Gloves are a hotly discussed theme while you’re on the water. Should I wear gloves while rowing, kayaking or while on the SUP?
If you ask fitness athletes so there is a broad consensus for gloves. Top athletes and many racing athletes tend to reject gloves for water sports enthusiasts. But what are the best gloves for water sports enthusiasts or rowers?
Rowperfect is offering one of the leading brands since many years. A good and much worn glove for water sports. The customers are diversified: in fitness sports and also in competitive sports. In search of the optimal glove for water sports (many rowers are also kayakers or SUPer) we spoke with experts and companies. And we have found a product that is really good and inexpensive.
The best gloves for water sports: the first test
Doris, Marit, Isabel (also Kayaker) and Bernd have worn the product. Different colours, different sizes. Doris gives us your rating here:
She and her 4x crew had just getting ready for the regatta season, as well as for Vestas Head (8+) in England. Apart from the 4x she also rows in the 8+.
She has trained several times a week with the glove range offered by Rowperfect. Read what she says about the product:
Final assessment: R-Perfect Watersport Gloves for Athletes
“At first I was very sceptical about the new R-Perfect gloves. I had never worn rowing gloves before that had an elastic transition at the transition from hand to arm. All other gloves only had Velcro. But I have found that is a very big advantage when rowing. When wearing other gloves, the Velcro bands did touch each other, when I had pulled both arms all the way back. Here, I had no glove to velcro glove contacts with the gloves from Rowperfect.
Grasping water: “Due to the semi-finger design, I have wonderful “direct” contact with the water. They are really gloves for water sports”.
She also likes the fit of the gloves, because they are not too “baggy”. Taking them on and off is also easy. And about the grip on the sweep and scull she says:
“The R-Perfect gloves are pretty thin and keep good contact with sweep and scull. The grip on wooden handles is even better, if I wet the gloves. It is not exactly blister-friendly, but the grip on the handle is great – and water does not harm the gloves”.
Material: “The material feels really good and the glove looks classy. I thought at first sight he would not be stable enough, but far from it. The adhesion of the Anti Slip looks good, unlike my other Rowperfect gloves. In addition, I find the colour palette with pink-blue-gray and black very pretty.
Moisture and ventilation: “I have not felt any annoying sweat until now. In the palm of your hand is probably a vent triangle which helps a lot.”
Blisters: With the 4-finger design of the traditional Rowperfect gloves, I can row very well. Only the small, 5th finger had no leather – and therefore no blister protection – this was a problem when sweep rowing.
Pressure absorption and pull-through: no scratches on the back of the hand:
“Our women crew has only been training together for a few weeks now and the boat is still in “good” condition. With gloves that are open at the back of, there were always scratches on my port side hand, when rowing in 4x. Sometimes the boat wobblers had to be cushioned with my hands. That was not an issue when wearing the R-Perfect gloves.
Conclusion:
I no longer wear bicycle gloves. They are too thick. I now have Rowtex, the traditional “Textured Gloves” from Rowperfect and now the new R-Perfect ones. If I’m honest, I would give the structured, textured gloves a 4* rating, and the new R-Perfect a 4.5*. They sit very well and bring me benefits: I no longer scratch the back of my hand on the sculls and my little finger gets less blisters. My tip to the R-Perfect designers. The finger length could be 1-2 mm longer. Then one of my sensitive finger points would be covered. But that’s probably just the way my hands are.
