The Breakdown

These are probably the most comfortable gloves I have worn. The deer and elk hide exterior is super soft and breathes well. My hands stay dry and protected in a wide range of temperatures. Wide long cuffs and two velcro closures adjust the opening of the gloves easily and cover the jacket sleeves completely to prevent wind from entering. The fingers are a bit long for my hands, but the overall fit is good. They do not have TPU or carbon fiber protection components. They do have extra leather patches on the palm and over the knuckles for abrasion protection. They are relatively expensive but considering the durability of deer/ elk hide, they pay for themselves.
Design 99%
Materials & Build Quality 95%
Fit & Comfort 95%
Protection 90%
Value for Money 90%
Pros
Soft and super comfortable / Great breathability / Long cuffs. No wind going up your sleeve / Hand washable / Durability / Wide range of sizes
Cons
$135 is fairly expensive / Uneven cuts of leather, uneven stitching / No armor. Only extra leather patches

My Quest for the Perfect Riding Gloves

For motorcyclists, living in San Diego is a pure blessing. The climate is pleasant and mild throughout the year with only a handful of rainy days. To the west are scenic routes by the Pacific Ocean, to the east twisty mountain roads and the desert to explore. I take full advantage of this and ride year-round, often racking up more than 15000 miles a year. Searching for good gear is a necessary habit.

Me riding my Honda VFR800 by the Pacific Ocean.

In my experience, many motorcycle gloves wear out after about two years of daily use (not involving a crash). Seams break open or leather gets faded and worn out while losing its suppleness.

Durability is not the only issue. As a daily rider who commutes on a motorcycle a few hours a day, comfort is also a deciding factor. After doing some research on durable yet comfortable motorcycle gloves, I decided to try Lee Parks DeerSports Gloves.

Lee Parks is an author of one of the best selling motorcycle training books, “Total Control – High Performance Street Riding Technique.” His courses are taught at numerous locations in the US and in Europe by well-trained instructors. He founded his motorcycle gloves and accessory company after years of working as an editor for Motorcycle Consumer News testing motorcycle gear.

Craftsmanship

The Lee Parks Design Deersports gloves top view.

They are made in the USA, and the construction of the gloves is good. They use two nylon threads instead of Kevlar thread for the elasticity, and there is less stitching overall meaning less chance of breaking at the seams.

Stitching and hems inside are smooth, and I do not feel any pressure points or anything rubbing against my hands. However, the shape of the knuckle protection patch is a bit irregular and cut unevenly.

The stitchings on these patches are also not in the same shape. The left one is more rectangular and stitched along the shape of the patch. The right one is more of an egg shape and there is more space between the stitches and the edge of the patch.

Having said that, I don’t think these irregularities affect the functionality of the gloves. I would prefer uniform stitching because it looks better and distinguishes it as a premium product.

Leather

The Lee Parks Design Deersports gloves have long gauntlets on them.

The gloves have deerskin on the palm side and elkskin on the backside. Both deer and elk hide are premium choices for gloves, particularly when it comes to durability. They are stronger than cowhide and highly abrasion-resistant. The distinctive grain of elk hide gives the gloves a sturdy look, yet they are very soft and supple. They didn’t require any break-in period at all.

Both elk and deer hide is also very breathable. I rode on an 80F winter day (Thank goodness for Southern California weather!), and my hands were never clammy. They also provide surprisingly good protection for the cold.

I was able to ride comfortably down to 40F with silk liner gloves underneath. So far, I have ridden about 1000miles in two weeks wearing these gloves in a wide range of temperatures, and my hands were always comfortable in them.

Waterproof?

They are not waterproof but hand washable because these hides stay soft after drying. That is great news if you purchase two-tone pairs with tan color leather that may get grimy.

Cost

These are fairly expensive at $135 ($134.95 on Lee Parks Design website) but considering the durability of these materials, they pay for themselves.

Sizing

The size range is quite expansive. You can choose from XXS to XXXL. Kudos to Lee Parks Design for making these gloves in smaller sizes. From what I’ve seen, many companies do not provide the same models or designs in smaller women’s sizing. And making things in pink doesn’t mean you are designing gear for women!

Me doing up the zipper on my jacket while wearing the Lee Parks Design Deersports gloves.

I usually wear women’s Small motorcycle gloves, but after looking at the unisex glove size chart Lee Parks Design provides on their website, I chose a size XS. The width is spot on around my palm (7.5inch), but the fingers are slightly long.

Because the tips of the glove fingers are empty, they fold over a little, and sometimes I have difficulty pressing buttons on the gas pump keypad. The Lee Parks site mentions these gloves stretch quite a bit so maybe I could have bought one size smaller.

That being said, I do not have any problems manipulating switches on my bike or vents of my helmet wearing these gloves, so I am not planning to exchange them for a smaller size.

My Hand Measurements for Reference

  • My hand circumference 7.5“
  • My palm measures 4”
  • My thumb measures 2.1”
  • My index finger measures 2.7 ”
  • My middle finger measures 3”
  • My ring finger measures 2.65”
  • My little finger measures 2.1”

Design

The Lee Parks Design Deersports gloves side view.The fingers and palms are not pre-curved but don’t feel bunched up on grips. They are unlined, but the inside feels soft and smooth. Tactile sensation is very good which is not surprising given the softness of the leather and simple construction.

