My previous summer gloves, made by REV’IT! and dearly loved and used for three years, started to show their age and the effects of hard use and poor storage. I ordered the updated version of the same glove, but they no longer fit my hands and I had to assume the other models wouldn’t fit either, so I switched brands to Klim based on their good relationship with the MOA, high praise from riders across their product line and easy availability at my local dealer.
Instead of just having one pair of gloves, I got two so I’d be able to alternate them and hopefully stave off deterioration due to sweat, hard use and UV exposure. I could have gotten two of the same model, but that would’t make for a very good comparison article! I chose the Induction and Badlands Aero Pro Short models.
My requirements were few, but important: ventilation/perforation, hard knuckle protection, a palm slider, cuff long enough to be inside my jacket sleeve and available in anything other than 100% black. This list eliminated other Klim options, like the Adventure GTX Short, Baja S4, Rambler, Marrakesh, Dakar/Dakar Pro, Mojave and XC Pro, making my choice pretty easy in the end.
Both models have long enough cuffs to stay inside my jacket sleeve and share some features, starting with CE Level 1 certification and “premium” goat leather construction—I assume these were free-range goats fed only the shiniest aluminum cans. They both have an extra layer of leather on the palm for protection, which I find has the knock-on effect of reducing some vibration from the handlebars. They also do just fine in the grip department, providing no difficulties in using the motorcycle’s buttons, switches and other controls. Both models are equipped with short wipers on the left index finger and Klim’s “Mult-E-Touch” pads on the thumb and forefinger, allowing the rider to interact with their smartphone or other touchscreen device fairly efficiently. I found I needed to be quite precise with how I placed the touch pads on the index fingers, but once I got the hang of it, I found it a nice addition to the gloves.
Another feature both models share is low-profile stitching on the palm and what Klim calls “outseam finger stitching.” I call it “inverted seams,” which gives a good mental picture of the feature. What this does is put the rough part of the seams on the outside of the fingers rather than on the inside, where they will rub against your fingers on a long, hot day of riding and do their best to drive you insane. It’s not the most attractive feature of the gloves, but I’ll take function over form when it comes to this level of finger comfort. Plus, having the seams on the outside offers a little extra padding and abrasion protection should you crash; the asphalt will have to grind down those external seams before it can get at your tender skin. My biggest criticism of either model is the small plastic clip sewn into the edge of each cuff. They allow you to connect your gloves together like you’re a first-grader at recess. The clips tend to pinch the tender skin under your wrist; I cut them off the cuffs as soon as I got the gloves home.
The street-focused Inductions in Asphalt/Hi-Vis are size 2X, and Klim calls them “the ultimate hot weather hand protection for street riders needing comfort and performance.” I’m hard-pressed to dispute this claim, as I found them quite comfortable and so far their performances has been fantastic. I adore the entry/sizing double feature of a velcro strap (under) and a short YKK zipper (over); it allows easy donning and doffing as well as tailoring the fit to my hands, which of course aren’t exactly the same size. Once I got the fit I wanted, I just used the zippers to get in and out of them, aided by a two-finger-wide pull loop on the bottom of the cuff. The design is well thought out and efficiently executed.
The Inductions feature hard, articulated, carbon fiber armor across the knuckles, and of the two models, I prefer this layout in both looks and function. While both models have the same 5mm impact protection in the palms and knuckle pads, the Inductions’ finger and thumb protection pads are 3mm thick, while the Badlands Aero Pro Shorts’ are just small plastic sliders—and for some reason, the index fingers lack sliders. For air passage, the Inductions have a mesh panel at the back of the hand, behind the fingers, and small perforations on top of the fingers. This means they don’t pass a huge amount of air, but the gray top panels help by not absorbing quite so much heat from the sun.
My hands fit the finger length of the Inductions well, the only issue being a little bunching under the fingers where they meet my palm on my right hand. As the gloves have broken in, the stiffness of the fresh leather lessened, making the bunching less awkward
The adventure-focused Badlands Aero Pro Shorts in Monument Gray are size 3X. They feel like they move quite a bit more air than the Inductions, no doubt thanks to the double and triple rows of perforations on the fingers and the tiny little air scoops on the middle, ring and pinky fingers of each hand. The knuckle protection isn’t articulated for each joint like the Inductions are; rather, you get two knuckle bumps made of carbon fiber and polycarbonate. The design probably allows more air to flow. I’m sure they’re plenty protective should I happen to crash and drag the backs of my hands across dirt, gravel or asphalt.
The wrist closures on the Badlands Aero Pro Shorts are velcro-only, held in place with a triangle of mesh to ensure the straps don’t flap around when you’re trying to put the gloves on. I found myself having to size up from 2X to 3X to ensure my freakish hands fit into the Badlands gloves properly. Oddly, the finger lengths between the two models—even though they’re a size apart on the Klim scale—seem almost exactly the same. I might run the Bandlands through a wash cycle to get them to shrink just a little; I think I’m between sizes with them and without the double-entry construct, they don’t fit quite as snugly as the Inductions.
Both the Induction and the Badlands Aero Pro Short gloves are of excellent construction and appear durable. The Inductions fit a little better, perhaps because of the strap-plus-zipper feature. The Badlands Aero Pro Shorts flow a little more air, which is nice on a hot day. If I had to pick one as a favorite, it would probably be the Inductions, but all things considered, I think I came up with two great pairs of gloves to alternate through the rest of this summer and several years of warm-to-hot weather ahead.
Induction gloves: MSRP $139.99. Sizes XS to 3X. Colors: Stealth Black, Asphalt/Hi-Vis, Asphalt/Electric Blue Lemonade and Monument Gray.
Badlands Aero Pro Short gloves: MSRP $159.99. Sizes XS to 3X. Colors: Stealth Black, Peyote/Potter’s Clay, Petrol/Strike Orange, Monument Gray and Black/Hi-Vis.
Order from klim.com or your favorite dealer or online retailer.
