Date reviewed: July 2023 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £69.99 | www.furygan.com
The Furygan TD Vintage gloves on review here are designed for the classic, custom and street bike market, but as a pair of short-cuff gloves they’re a great fit for any rider looking for something a bit cooler and more lightweight than a typical gauntlet.
I’ve been wearing the TD Vintages on a 2001 Honda VFR800 and a 2019 BMW R1250GS for the past few months to find out if they’re any good…
Construction, fit and feel
Made of buffalo leather, the Furygan TD Vintage gloves offer great feel thanks to the extremely soft hide.
Accordion panels on the first two fingers help give good movement while keeping a snug fit on my fingers, though I did find the thumbs to be just a tad baggy in comparison. Fit is of course very subjective, and the thumbs on these are far from bad: overall the TD Vintages are well sized (they’re my usual Large) and well proportioned.
All stitching is hidden, including at the fingers, though there are no uncomfortable pressure points caused by the internal seams. I do like a pair of subtly-designed gloves, and the construction of these is great if you’re looking for something that doesn’t scream ‘bike kit’.
The TD Vintage gloves are available in black, and the brown I have on review, or in a lady’s model in black, burgundy or a tan ‘sahara’. It’s a shame these colours aren’t also available in the gent’s sizes, though as women’s kit is so few and far between, it’s good to see a wider choice for that market.
Protection and certification
By law, all motorcycle gloves sold in the UK and Europe must meet EN13594:2015 Level 1 as a minimum requirement. There is a Level 2, which proves higher performance in abrasion protection, seam and burst strength, though there aren’t that many available.
While extremely soft, the Furygan TD Vintage gloves have additional layering at the palms, and D3O impact protection at the knuckles, striking a good balance between style, protection and comfort.
All motorcycle clothing sold in the UK and Europe is deemed to be Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This is a good thing for riders as it can help them choose kit that has provable levels of safety as to meet this legislation, it must be tested to a recognised standard. To fully understand the labels found in all bike kit, click here.
Warm and cold weather use
With ventilation on the inside edges of the fingers, as well as some holes on the tops and bottoms, the Furygan TD Vintage gloves are very good for most of the UK summer. They can get a little sticky feeling in very high heat, but they’re still comfortable.
Due to their lightweight construction and short design, I wouldn’t recommend them for winter use.
Wet weather use
Needless to say, the Furygan TD Vintage gloves are not designed for rain, but if they do get soaked, as with all leather, leave them to dry slowly and away from direct heat.
Fastening
The Furygan TD Vintage gloves are fastened with a simple hook and loop patch at the wrist. While effective, it is important to position it properly to avoid it popping open while wearing them.
Good wrist restraint is important in order to keep your gloves on in a slide – the fastener here works when carefully fitted, but doesn’t offer quite the confidence or security of some other designs, and ideally I’d have preferred to have seen one that isn’t on the more vulnerable bottom of the wrist
Lining
The thin polyester mesh lining helps the TD Vintages to slip on and off easily, and I’ve not noticed any dye leaching, but when it gets really hot it can feel a fraction sticky at times.
My only gripe with the lining is that it’s separate to the outer shell, and most noticeably around the webbing on the left thumb can feel a little awkward. Once on it’s not noticeable, but these Furygans can feel a little odd when putting them on.
Touchscreen compatibility
Touch-screen-compatible patches are fitted at the tips of both first fingers on the Furygan TD Vintage gloves, which work very well thanks to the good fit. There’s no need to take these off when using even quite small ‘buttons’ on your phone, for instance when setting or adjusting a route in Google maps or Calimoto.
Three alternatives to the Furygan TD Vintage gloves
There’s a lot of competition available, with loads of brands offering great-looking short-cuff, casual gloves. Here are just three others…
These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the motorcycle gloves we’ve tested here and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership.
Furygan TD Vintage gloves review: Verdict
The look and feel of these Furygan gloves is lovely thanks to that buffalo leather used throughout, plus the hiding of D3O knuckle armour inside is a great way to increase protection.
I’d have preferred a more secure wrist restraint, and the lining can feel a little odd when putting them on and taking them off, but overall these Furygan TD Vintages could be a good pair of gloves for many summer riders.
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