The Attack Glove was developed to be a sleeker, more comfortable, and equally effective cycling glove for road cycling. That said there will be many trail riders who are intrigued by the design for hot weather adventures off road. The logic behind the approach of the Pearl Izumi designers starts with a few key pieces of knowledge. First, most traditional cycling gloves add comfort by adding padding. Second, this choice presents a tradeoff that has led some riders to go glove-less in favor of better bar feel and a more natural sense of control. Third, this means the rider also gives up nerve protection and the extra security such as abrasion protection during an unfortunate "cyclist meets ground" event. Pearl's 1:1 anatomic design process has largely overcome most of the challenges, but now with a new palm and pad design system, the company has truly met it's own goal in the combination of anatomic and ergonomic glove construction.

Essentially the Attack Glove takes the opposite approach of simple extra padding and provides a new support thought process, rather than padding, to alleviate hand numbness. The 1:1® Connect Palm uses a specially shaped, low profile gel insert to maintain the natural arch across your palm (go ahead, take a quick look at your hand) to avoid numb fingers. This maintains handlebar contact at the knuckles and the heel of your palm, and adds the slip free grip of synthetic leather of the palm material for locked in control. If you think about how metatarsal pads in shoe insoles create the same arc'ed support of the forefoot, you'll see this is a proven concept. By allowing the hand to maintain a natural arch, bone structures sit naturally, not flattened. When the palm sits flat, nerves and the blood vessels can get compressed, creating numbness and lack of blood flow. So not only does the 1:1® Connect Palm protect the nerves of the hand from direct hand and body pressure on the bar, the support can help reduce other potential issues. The natural, low profile, arc'ed feel also allows for better ergonomic interaction with shift and brake controls, as well as various hand/bar placements.

In most other ways the Attack Glove is fairly simple and straightforward. A breathable stretch mesh covers the back of the hand and allows for comfortable fit, assisted by the outer wrist hook and loop closure. A generous soft terry wiping zone is always appreciated, as are the BioViz® reflective elements that offer low-light visibility when you require it. We are excited about the 1:1 Connect Palm concept. As with any padded glove, proper fit is crucial so that the padding sits where you need it, but the Attack could be the answer for cyclists who use padded gloves now yet still struggle with numbness or hand fatigue.