It is a particularly hard thing to find gloves that fit, that last and also look reasonably stylish. The One industries Zero is a minimally padded and cleanly designed pair of gloves that are made for those who want to have full contact with their bars and are fine with sacrificing a little bit of protection.
The One Industries Zero gloves are constructed out of a synthetic leather for the palm, a light-weight stretch twill for the top and has mesh gussets between the fingers. There are also geometrically designed silicone finger grips on the thumbs, middle and index fingers. The palm, while only being a single layer, is nice and thick, which gives some reassurance for crashing. On the outside of the thumb there is an extra piece of synthetic leather for wiping sweat and the slip-on wrist wrap is slightly elasticated and extends further down the wrist than a typical MTB glove.
On the trail
It was refreshing to not have to worry about a stupid velcro strap coming loose mid-trail, or whether it’s going to be tight enough. You just pull on the Zero gloves and set off – no fuss. Initially I worried about the protection factor, based on the fact that there’s no extra rubber knuckles protectors or added palm protection. But then I thought of how many times I actually made use of those knuckles. I don’t punch any trees (or car windows), so why would I need carbon fibre knuckles or the like?
They immediately felt like a quality piece of kit when I first slipped them on. The quality of the materials is top notch and the construction is clean – there isn’t a wobbly line in sight. Throughout the test period I did not encounter a seam that was looking tired or a thread out of sight. In fact, unlike many gloves out there, the palm was as durable as many with extra padding, more so than most too. I had a decent crash where I found myself dragging my left hand while sliding down the trail, and the material showed no sign of damage at all and kept my hand scratch-free.
The silicone grippers on the left hand have long since disappeared
The only fault in the Zeros’ construction were the silicone grips on the fingers. There’s still most of them left on the right glove, but the left has seen them go a long time ago. Perhaps it was down to that crash, but even before that they were well on their way out. I never really found them necessary anyway, and it’s not an uncommon occurrence to see them go before long.
These are by no means winter gloves, and so shouldn’t be judged for warmth. They are well ventilated from the top and offer mostly sweat-free rides. The mesh in-between the fingers also keeps things cool.
The styling is a matter to taste. I, personally like it. It’s the most subtle colours that this pair of gloves are offered in, and I like it that way.
In the end
The style aside, it’s true that gloves are a matter of personal preference as much as saddles or grips. However, the One Industries Zero glove is a great fit, for more than one tester. Where other gloves might float above the palm, they hugged the palm nicely. And while the padding isn’t extensive, it has proven very effective in protecting my hands. They are by no means winter gloves, but for the warmer months they would be a great companion and look to be holding together very nicely. With a RRP of R395 these are a reasonably priced pair of gloves that will easily last through the warm months, and probably into the next ones too.
Great review but please only review locally avail stuff and have links at the end for where to buy the stuff in local shops or local online sites. I can read a zillion reviews anywhere online for stuff that will never see the light of day here in Sa unless I hunt all over the web and then pay through my nostrils for shipping and duties. I want to see reviews of stuff that have meaning to me as a souf afrikan, as in I can buy it in Sa. Maybe partner with the local agencies/shops that stock/import the stuff and have their stuff at least avail in Sa online to order right after reading the review, there really is a lot of value in that for the brand and maybe revenue for thehub in being able to offer that.
Ok so who stocks these in Sa and where?