Not that you’d know it here in Las Vegas, but we hear rumour that winter is coming. And its closer than most of us would find comfortable. Luckily, hope comes in the form of two new gloves from Pearl Izumi. First, the PRO WXB Glove is a fully waterproof, seam sealed glove. The cycling-specific design is enhanced by a palm material (borrowed from the wakeboarding industry) that increases grip when wet.
For the fatbike massive, Pearl Izumi has introduced the half-lobster PRO Amphib Super Glove- a fully waterproof, insulated gauntlet. As they put it, if it’s too cold for these, you need to find something else to do. Word.
On the -ahem- heels of last year’s second-generation X-Project shoes, Pearl Izumi has just launched a second round of X-Alp Launch footwear. The X-Alp Launch II is a trail shoe with a cushioned, walkable sole. A carbon fibre shank provides pedaling support, but is simpler to make and somewhat more forgiving than the X-Project. Real rubber creates the lugs and protection at the toe has been improved.
The tongue-mount Boa closure is a nice two-directional model, its location chosen to optimise comfort. As an added bonus, this keeps the sometimes-finicky dial out of the way of mud and impacts, improving longevity. We reckon that they look quite well thought-out.
