Track Tested | Deft Family EQVLNT Gloves
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Track Tested | Deft Family EQVLNT Gloves
Price: $27.95
Do you remember the first time you saw a pair of Deft Family gloves? We’re betting that more than likely, it was while watching the FMX competition in the X Games on television. Owned by freestyle legend Nate Adams, Deft changed the motocross glove market forever with its minimalistic design and wild designs. There was a time when Deft Family had nearly every top freestyle competitor, as well as many racers.
Apparel manufacturers grew wise to the approach taken by Deft Family soon enough, however, and in addition to forbidding sponsored riders to sign a different glove contract with Deft, many started to make their own versions of a minimalistic glove.
Part of the magic of a Deft Family glove is its single-layer palm that features no padding or extra bulk. Silicone printing on the palm and fingers provides added traction against the grips and levers, and it is most often planned out to be a logo or design when the two gloves are held up, side by side.
The new EQVLNT Glove carries on in the traditional Deft format, with a single-layer palm and a four-way stretch backside for a restriction-free fit and maximum airflow. The EQVLNT Glove has a Velcro wrist closure.
When the gloves were new, we had a little extra material at the tip of our thumbs. Granted, making one glove pattern to fit the wide range of hand and finger shapes and sizes of every rider is damned near impossible. What we were surprised to learn, though, is that after a couple of rides, the constant gripping forces caused the thumb to mold to our stubby thumb, and suddenly the extra material was no longer an issue.
The inside of the thumb area features an extra layer of protection so that the first joint of your thumb does not rub against the grip or throttle housing and develop the dreaded “Yamathumb,” as it is commonly referred to, even if you don’t ride a Yamaha.
We fell in love with the EQVLNT Glove the first time we wore it as it was as comfortable as every Deft Family glove we’ve worn in the past and required virtually no break-in time. (Other than the scrunching up of the extra thumb material.”)
All in all, the Deft Gloves of today are every bit as comfortable, stylish, and lightweight as they always have been, and an awesome option if you want to add a little extra style to your moto kit.
