We rarely publish Motorcycle protective gear reviews are littered with at least one caveat or complaint. But every once in a while, a product comes along that easily meets every criteria on our must-have list. Or, in the case of Saint’s Inside Out and Road gloves, two products.
It’s no secret that we’re fans of Saint’s motorcycle gear—which is why we now represent the Australian motorcycle apparel brand on new store launch. Which begs the question: is this more of a recommendation than a review? It certainly is… but not for the reasons you might think.
Yes, if you buy a new pair of Saint Inside Out or Road [above] gloves from our store, it will help keep the lights on around here. But that doesn’t mean my opinion isn’t completely my own, and based on the miles I’ve put in both pairs of gloves. If we recommend a product here, that means we’d recommend it to you if you saw us on the road.
I can objectively say that these are some of the best gloves I have ever owned and used. The reason being…
Saint Inside Out Gloves There’s only one other pair of gloves in my closet that can match my Saint Inside Out gloves for comfort. And those gloves don’t have any knuckle protection, which says a lot about how well Saint’s products are designed.
The secret to their ultimate comfort lies in two aspects. Designed with the classic work glove feel, the Inside Outs use soft calfskin leather all over. So they feel luxurious right out of the box, with no getting used to.
Second, the Inside Outs wear all their seams on the outside—hence the name. Saint developed these gloves in collaboration with American motorcycle racer Terry Madden, drawing on his experience racing four-wheelers in the desert. The inspiration came from the inside-out design of Terry’s incredibly comfortable fire-resistant racing gloves.
These aren’t the first gloves to feature this construction, but it’s a trick that works incredibly well nonetheless. There’s not a single spot on the Inside Out gloves that rubs or chafes, and the goatskin and boxy finger construction allow for plenty of movement, despite the lack of padding. The fingers are also roomy; a boon for riders with long fingers like me.
An integrated elastic band at the top and a clasp at the bottom secure the glove around your wrist. This is where you’ll find the unique Saint branding, in the form of a subtle embossed logo.
There is a thin polyester lining on the inside, with a stretchy piece lining the space behind the cuff closure. This is the only place that starts to show wear after heavy use, with the thin fabric behind the cuff starting to pull away from the stitching a little (this does not affect the function of the glove at all).
Additional protection comes from hard, foam-lined knuckle guards on the inside. The palm also features a padded slider—a rarity for gloves of this type. Combined, it’s enough to qualify the Inside Out gloves as CE-certified.
Finally, touchscreen-compatible fingertips are featured on the index finger and thumb of each glove. They work as expected, with the thumb being more effective as it tends to grip the skin better.
Available in black, brown, and tan, and in sizes S to XXL, the Inside Out gloves have quickly become a staple in my personal gear collection. And if you still need convincing, I’m sure my parents would be happy to recommend a pair to you, too—after trying on my test pair, they each bought a pair of their own. [Buy: USA | Rest of world]
Saint Road Gloves I generally prefer short gloves to long gloves. But when necessary (like horse riding in Estoril and need to adhere to minimum gear requirements), it’s nice to have something a little more lightweight than the usual flashy superbikes. The Saint Road Gloves fit the bill.
The Saint’s Road gloves share many of the same features as the Inside Out gloves; goatskin construction, subtle branding, and touchscreen-compatible thumb and index fingers. But they offer much better protection, earning a CE level one rating.
A generous carbon fiber knuckle guard sits on the upper, with reinforced padding on the palm, fingers, side of the thumb, and wrist. Like most mitten-style gloves, the Saint Road’s wrist closure uses an integrated elastic band, plus two hook-and-loop adjusters to fine-tune the fit.
The Roads gloves are noticeably heavier and stiffer than the Inside Out gloves—but they still fit true to size and get softer as you go further. The fingers are pre-curved, with thin accordion panels that feature subtle reflective piping. Perforations on the sides of the fingers ensure adequate airflow; while I wouldn’t choose the Roads for particularly hot days, they’re fine for most rides.
Aside from the obvious protective benefits, the Road gloves are also notable for their aesthetics. Available in black only and in sizes S to XXL, they boast all the right details in all the right places, effortlessly blending classic style with modern performance. [Buy: USA | Rest of world]
Image of Devin Paisley
