Crash Tested and Approved!
This is the premier glove that KNOX Armor makes for
motorcycles. The KNOX Handroid glove is the best glove on the
market. They have palm sliders, a kangaroo leather palm, extra armor on the top
of the hand, and the KNOX signature Boa lacing system. These gloves are good
for all types of riding. I have worn them for street, canyon riding, track
days, novice through expert national level racing. They crash well and are very
comfortable for all types of riding.
motorcycles. The KNOX Handroid glove is the best glove on the
market. They have palm sliders, a kangaroo leather palm, extra armor on the top
of the hand, and the KNOX signature Boa lacing system. These gloves are good
for all types of riding. I have worn them for street, canyon riding, track
days, novice through expert national level racing. They crash well and are very
comfortable for all types of riding.
When I got into riding sportbikes, I started off as most do.
I was a SQUID, which stands for Stupidly Quick and Underdressed; Imminently
Dangerous. Due to poor guidance, many times in my first season of riding I wore
shorts and a T-shirt. Once I learned how important protective gear really is, I
started looking into all the different options. I found that many brands made
gauntlet style gloves but I wasn’t sure which ones were the best. I hope you
can learn from my mistakes.
I was a SQUID, which stands for Stupidly Quick and Underdressed; Imminently
Dangerous. Due to poor guidance, many times in my first season of riding I wore
shorts and a T-shirt. Once I learned how important protective gear really is, I
started looking into all the different options. I found that many brands made
gauntlet style gloves but I wasn’t sure which ones were the best. I hope you
can learn from my mistakes.
Personal experience:
I have had several pairs of Handroids over the years and in11 separate on track crashes, they have done the job every time. The first pair
I had several years ago had an issue with stitching. At that point I hadn’t
crashed in them and the glove was opening at one of the fingers. I was able to
return them and was reimbursed with a brand new pair. This was all before I
started working at STG. The stitching issue is the only complaint I have heard
from riders. This issue has been fixed back in 2012 with their redesigns with
better stitching and seams. The one pair I destroyed was completely my fault, with
three rain crashes in a single day. After highsiding, tucking the front, and
later lowsiding losing the rear, the glove’s Boa lacing system had enough. The
rest of the gloves were salvageable, so I continued using them the rest of the
weekend. With a little bit of clear hockey tape around the wrist, they worked
just as well. The leather held up great and never ripped or opened up.
In another high speed incident at Road Atlanta last June
(2013), I crashed on the brakes going into T6. Downshifting from 5th to 3rd, I
was around 90 MPH, tucked the front, and slid half way into the gravel pit
sliding the entire time on my hands and knees. With the velocity I had, my bike
stopped within a few feet of the air fence after tumbling violently. I was able
to get right up and walk to a safe area behind the cement wall. What amazed me
about this crash, is that I consciously remember trying to grasp the ground to
slow myself down from hitting the air fence. This generated so much heat in my
gloves that I literally had heat blisters on my finger and thumb from the
friction generated in the slide. Amazingly, the gloves did not tear through or
rip a single seam.
(2013), I crashed on the brakes going into T6. Downshifting from 5th to 3rd, I
was around 90 MPH, tucked the front, and slid half way into the gravel pit
sliding the entire time on my hands and knees. With the velocity I had, my bike
stopped within a few feet of the air fence after tumbling violently. I was able
to get right up and walk to a safe area behind the cement wall. What amazed me
about this crash, is that I consciously remember trying to grasp the ground to
slow myself down from hitting the air fence. This generated so much heat in my
gloves that I literally had heat blisters on my finger and thumb from the
friction generated in the slide. Amazingly, the gloves did not tear through or
rip a single seam.
This year (July 2014) at Pittsburgh International Race
Complex aka PIRC I was feeling very strong. I had the bike dialed in and I was
only a few bike lengths from 1st place on the 5th lap. I was too greedy with
the throttle and left a 30+ foot skid mark before highsiding myself to the moon
in the middle of 3rd gear. I came down hard on my left side elbow, hand, and
knee. For as violent as the crash was the gloves are in great shape. The
supplemental leather overlay stitching on the left palm is torn in a few places
but the main leather underneath is still 100% in tact.
Complex aka PIRC I was feeling very strong. I had the bike dialed in and I was
only a few bike lengths from 1st place on the 5th lap. I was too greedy with
the throttle and left a 30+ foot skid mark before highsiding myself to the moon
in the middle of 3rd gear. I came down hard on my left side elbow, hand, and
knee. For as violent as the crash was the gloves are in great shape. The
supplemental leather overlay stitching on the left palm is torn in a few places
but the main leather underneath is still 100% in tact.
My main criteria are crash protection, comfort, durability,
and looks. In my opinion, no other brand on the market offers what KNOX can in
a glove. The palm sliders are very important for me. They allow for the gloves
to have excellent abrasion protection, dispersal of impact force, along with
helping the rider to slide rather than tumble. This alone can be the difference
between running back to your bike and finishing the race, or leaving the track
in an ambulance. The Boa system easily and quickly secures your gloves and I
like this system better than the regular main Velcro retention that most gloves
have. It gives me the piece of mind that these gloves are never going to come
off in a crash. The knuckles and top of the glove look like something that came
out of the Terminator movies. They offer more protection than you will
hopefully ever need. Last is my personal opinion, I think they just look bad
ass! You will ever mistake another glove for a KNOX glove.
and looks. In my opinion, no other brand on the market offers what KNOX can in
a glove. The palm sliders are very important for me. They allow for the gloves
to have excellent abrasion protection, dispersal of impact force, along with
helping the rider to slide rather than tumble. This alone can be the difference
between running back to your bike and finishing the race, or leaving the track
in an ambulance. The Boa system easily and quickly secures your gloves and I
like this system better than the regular main Velcro retention that most gloves
have. It gives me the piece of mind that these gloves are never going to come
off in a crash. The knuckles and top of the glove look like something that came
out of the Terminator movies. They offer more protection than you will
hopefully ever need. Last is my personal opinion, I think they just look bad
ass! You will ever mistake another glove for a KNOX glove.
By Eric Swahn
STG Online Order Processing