2021 Viaterra Grid Full Gauntlet Motorcycle Riding Gloves Review: Introduction

Introduction The Construction The Features What’s Next?Product Details

Introduction

A set of full gauntlet motorcycle riding gloves is one the most versatile pair one can own. These can be used for commuting, for touring, and of course, on track days. But, for one to be able to do that, the gloves in question need to offer more than just good crash protection. These need to be comfortable, well-ventilated, easy to wear, and should offer good tactile feel.

The Viaterra Grid promise to be one such set. But, we won’t be testing these gloves in this particular report; that will come later. This time we will talk construction and features and the promise the gloves come with, to get to know them better.

The Construction

This is the third iteration of the Viaterra Grid. The big change in design and protection came from the first to the second. This model here is more a facelift of the second iteration. And, as a result, it retains Grid’s blend of traditional thinking mixed with some clever features.

The gloves are made of goat leather to make them both supple and light. These are heavily perforated for ventilation, but come with additional ducts stitched on individual fingers close to the knuckles to take advantage of better air flow on the move.

In terms of protection, the gloves come with TPU inserts to protect the knuckles and the wrist bone in case of an impact. And Viaterra says, the use of dual layer TPU for the knuckles (only there for the outside two fingers) and the wrist, not only further helps improve impact absorption, but it gives higher coverage without compromising on the movement.

For the palm area, it continues to use Knox’s armour. It is a combination of plastic (LDPE or low density polyethylene) on the outside that prevents the sliding hand in a high speed crash from unexpectedly hooking on to something which might cause a serious injury. And on the inside - to absorb the impact from the fall - the Grid employs Micro-Lock. Knox’s Micro-Lock armour is great at absorbing impact. But, it’s also light and flexible and soft, and in fact, very durable.

As is typical of most racing or sportsbike oriented riding gloves, the Grid too comes with the bridge for the little or pinky finger to protect it from getting pulled away and snapping in a crash.

The Features

Now, to the Viaterra Grid’s list of clever features.

First up, it uses an additional layer of leather on the inside for the fore and middle fingers, since these parts tend to wear out sooner being in constant contact with the brake and clutch lever. There’s also a rubber strip on the outside of the left glove’s forefinger which can act as a wiper, come rain or storm.

The forefinger and thumb tips are touchscreen friendly. There’s reflectivity built in on the gloves’ fingers. And, the Grid employs accordion panels around the finger, knuckle, and wrist area to make wearing and using the gloves less restrictive.

Finally, it comes with something called SuperGrip. In Viaterra’s words, it is a silicon panel that sits between the forefinger and thumb on the inside of the hand. And this panel, allows the rider to grip the handlebar grips without putting too much effort. In turn, the rider remains light on the handlebar, which, of course, helps with the motorcycle’s stability, especially when leaned over or when going over bumpy terrain.

What’s Next?

Now we will spend some time wearing the Viaterra Grid. We will ride in them; go through many a cycles of putting them on and pulling them off; we will commute in them; tour in them; and maybe even do a trackway in them. Then, we will tell you how they fared. That’s coming up next.