Back in my college days I worked at a high-end bike shop in Philadelphia. It seemed that out of all the apparel brands, road bikers coveted Pearl Izumi the most. I always assumed that Pearl only made gear for fancy road bikers, but I was way off! Turns out, they’ve had a huge selection of tops, bottoms and accessories for all types of biking for years. I got my hands on their MTB Performance T and a pair of the Divide Gloves at the start of riding season, and my only regret is not knowing about the mountain bike gear sooner.
Men’s Divide Glove
If you’re looking for a lightweight summer glove, this is it. Pearl Izumi touts the Divide as a minimalist, “second skin” feeling hand protection. They are not wrong. The moment I slipped on these synthetic leather gloves, I knew I had upgraded. My prior pair were heavier, felt scratchy against my skin, and didn’t breathe very well. The Divide gloves were made for lightweight summer riding, and even on the hottest days my hands felt great in them. Pearl Izumi puts them in the 55-80 degree range for maximum comfort, but I can attest to these gloves performing just fine on 95 degree rides.
Another nice feature (which is nearly a standard now) is the touchscreen-friendly leather on the index fingers and thumbs. It works like a charm even when they were a bit dirty. These are slip on style gloves, so no messing around with velcro straps or snaps. I wore these on every ride I’ve taken this summer, and they are holding up like champs. No rips or signs of breakdown anywhere on them. My only word of caution is they fit a bit on the small side, so if you are between sizes you should err on the larger side.
Men’s Performance T
Comfortable? Check. Casual? Check. Good for hot weather? Check. The Pearl Izumi Performance T ticks off all the must-have features in a summer top without having you look like a moving billboard. I’ve ridden in this T the entire season and honestly have nothing bad to say about it. The fit is “semi-form” which I found to be perfect; technically cut but not too tight. The tail of the shirt drops just slightly to keep dirt and debris from finding its way onto your back. Transfer Dry fabric does a great job of wicking sweat, and Pearl Izumi has this shirt rated for up to 100 degree rides. I concur.
I’ve mentioned this in numerous other gear reviews, and I’ll mention it here: I love outdoor gear that doesn’t look like outdoor gear. I use this shirt not just for riding, but for workouts at home and at the gym. You could pop this T on with a pair of jeans and stroll out the door looking stylishly casual. I don’t need a splashy advertisement on the front of my shirt while I’m riding, and I sure as hell wouldn’t walk into the local bar wearing a standard riding jersey. The Performance T looks great, feels great, works in the heat and has held up through many rides and washing machine cycles. This top will be in my regular rotation until the day it falls apart, which I doubt will be any time soon.