather over the palm that serves as the wear area for holding the hand grips.
Waterproofing and mcFIT
The Summit 2 H2O gloves are waterproof, having passed the webBikeWorld “Bucket Test”.
The waterproofing is accomplished with the use of a REV’IT! “Hydratex” lining attached to the inside using the “mcFIT” assembly technology we first described in our introduction to the review of the VQuattro gloves in 2012.
If you’re interested in learning more, there’s a lot of information in that review, including a video of how the mcFIT system works. Here’s an excerpt:
The “mcFIT” (Maximum Comfort Fit Technology) attachment system was developed by the MCTECH Corporation. It’s a unique technology that is used to attach the liner to the glove.
A waterproof/breathable liner can not be sewn directly to the inside of the glove body because any holes would immediately compromise the integrity of the liner.
But the liner must be attached to the glove or it will pull out when the rider’s damp hands are removed.
There are various solutions to this problem but the mcFIT technology employs a special manufacturing technique and a special type of adhesive to attach the membrane to the inside of the glove.
It’s especially important where the membrane attaches to the gloves along the sensitive fingertips, since there is very little extra room in this area between the glove body and the liner.
Bottom line here is that the system allows the motorcycle gloves to remain waterproof while maintaining good grip feel for the wearer.
Construction
The leather and textile sections that make up the body of the glove are very nicely stitched with fine rows of single and double threads. The overall construction quality is excellent.
I honestly though the Summit 2 H2O gloves would have a list price of around $179.99, but the $139.99 list price makes these a bargain in my opinion, especially when compared to other brands of similar style gloves.
The stitching is double rows where it counts and single rows of blind stitching along the fingers.
The Summit 2 H2O gloves are not ventilated, only the Hydratex membrane serves to transmit water vapor. The gloves are not insulated either and my estimate is that the range of operating temperatures is about 45 to 70 degrees F (7 to 21 C).
The goat leather used for the palm side and some of the top of the gloves is soft and comfortable.
The waterproof liner does add a slight amount of bulk, so the grip feel isn’t quite as good as the Cayenne Pro gloves, for example, but much better than typical waterproof or winter gloves.
Finger Construction
Using the mcFIT system allows a slimmer fingertip profile, with the top and bottom halves of the leather on the fingers meeting across the tip with “walls” on either side of the fingers sewn along the upper and lower lengths with hidden stitching.
The thumbs do not have the “blade” type construction; instead, there’s a single section of narrow goat leather that wraps around the thumb tip with separate sections top and bottom also sewn with hidden stitches.
Lining
The gloves are lined with a thin fabric all along the inside. A minimum number of seams are used so the inside of the gloves feels very comfortable.
Fit and Sizing
One issue that we noted and that other Summit 2 H2O owners have noted as well is that the finger length is longer than expected for the hand size.
This leaves about 10-15 mm of extra length at the tips for my hands with the size large gloves.
The body of the gloves behind the fingers is about 1/2 size tight, so entering the gloves is slightly fussy, although this helps also to secure the wrists.
So it feels like these size large Summit 2 H2O gloves are about 1/2 size small in the body of the glove and 1 size long in the fingers.
The problem is that a size XL would probably feel better on my hand but I’m afraid the fingers would be much too long. A size M would surely be too small in the body of the glove although the finger length may be correct.
Anyone with “normal” sized hands but long fingers — piano players? — should be fine.
Protection
One of the other features of the Summit 2 H2O gloves is the use of REV’IT! SEESOFT material in the main knuckle protector.
This means the protector isn’t completely rigid, which gives the protector some flexibility but it has a lot of protective padding. The protector is covered with the same fabric used on the upper part of the gauntlet, which appears to be the elastic Kevlar mix.
There’s a large TPU palm slider that uses the SEESOFT protector material underneath.
A thin sliver of Temperfoam is sewn into the outer part of the thumbs and there are oval-shaped TPU protectors over the middle two fingers, two sections on each finger, one for the middle knuckle and one for the tip knuckle.
The outside of the “pinky” finger has a small oval of what feels like Temperfoam sewn underneath the additional leather overlay that continues down around the palm slider and covers the lower portion of the “heel” of the hand.
Reflectivity
There’s a strip of reflective material bonded and between the gauntlet and the main knuckle protector, with “SEESOFT” text printed in two colors.
Also, the “REV’IT!” logo on the forefinger is reflective.
Miscellaneous
The Summit 2 H2O gloves have a touch-sensitive fingertip on the forefinger which works perfectly on touch devices like a smartphone or tablet.
Conclusion
The Summit 2 H2O gloves are reasonably-priced and fully waterproof for touring or street riding. The gloves also have an adequate level of protection and the unique “automatic” wrist security system is a definite plus.
These would be perfect for between seasons or to keep on hand (another pun!) for use in the rain.
