Another great product from Fox, the Women’s Digit Gloves are simple but effective, and perfect for mountain biking if you like to have great contact with and control over the bike.

I admit when I first put these on I thought they were a little snug on my hands but after wearing them riding for a short while I realised why; I usually wear men’s riding gloves (this is what I usually get supplied with as team kit) and they are usually ill fitting, but it was something I had just gotten used to.

In fact, these gloves didn’t feel too tight – it’s just that they fitted me perfectly! They were so comfortable, in fact, that whilst riding that I didn’t even realise I had them on.

I had the size Medium glove, and that seemed to match up to the size guide Fox produce so I’d say they come up true to size, though if you can try them on that that’s always best. For reference, the width of my palm just below my fingers is 9cm, and the length of my hand from the bottom of my palm to the tip of my second finger is 18.5cm.

They are a medium weight glove, great for most of the year but they are probably not going to cut the mustard for the coldest of winter rides for most people (I am not a fan of winter gloves so they will do me all year!

The breathable stretch mesh back makes the gloves airy and comfortable with lots of movement. Stitched neoprene across the knuckles provides good articulation whilst maintaining that all important protection from passing branches whilst flying down your favourite bit of singletrack. Between the fingers is a fine mesh material to keep you hands cool.

A soft Velcro wrist strap keeps them in place, and it’s that real nice Velcro that doesn’t snag & pull other materials like the cuffs of your favourite riding jersey or other things in the washing machine (though we’d still recommend a bit of care when washing with other items).

They have that all-important soft snot wipe thumb patch – or is it a goggle wipe? It worked for both anyway!

The micro suede palm is nice and soft and more importantly, it’s seem-free, with no palm padding (which personally I find annoying on gloves – others may disagree!) giving better contact between your hands and the grips.

The gloves have a few well placed silicone motifs which give a little extra crash protection on the back of the hands and at the bottom of the palm/wrist.

Interestingly, I have the men’s version of these gloves which I don’t really like (ill fitting/long fingers) and I crashed on a race run wearing them, and skidded across the floor palm down. The men’s version of the gloves I was wearing ripped in exactly the same place as the small protective silicone pad is on the wrist/palm of the women’s gloves, so this bodes really well for the Women’s Digit Gloves.

I put the Digit Gloves to the test on a gnarly, muddy, wet DH track; yes I crashed, and the gloves held up. Although I got them a little muddy, the mud wiped off easily and the silicone grips strategically placed on the fingers gave me confidence that, even though they were wet, I could still stay on the brakes without slipping off the levers.

A few washes in and they still look like new – no fading or bobbling.

These gloves will be getting put to the test on a regular basis as luckily they are the same colour as my team kit; their next outing will be my first downhill race in a few weeks!

VERDICT

The Digit gloves are a nice and simple, which makes them a winner for me! Protection has not been compromised by over complicating the glove.

PROS

–       Excellent fit
–       Silicone grips on the fingers ensure secure brake control
–       Tough and robust

CONS

– Hard to find online

Price: £26
Size: S, M, L
Colour: Teal (Pictured), Black
More info: Fox Head

What Fox say about the Women’s Digit Glove:

Lightweight air mesh top hand fabrics offer maximum comfort and airflow. Neoprene knuckle and finger padding for added flexibility and protection. Single layer Ax Suede Fit® palm offers exceptional grip and hand-to-bike connection. Silicone fingertip print for added grip, Absorbent, micro-suede thumb wiping surface, Low profile wrist tab closure.