For a company to only produce one product…and thrive, they must be doing something right. Five Gloves is just that kind of company. Specializing in, well gloves, of course, the brand is starting to branch out with an all-new mitten for the off-road guys.

You might know a guy called Steve Holcombe. If not, he’s a multiple world champion, racing for Beta and repping the Five Gloves brand – in particular, the MXF Prorider S (SEE REVIEW HERE). After numerous championships with the MX glove, Five decided to have a crack at some Enduro specific gloves with built-in CE armour, in an attempt to give the Off-Road riders what they want.

Armour in gloves is nothing new to the market, so it’s not like Five are re-inventing the wheel at all. The E3 glove is certified for open-road use (if you do a bit of that too) and features a metacarpo-phalangeal protective shell in soft TPR, which is concealed under mixed Spandex/polymesh construction. A synthetic leather reinforcement, that is ventilated at the point of contact with the handlebars, aid to reduce the risk of thumb blisters. The palm, in AX Suede Cinco is reinforced on the hypothenar muscle with a synthetic leather inset and features a silicone print for a pretty decent grip on the controls.

The CE Armour is neatly hidden under the Spandex/polymesh material

The Dirt

What I like most about the E3 gloves from Five, is that they offer that knuckle protection from roost, branches, rocks, other riders, or if you go down hard, while being extremely flexible at the same time. The combination of the mixed Spandex/polymesh and metacarpo-phalangeal protective shell in the soft TPR means you barely notice the extra hard CE protection during riding. We have tried other armoured gloves and they are comfortable enough, but not quite like the E3. You don’t want restrictions though your hands and this seems to be the best of both worlds.

Mounting the gloves is easy with the pull tab, and the Velcro flap closure is pretty standard in the glove game and has never come off. You also expect it to be heavier than it is when you look at the E3. But it is very light, even though it has the one-piece protective shell.

The E3 is selfie-friendly. More and more glove makers out there (especially road) are starting to adopt this feature and although it isn’t something that is high on my list of needs in a glove. Being able to answer the phone or stop on the trail and take a quick snap of the scenery without having to quickly get the glove off or use your nose is kinda handy. Again, not really a feature that will define our glove preference but handy none the less.

No that’s not free WiFi, sadly. You can take selfies though.

The only downside of the E3 is that its breathability is hampered when the temperature gets up. We would keep these gloves in our gear bag on a hot day, as the spandex/polymesh material, although super comfortable, got our hand a little toastie. You don’t want warm hands when riding as that can lead to moisture and moisture can lead to blisters.

So to wrap it up. The E3 Five Gloves are a real option when it comes to bush riding and keeping the knuckles safe. We really like them and are perfect for bush bashing with zero risk of gorse getting embedded in your knuckles. They are comfortable, protective, breathable and smartphone friendly. Definitely a regular-to-cool weather riding glove that will handle plenty of abuse.

Key Technical Features

Sublimated Spandex and Polymesh construction (topside) / Ax Suede Cinco (palm).
Soft TPR metacarpo-phalangeal protective shell concealed under fabric.
Soft TPR phalangeal mini protective shell (index, middle, ring fingers).
Synthetic leather reinforcement on the hypothenar muscle.
Synthetic leather thumb reinforcement at the zone of contact with the handlebars.
Silicone print on the palm to enhance grip.
Fourchettes (finger contours) in Heavy Lycra® to boost flexibility and airflow.
Closure system with Velcro flap and pull tab.
Touch Screen system for using device screens (GPS, smartphone).
CE certified (open-road use).

Price: $59.90

Distributed by: Darbi Accessories

CLICK HERE to check out the Five E3 Gloves