[Lead_Teeth]

I came across this site ( http://www.leeparksdesign.com/ ) while doing some research for a new pair of gloves.

Secret #4: Hard carbon fiber shatters (not deforms), creating a safety hazard.
Popular carbon fiber knuckle guards turn into dangerously sharp shards of fiber-reinforced epoxy resin which can aggravate a wound.

What do you guys think?

 

[mmoore]

I've read that before, but it's hard to know how to evaluate it. When you look at a wrecked bike the carbon fiber bits do indeed break rather than deform, so there may be some truth to it.

On some level though it seems to me what's on the back of the hand is somewhat irrelevant - the normal human reaction to falling or sliding is to put your hands out, palm down to break the fall. I suppose if you are cartwheeling or tumbling then the backs of your hands could get impacted, but given how people tend to react I think the palms are just as important if not more so.

 

[test-reg]

interesting point about the carbon fiber. i won't even think about publicly expressing a conclusion. every piece of safety equipement does have the ability to cause injuy. the answer is are you better off with or without. Park's issue with kevlar thread makes sense. the thread doesn't need to be stronger than the material it is holding together. does anyone have these gloves? what do you think?

 

[iamic]

...but the hard armor helps when punching mirrors, fenders, doors, etc... j/k ;D

 

[Guest]

I'm glad there's a post about this. I love my CF gloves and was gonna get another pair but after having fiberglass chips in my skin I'm thinking CF would have similar effects. Ouch! :'(

 

[Guest]

i think someone is oversimplyfying the issue for an angle to help sell their gloves, but i should add that you can't predict every incidental mode of occurance. you can only prepare for the worst and hope for the best when you doing the asphalt surf.

the good gloves with the carbon plates on the fingers or knuckles are stitched over at least one layer of leather, kevlar, if not multiple layers of each. i've never seen a pair of gloves where carbon was in direct contact of the skin. in my wrecks the carbon or carbon/kevlar weave never shattered, worse case it ground down some from sliding friction but it never ground through the carbon panel, the leather under it, or the kevlar panels beneath that.

i have seen/had panels blow out around kevlar stitching... this is why good gloves have at least two if not more rows of stitching when using kevlar. again there should be multiple layers of protection underneath. however i won't buy gloves sight unseen unless i'm familiar with their construction. i believe the claim about hard armor is a bit exagerated but the stitching issue is very much a reality. now the question left is would i rather have a crushed or meat patty for a hand or suffer through some carbon irritation and infection? tough call... but since i have ti-max's that use titanium plates it's not an issue for me.

 

[Guest]

MarkV's got it right- any of the brand name gloves with cf knuckles have several layers underneath- leather/kevlar/foam. The secret#4 is that the author is full of it..

 

[Lead_Teeth]

here's some more info that substantiates the "breaking CF claim." From the Held website ( http://www.held-usa.com/heldtech.html )

"Carbon Fiber Armor: Not all hard shell glove armor is created equal. All Held armored gloves use a special resin-impregnated matrix of carbon fiber and DuPont

 

[Guest]

here's some more info that substantiates the "breaking CF claim." From the Held website ( http://www.held-usa.com/heldtech.html )

"Carbon Fiber Armor: Not all hard shell glove armor is created equal. All Held armored gloves use a special resin-impregnated matrix of carbon fiber and DuPont

 

[midwest]

As if I don't have enough to worry about, now this!!!
I'm just gonna crawl in a hole... oh no, wait. Radon gas!!!
Aaarrrggghhh!

 

[Guest]

As if I don't have enough to worry about, now this!!!
I'm just gonna crawl in a hole... oh no, wait. Radon gas!!!
Aaarrrggghhh!

Hold your breath, Pogo!

 

[DMarley]

Well, I've had the unfortunate opportunity to crash test a pair of these (DeerSports), and they held up beautifully. Just a little scraping at a couple spots, but no tears or anything major. I would have continued using them except that insurance paid for a brand new pair, so I figured, why not.

No clue how they compare to others, though.

 

[Lead_Teeth]

How fast did you hit the pavement? I think I am more concerned with gloves bursting or splitting than I am with anything else.

I'm also a bit interested in the rivets that Held puts in their palms. Read their info in that last link...

I can't find very much info on the web about studded vs. non-studded gloves...

 

[DenverS4]

I have a pair of Alpinestars GP Plus gloves.

I had the misfortune of lowsiding extremely hard during practice. My right hand was under my body, knuckles down grinding on the track.

After recovering from the fall and sitting in the pits, I examined my gloves.

The kevlar/CF parts over my knuckles did their job. Both hands were not hurt or damaged.

The kevlar/CF knuckles on the right glove are ground up but did NOT shatter or splinter.

The left glove also has damage. The center knuckle on the left glove has some grind marks and a dent in it. But again, it didn't splinter or shatter.

The palms did a decent job of protecting my hands but one did tear a bit. These were my gloves second season. Which IMO is too long to keep gloves that are used for racing considering the sweating and the like that breaks down the leather....