Cortech DXR Motorcycle Gloves Review: Durable & Versatile

Product Review: Cortech DXR Gloves

Whether you ride the superslab, back roads or off-road, protecting your hands from the rigors of the ride requires both comfortable wearability and protective durability.

In my experience, that can be a tougher order to fill than one might think. Motorcycle gloves that are up to the heavy-duty aspect sometimes just don’t cut it in the comfort zone; they may have large internal seams that cause pressure points on the hand, they may be inflexible, they may be too insular to wear if the weather gets warm or some combination of all the above.

When I got a pair of the Cortech DXR gloves, it was still reasonably chilly out, and riding could include some cold fingers. The DXR gloves did prevent that, although they are designed to work in hot weather as well. The warm weather aspect of the glove chassis is the use of four-way air mesh on the back of the hand, pinky and ring finger.

This material does ventilate even though it has a hefty feel to it. Indeed, the gloves have an overall heft to them that places them in what I consider the mid-range of summer riding gloves I have used in terms how robust the chassis of the glove is.

The way I look at that “robust” factor is how much durability and potential for abrasion resistance and seam separation prevention the glove has while being compliant enough for comfort, snug fit, and pliability.

Now that the weather has gotten hot and humid, the ventilation is appreciated—as well as the heft, which also suggests the DXR gloves could provide some significant abrasion protection in a fall—though that is a criterion I hope never to test them on.

That said, the gloves are constructed with some strategic reinforcements geared to both enhance service life and provide a little extra protection. On the back of the hand over the knuckles of the index and second finger, there are what Cortech characterizes as 3D TPR (thermoplastic) protectors, along with neoprene knuckle and wrist panels. On the palm, the heel (scaphoid) of the hand and mid-palm have Tongda panels with goatskin Nappa overlays.

A lot of gloves these days have pre-curved fingers, and the DXR gloves have that shaping but only to a subtle degree because the materials are supple enough to allow easy conformance to the anatomical curve of the hand. In the months I’ve used these gloves, I never felt the material had to be compressed into the handgrip. The fit is kept close and snug with two-way Spandex on the thumb, index and second finger.

The index and second finger of each glove have printed silicon panels that provide improved grip on the clutch and brake levers. I’m not sure if they enhance performance with gloves-on use of touch screens.

The DXR gloves have had a lot of use in the past few months, and despite being pulled on pretty vigorously every time—because I like my gloves to fit very snugly and use in a range of environmental conditions, no seams have opened, and no contact surfaces are showing any signs of wear.

With an MSRP of $39.99, the DXR gloves come in at about the mid-range for pricing and overall, they score above the mid-range in comfort, functionality, durability, and versatility.

Available Colors & Sizes:

• Black/Red : XS-3XL
• Black : XS-3XL
• Black/Silver : XS-3XL
• Black/Hi-Viz : XS-3XL

The Cortech warranty is valid for 1 (one) year from purchase for all Cortech products accompanied by the warranty certificate.

For more information on the Cortech DXR glove, see: www.cortech.net/inc/sdetail/dxr_glove/1252