Rogue MTB Flow Glove

written by: J.A. Caldwell

History:

Rogue was started in early 2006 by Eric Thompson and Nick Stewart. Both owners are avid mountain bike riders that enjoy all types of riding. They noticed the lack of mountain bike specific riding apparel in the market and wanted to create something new for the mountain bike scene. From the perspective of a rider with performance goals in mind they set out to create a diverse line of mountain bike apparel that functions as good as it looks.

The Product:

Rogue sent us some of their new Flow gloves to try out and see what we think. We received the blue and army green versions for our testing. Rogue also makes the gloves in Red and Brown.

Rogue Flow blue version - click to enlarge

Rogue Flow army green version - click to enlarge

Intended Use:

The Flow gloves are a light-duty glove created to give riders a nice airy feel without sacrificing features that make it hook up well. While, the Flow isn’t a hardcore DH glove (see the Rogue Baron) it works well for daily use and is light for racing conditions.

Features and Materials:

The Flow glove has a full Spandura back, Clarino palm, and terry cloth thumb. The traction patches on the finger tips are made out of rubberized material for added grip. The palm area also has a small cushioned spot to make the ride a little smoother. Rogue also added more material to the outer palm area to give more padding and wear resistance. The terry cloth thumb works well for wiping sweat away. The wrist closure uses Velcro and has a nice Rogue rubberized logo. They range in size from small to XXL.

Palm detail - click to enlarge

Fit and Finish:

The fit was just about perfect for our sizes. The gloves didn’t slip or slide during riding, which is always a plus. The closure worked well and kept the gloves snug. I don’t exactly have the largest wrists so sometimes the Velcro overlaps the glove a bit. With the Flow’s I was able to use the whole Velcro area with no overlap to get the right fit.

Closure - click to enlarge

The materials on these gloves looked as good as any other gloves we’ve purchased. The construction is all single stitch. One problem we did notice was that the screen printing on the glove did tend to crack where the glove stretched. It doesn’t take away from the glove look when non-flexed but could be an issue for some someone who is picky. We ran these gloves for a few weeks indoors and out and didn’t notice any abnormal wear in any of the areas.

Flexed to show cracking - click to enlarge

Riding Results:

As mentioned we tested out these gloves in varying conditions. For trail riding and descents the gloves worked well by allowing the right amount airflow to your hand without feeling breezy. The gloves helped to keep a hold of the bars while braking, railing, and hucking giving us confidence that we needed for extreme maneuvers. We spent some time indoors with the gloves at Ray’s MTB Indoor Park. While not exactly scorching hot inside you can get an idea of how a normal windless day would be like. With only the breeze generated by rounding the park on the XC loop and jump sections the gloves kept the temps at reasonable levels due to the unrestricted backing and light palm materials. These wouldn’t be considered cold weather gloves but they do work in a pinch, taking the bite out of a harsh day.

Pro’s and Con’s:

Pro’s:

• Light and Breathable
• Nice wrist closure
• Smart traction patch placement

Con’s

• Logo cracking
• Slight pilling on palm
• MSRP is higher than anticipated
• Would have liked to have seen double stitching in key areas

Availability:

The Flow glove will have a MSRP of $24. The entire 2007 Rogue MTB line will be available through Rogue’s website in early December. PricePoint will also be picking up the line as one of Rogue’s first online retailers.

Conclusion:

In life you’ve got to keep a good grip. Whether it’s on reality or your bike if you lose it things get very bad in a hurry. The Flow gloves perform well and have an understated look that should work well for a wide range of riders. They aren’t the most heavy duty gloves on the market they do serve their purpose of being breathable and light. While the cracking could be an issue it’s not a deal breaker and to most people it isn’t even a problem. What matters is that they don’t fall apart and that they improve your experience. To see all of the pictures from the review, check the gallery. To see the full line of Rogue’s products and get more information use the links below:

Interbike Coverage: Full 2007 line with pictures and information

Website: Rogue MTB Apparel

Contact Information: info@roguemtb.com or 760-420-1545