Have you ever had a favorite pair of gloves? I have, and then the company I bought it from discontinued it. That was about a year ago from today, and I’ve been devastated ever since trying to find a better pair. While on that hunt, I came across Furygan’s collection, and it turns out that the French marque is also known and quite loved for its gloves. So, I decided to try them out.
I've had a good experience so far with Furygan. The brand's products have been decidedly good like the Mistral Evo 3 and the Atom Evo Vented jackets that I currently ride with. Impressed with the quality of the jackets, I had high expectations for the other pieces in the collection.
Given how textile gloves would only last me a few months to a year, I decided that a half-leather pair would fare better given how much my hands move while I ride. This model has struck a chord with me and you could say the sad memory of finding that one hole in my (former) favorite pair of gloves has gone away. Okay, a bit overdramatic, but the Furygan Volt, is a half-leather and half-mesh summer riding pair that I can’t seem to let go of.
Materials and construction
If you say you want leather gloves for riding, there is a broad spectrum of materials. As usual, cowhide is one of the standard materials for suits and jackets, and you may also find bessy on gloves as well. Then you have calf hide, which is lighter and a lot softer, but a little weird. Some companies also use kangaroo leather as is the case with Knox and their Handroid line thanks to its pliability. However, as I’ve come to discover over the years of riding motorcycles and going through various materials, goat leather is definitely a preferred material especially since I demand a balance between longevity, comfort, and performance.
The leather that Furygan used in the construction of the Volt is top-notch. Off the rack, the palm is tacky, supple, and when I first tried it on, quite pliable. The gloves are also pre-curved so I had no problem going from zero to 60 right off the bat, so to speak. The break-in took only one ride for me, and the material was able to mold well around my hands in a pinch.
Man-made materials are also present here such as mesh and spandex, and also synthetic leather. While none of the leather-looking bits are fake, the synthetics that I see on the tag include the suede-like material between the thumb and the index finger, plus the textiles and the molded PVC armor. I like how all the leather is in the spots where I actually would expect a glove maker to put thick materials, as the palm all the way to the cuff is covered in leather with impact foam inserted in. More breathable materials are only placed in areas that make sense and don’t compromise durability and safety, and trust me, I’ve seen some gloves that can be quite questionable when it comes to material placement. There was one particular brand I encountered that placed a panel of mesh right in the center of the palm.
Design
I like Furygan’s design a lot. Mesh in the right places, leather in key areas of wear, and then it’s also a half gauntlet so it extends down into your wrist bone. I like the fact that there are also venting windows that let air into the gloves and it’s definitely not as hot as full leather gloves. The thing that sticks out to me here is the fact that it really does feel like a middle ground between full leather and full textile gloves—unexpectedly so. As stated, the flexibility of the leather required minimal break-in just like a textile pair, the business end is thick, but it returns a good amount of feel from the grips.
It’s a bit of an outlier in this regard, however, I will dock points from its scorecard because it doesn’t come with palm sliders. I usually look for gloves with palm sliders and this pair didn’t have them. I’d say points are added back into the mix because the cuff extends past my wrist bone and it is covered.
One major design issue that I noticed was the fact that all the rubber overlays simply couldn’t hold onto the textile. These elements are simply glued on and after about a month of using these gloves, I just peeled them away. I’m a little disappointed to see these things go, but with or without it on, the performance was unaffected, even if they were meant to channel the air into the vented areas. I question why brands put three-dimensional design elements on their gloves and it’s the same case here. If it’s just going to come off, why bother? After I removed the ones on the thumb area, I preemptively removed the ones on the back of the glove as well. Humidity and heat caused the glue to weaken, though I remained unfazed in my use of this pair.
Still great performance and safety
Niggles aside, I love using these gloves. They’re pretty much spot-on when it comes to feel. I don’t feel a lot of slack on the throttle when I’m using this pair, and the response between my hand and the grip is pretty much one-to-one. The thing that sets this pair apart from what I’ve been used to is the fact that I don’t have to go through a lot of material to turn the throttle or operate the levers. I took a flashlight and inspected the insides and found that there was one lining layer underneath. The fact that the leather is already protective enough helps with that one-to-one feeling.
Ventilation performance, you’re not getting a mesh glove here so don’t expect it to be super cool. Instead, it’s cool enough even on the hottest of days. On the highway, especially, you will notice a bit of a breeze running through your fingers. It’s not a lot, but that’s about par for the course given that you get a full leather palm anyway.
CE Level 1 protection on this pair and the foam inserts are pretty comprehensive. You get armor on your knuckles, inserts on the fingers, inserts on the inside and outside of your palm, and finally on the wrist. All of this is covered by goat leather so expect it to resist a good slide over asphalt.
Fits like a glove—a good one
My hands are small, but average when it comes to its proportion. For Asian brands like Taichi, I am a medium. European brands like Revit, Ixon, and Spyke, I go down to a small. Furygan’s sizing is European, and there is both a letter and a number that will tell you how big or small it is For men’s sizing, I am a small/seven in this pair. If you frequent European brands, I recommend that you go true to size, but if you frequent Asian brands, consider going a size down from what you usually get.
Verdict: Say hello to my new favorite
While I was a bit hard on these gloves, and I had my reservations about them, I still used this pair day in and day out. Whether it was a long or short ride, I often gravitated towards this pair.
Gallery: Gear Review: Furygan Volt Gloves
I value this pair for the feel and for the way that it fits my hands. That one-to-one feeling is also a rarity for me with motorcycle gloves. I will also note that gloves are an extremely personal piece of gear that you should try out for yourself before you buy. However, if you are ordering this pair online, take advantage of a return policy just in case things don't fit.
As for its pricing, you can find this pair for about $70 USD give or take. Depending on where you buy, you might be able to score this pair on sale as well. Given the performance and quality, I have no regrets about investing in a pair like this.
