Date reviewed: May 2018| Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £173.99 | www.held.de
The Held 2in1 Gore-Tex Twin gloves have a clever design of two pockets in which to slide your hands – one that offers a relatively thin waterproof layer between your hand and the motorcycle’s bars, and another that gives extra padding for more warmth.
I’ve used them for several months over the winter on a variety of bikes, both with and without handguards…
Fit and feel
Any worries that the dual-pocket design would cause unwanted bulk were dispelled as soon as I put these Helds on – I expected them to feel like an oversize pair of winter gloves, but they’re extremely comfortable.
The thinner sleeve of course gives more feel, and while at first it was a little tight – due to the amount of material pulling across the back – they loosened up well after a few rides.
Even when using the warmer pocket, feel isn’t overly compromised, and the gloves fit like any other top-quality winter pair.
Temperature
A 180mile ride in temperatures between zero and four degrees Celsius saw the Held 2in1s keep my hands wonderfully warm. At one point I stopped at the Ace Café for an event, and by the time I was ready to get back on the bike – after having walked around without my gloves – my fingers were so cold that I couldn’t feel the clips on my rucksack. Slipping the Twins on, my hands warmed up very quickly thanks to the soft and snug lining.
If you’re riding a lot in the cold, it’s worth considering handguards for your bike – regardless of how good your gloves are, the wind constantly rushing over them will eventually suck the heat out, and as the fingers can’t generally be as plush as the rest of the glove (and they’re so far from your heart) they’ll get cold first. If you really suffer badly from cold fingers, and don’t want hand-guards or even bar muffs, you’d be best considering some two-finger gloves, like the Held Nordpols.
Protection and CE certification
The Held 2in1 Gore-Tex Twin gloves are CE certified as PPE to EN13594:2015. They have a hard plastic knuckle protector, goat skin palm, extra leather protection on the outside edge down the little finger to the wrist, and a ceramic particle-reinforced panel on the heel of the hand. The less vulnerable upper edges of the gloves are a stretch fabric that allows the gloves to move more easily.
From April 21 2018, all motorcycle clothing sold in the UK is deemed to be Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). To meet this legislation, it must be tested to a recognised standard. For more information on the new laws, click here.
Fastening
Putting the gloves on is easy thanks to the large reinforced tab on the pocket divider – it feels almost as natural as any other glove. For the warmest fit, grip the divider tab against the bottom edge of the cuff as you pop your hand in. If you want to go thinner, just slide your hand underneath the divider – at most, you’ll just need to give the tab a slight pull to seat the divider properly against the back of your hand.
The wrist restraint is well positioned and extremely well built into the glove, as well as having a tab on the end that stops the strap pulling out of the buckle, which is mounted on the top.
The cuff is adjusted with a large Velcro tab, which gives enough expansion to go over some jackets (and easily enough to go over a storm cuff if your jacket has it). For the best water-proofing though, always put your gloves under your jacket, then pull the jacket’s cuffs tight. In this set-up, the Helds fit easily under most brands.
Wet weather use
I’ve found these to be totally waterproof, though again – always remember to ensure your gloves are well sealed inside your jacket, to stop water running down inside. I’m lucky enough to have a Rukka Navigatorr jacket, which has storm cuffs to completely seal the gloves in. If any of the gloves you own seem to be leaking, always check first if it’s actually water finding its way down your arm into the cuff.
A visor wipe is fitted to the outside edge of the first finger, which would be great for swiping away rain, but it’s rather shallow (so the leather tends to do most of the wiping if you don’t hold your hand at just the right angle), and it creases along the bottom quarter of its length. It would have been good to see something a little deeper and slightly firmer.
Lining
The fit is close, and the lining secure – I’ve had no issues with it wanting to pull out – but if your hands are wet the Held 2in1 Twins can be quite awkward to get on; the lining is very plush on the back, and soft on the palm (in either pocket), and this can be grabby if you’re standing out in the rain.
I often suffer with sweaty hands, but despite these being so warm, the lining is of a good quality, and doesn’t feel plasticky like some.
Conclusion
This is a very versatile pair of gloves offering excellent warmth in the winter, as well as the colder periods of spring and autumn. They’re expensive, but if you’re riding through the year they should be considered a worthwhile investment. With excellent build quality, fine details and good levels of protection they come highly recommended.