The only issue is the sizing, which seems slightly off. The fingers are longer than normal for the size large and the body of the gloves feels slightly tight by about 1/2 size small.
But overall, if they fit, the Summit 2 H2O gloves have just about everything you need for wet-weather or cool condition riding.
Owner Comments and Feedback
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From “L.P.” (August 2016): “On July 19 of this year I finished my large yearly motorcycle trip, we circumnavigated Lake Superior, last year we did Lake Michigan. The trip consists of two or more individuals on separate motorcycles.
As usual, I handle the route planning, arrangements and reservations.
This year with the inclusion of Canada I was very concerned with details for the above mentioned areas plus equipment details. Since I have never had an adequate pair of gloves for rain, I started researching the same, my primary source being webBikeWorld .com.
Previously, for rain I just took many pairs of leather gloves or went glove-less.
I read the reviews and the posted owner comments regarding many gloves and chose to purchase Rev’It Summit 2 H2) Gloves. I used the REV’IT! website to locate the nearest dealer.
I then called (the dealer) to see if they were a dealer that actually stocked merchandise, which they were. Later I set up a time and asked a friend that knew Chicago intimately to come with me on the 90- 120 minute round-trip.
From the webBikeWorld review I read several references to the sizing of REV’IT! gloves being smaller than normal, so I measured my hand, 10 3/8”, and consulted an online glove sizing chart and determined XL as appropriate size.
At (the dealer) I could barely put on the XL gloves and then went up a size to XXL which fit better. These XXLs were the largest Summit 2 H2Os in the shop. I wore these gloves around the shop for 5 minutes.
These gloves with the Chicago sales tax cost just under $160.
Needless to say during my trip it did rain.
While wearing these gloves for time periods of an hour my hands were cramping and the gloves were absolutely not water-proof; I do not expect any motorcycle rain gear to be water-proof. I do expect gear to be highly water-resistant which these gloves were not.
So now I am back home with $160 gloves that I cannot wear for longer than an hour and that are not water-resistant.
I called (the dealer) and spoke with (an employee). Who tells me he has to think it or talk it over and he will call me back. He does call back and says the gloves are not as new and he will credit me for 75% of their value. I did not accept this offer and I thanked (him) for calling me back.
Now I am not afraid of spending money for quality equipment for example, in June 2016 I purchased a second pair of BMW All-touring boots for when my current one year old boots of the same make/model die.
For and on this trip I purchased a second Aerostitch Roadcrafter suit for under a $1000, purchased paired Sena intercoms, Ram mounts for new GoPro action camera . As I said I am not afraid of spending money but the gear must be of acceptable quality.
So will REV’IT! do anything to assist me with these gloves? If I could have a pair that at least fit comfortably I would forget about the claims of water-resistance and just wear them as an all-round glove.
What does your “bucket-test consist of? I can imagine a scenario from the name.
My experience with these gloves are the sizes should be purchased at least 2 sizes larger than standard sizing charts would suggest and finger length is not overly long with gloves that are for me at least 1 size too small.
My hands were cramping in just under an hour of use and they were not waterproof. As you mentioned they are hard to remove with damp (wet) hands. I was very disappointed with these gloves.”
Editor’s Reply: REV’IT! seems to have a continuing issue with glove sizing, I’m not sure why but next time I talk to them, I’ll ask about it.
However, the size chart for the Summit 2 H2O gloves shows a 10.5” circumference hand as 3XL and a 10.0” as 2XL, so I’m not sure where you read that an XL would fit. You can’t read an anonymous sizing chart for gloves (or any gear), you have to find a size chart for the specific product.
One thing to note, if you would have purchased these from one of the webBikeWorld affiliate retailers, you would have been able to exchange or return it for free when you noticed the sizing problem (although you’d have to pay for return shipping and you can’t return used items).
That is probably a lot cheaper than driving a couple of hours and every time you buy something through a webBikeWorld affiliate link, you help keep the site running so we can keep providing reviews. That is our only source of revenue.
Also, if you would have used one of our affiliate retailers, they use actual owner feedback to modify the size charts based on reports.
I think your retailer should have taken the gloves back and they should have dealt with REV’IT!, that’s the way it’s supposed to work for a “brick-and-mortar” local retailer.
But, the fact that the gloves were used may be a problem and to be honest, I think his offer of a 75% refund for used gloves is pretty good.
Regarding the waterproofing, this is something you may want to take up with REV’IT!. I’m not sure what the return policy is on those. All I know is that the gloves we reviewed were waterproof.
Also, for true waterproof gloves, always get the Gore-Tex type, with the Gore-Tex “Guaranteed for Life” warranty.
The “Bucket Test” has been mentioned in all of our glove reviews when the gloves are marketed as waterproof.
We wear the gloves and hold the hands in a full bucket of cold water for up to 5 minutes. It’s an extreme test and if there are any defects, the water usually quickly bleeds through.
But, we’re only testing one pair and can only report on that.f