This summer has brought heatwaves across Europe, including the UK. One of the last things I want when riding in those conditions is a pair of hot, sticky gloves making it harder to control the bike.
For a planned summer trip to Switzerland during the heatwave, I needed gloves that would keep my hands comfortable in temperatures exceeding 40°C.
The Furygan Ladies’ Jet D3O Neon Gloves stood out as an option. On first inspection, they appeared lightweight and well made, combining a textile back with a 100% goatskin palm.
I could not see any obvious ventilation holes, though, so I was sceptical about how cool they would keep my hands. An 1800-mile European trip would provide a thorough test.
Fit & comfort
The fit works well for me. I have quite large hands and need an XL, which is the largest size in Furygan’s women’s glove range. I have generally found Furygan’s women’s clothing to come up slightly small, so this is not a surprise.
The finger length is good. Compared with the size below, there is no uncomfortable pulling at the fingertips when I make a fist, which is important for long days spent gripping the throttle.
The short cuffs also work well with the rest of my riding kit. In hot weather, I wear a Knox Ladies’ Urbane Pro Move Jacket. When I need extra warmth, or waterproofing, I add a Rev’it Component 3 H2O jacket with the armour removed.
The gloves’ short cuffs work well with the Knox jacket and fit comfortably beneath the sleeves of the Rev’it outer layer.
Stretchy neoprene fabric on the underside of each cuff and soft edging around the opening mean I experience no chafing, either.
The soft material inside the gloves is particularly comfortable around the knuckles when flexing and bending my fingers. This fabric also forms the inner covering for the soft and flexible D3O knuckle protection.
Accordion stretch panels on the outer three fingers add further comfort and flexibility. There is also a partially visible accordion panel across the back of the hand, which helps the gloves move naturally.
Hot weather performance
The Furygan Ladies’ Jet D3O Neon Gloves proved to be excellent in summer conditions.
I was thoroughly impressed by their performance during my nine-day, 1800-mile trip. I do not recall my hands feeling sticky or uncomfortable from overheating at any point.
Although there are no obvious perforations, airflow appears to pass effectively over and through the textile fabric on the back of the gloves. It works well enough that dedicated ventilation holes do not seem necessary.
Even in temperatures above 40°C, the gloves remained comfortable and did not leave me wishing for something lighter.
Cold and wet weather performance
Alongside the extreme heat, I also encountered temperatures that felt much colder by comparison.
On some Swiss Alpine passes, temperatures dropped to around 15°C. My fingers became slightly uncomfortably cool for a short time, although I didn’t feel the need to change into warmer gloves.
The cooler sections generally lasted only 20 or 30 minutes. Had I been riding in those temperatures for much longer, I would have switched gloves.
These are genuine summer gloves and they are not waterproof. I didn’t encounter rain while wearing them, but I would expect wet weather to result in soggy hands fairly quickly.
Protection
The gloves use flexible D3O armour across the knuckles, covered internally by a soft fabric lining.
The goatskin leather palm is reinforced in the main contact areas, including the base of the fingers and around the thumb and forefinger, where the hand wraps around the throttle.
Leather scaphoid patches at the heel of the palm provide additional protection in a vulnerable area.
They remain lightweight and flexible, so the protective features do not make the gloves feel excessively bulky or restrictive.
The CE protection rating for the gloves is the basic Level 1, with the addition of properly rated knuckle impact protection.
Dexterity & break-in
The soft goatskin leather palm gives good feel and grip on the throttle. The reinforced sections are positioned where the palm makes most contact with the grip, helping the gloves feel secure without reducing sensitivity.
The touchscreen performance is particularly impressive. Leather on the sides and tip of the forefinger allowed me to operate my phone both while it was mounted on the bike and when holding it in my hand.
The forefinger and thumb on both gloves worked with the screen. I had no difficulty using swipe gestures, pinch-to-zoom controls or checking my route at the roadside.
I often did not need to remove the gloves at all. These are among the best motorcycle gloves I have used for touchscreen operation.
The gloves were comfortable and flexible from the outset, with no noticeable break-in period required.
Durability
A large hook-and-loop tab on the back of the wrist closes the glove securely.
There is also a strong pull tab beneath the cuff, which made the gloves much easier to put on. It is a small feature, but one I think is often overlooked on motorcycle gloves.
During the trip, I spent more than four hours riding on most days, with frequent stops for fuel, food, drinks and rest. That meant repeatedly taking the gloves off and putting them back on.
Despite this, there are no obvious signs of wear so far. The dedicated pull tabs may have helped by reducing the temptation to tug at the cuffs or other parts of the gloves.
Final thoughts
The Furygan Ladies’ Jet D3O Neon Gloves have impressed me.
They are comfortable, flexible and well suited to hot riding conditions. They provide useful protection without sacrificing throttle feel or touchscreen dexterity.
Their limitations are those you would expect from a true summer glove. They can feel cool in lower temperatures and they offer no waterproofing.
The styling may not appeal to everyone, but I like the graphic detailing across the back of the glove. It looks as though it should spell something out, although I do not think it does. There is also a Furygan logo on the forefinger.
I tested the black version with white and gold graphics. Options in black/white/pink and black/white are also available at the time of review.
Overall, I found these to be an excellent choice for summer riding and they will now be my go-to gloves for hot-weather trips.