The Lee Parks Design Deersports gloves side view and inside view of the cuff

I love the length of the cuff. It measures five inches from the wrist and is two inches longer than my Women’s Alpinestar Stella SP-8 gauntlets. With two velcro closures at the wrist, the opening of gloves are easily adjusted even to my skinny wrists and completely covers the jacket sleeve.

No wind gets up in the sleeve which is nice on a chilly night ride and may protect against light rain also. But as I mentioned above, they are not waterproof so I won’t wear them in the heavy rain.

The Lee Parks Design Deersports gloves palm side view.

Upon seeing the long cuff that comes up almost half the length of my forearm, my friend commented how these all-black gloves look like something Darth Vader may wear.

Sure, but they don’t look like over-embellished Transformer robot hands because they don’t have gimmicky TPU parts which are all so common these days. I just took the comment as one of many compliments I received for the classy look of these gloves.

And besides, Star Wars is cool.

Protection

The Lee Parks Design Deersports gloves knuckle protection.

Extra patches of leather on the palms and knuckle areas. No TPU, No carbon fiber.

The major difference between Lee Parks Design DeerSports and the current mainstream motorcycle gloves is the absence of carbon fiber or TPU protection parts.

Their website points out that carbon fiber protection pieces can break into shards and present safety hazards. While the information about the actual prevalence of such protection component failures is not readily available, injuries with carbon fiber shards or splinters can be awful. Those who want more impact protection can opt for their newer and more expensive SUMO gloves, which come with TPR(thermoplastic rubber) on the fingers, knuckles, and wrists if the budget allows.

A graphic from the Lee Parks website talking about their design.

Photo credit: Lee Parks Designs

They have an extra leather patch on the palm and knuckles to provide good abrasion protection. I have what I would call bony wrists, so I wish there was better protection for my ulna also. For obvious reasons, I am not going to run an impact test or abrasion test on these, and I cannot verify if they are suitable for track use as they claim.

Comparable Gloves

When it comes to comparable products from competitors, the closest I could find was Aerostich Elkskin Gauntlets.

They are much more reasonably priced at $87. The Aerostich gauntlets are shorter than these DeerSport ones. Aerostich uses elkskin on the palm side and deerskin on other parts which is strangely the opposite of Lee Parks DeerSports’ design. They have protective pads on the knuckles and an extra oval shape patch on the palm.

They are pretty similar, and as a matter of fact, Aerostich sells Lee Parks DeerSports on their website. From what I read from various websites, the main difference is that the Aerostich one is thicker and not as pliable. As for durability, the opinions were split. Unfortunately, Aerostich doesn’t make these gloves in my size.

Final Verdict?

The Lee Parks Design Deersports gloves sitting on a Honda VFR800 gas tank.

I can’t express enough how comfortable these gloves are. They feel like a second skin and protect my hands from a wide range of temperatures. I like their long cuffs which cover the jacket sleeves completely.

They are good looking gloves. I appreciate the simple yet well-thought-out design and construction. They are expensive but I do not mind spending extra money for quality, durability, and comfort.

If you are an aggressive rider or looking for maximum protection, they may not be the best choice.

I rode about 1000miles in these gloves so far, and they are my favorite to date.

Pros

  • Soft and super comfortable
  • Great breathability
  • Long cuffs. No wind going up your sleeve
  • Hand washable
  • Durability
  • Wide range of sizes

Cons

  • $135 is fairly expensive
  • Uneven cuts of leather, uneven stitching
  • No armor. Only extra leather patches

Specs

  • Manufacturer: Lee Parks Designs
  • Price: $$134.95
  • Made in: USA
  • Sizes: XXS – XXXL
  • Colors: Black / Black & Tan
  • Safety Designations: None
  • Review Date: December 2020

Lee Parks Design Image Gallery

 

 

8 Comments

  1. February 1, 2021
    Reply

    Can I buy this in the Netherlands ?

    • February 1, 2021
      Reply

      You should contact Lee Parks Designs to find out.
      I’m reasonably sure they would ship to you there.

  2. Ian
    February 1, 2021
    Reply

    After riding for 30 years I’ve finally found my ideal gloves – Lee Parkes. I have the DeerTours for summer and DeerSports PCI for winter. Neither has an inner lining so your fingers & hands are in contact with the hide – beautiful. They are soft, malleable and tight fitting which I like. To make sure you get the sizing right download the size chart.
    Be aware though that they are not waterproof. I carry another pair of gloves that are waterproof just in case I get caught out. Whether it’s because they are hand (!) made or what I don’t know but quality control can be an issue. Lee replaced a pair I bought, without any fuss. Even taking into account these waterproof, quality control & cost of freight to Australia issues I still say they are the best gloves I’ve ever had, and when they wear out I’ll buy them again.

    Ian

  3. Tim Stevenson
    February 1, 2021
    Reply

    I have these and a pair of the unlined ones as well, for warmer conditions. Most comfortable gloves ever!

  4. Bill Brown
    February 2, 2021
    Reply

    I too live in Oz and have two pairs of the original Lee Parks gloves from 10 years ago – one tan/black, one full black

    I have small hands, but thick palms, I sent them back to get the fingers shortened – not a problem

    Most m/c gloves are not a good fit for me, but these, once remedied, are bloody marvelous. I don’t miss the hard protectors

    Except when it is pouring down, these are the only gloves I wear on my Rt1200, from -10 degrees Celsius to +40 degrees Celsius

    Highly recommended

  5. February 8, 2021
    Reply

    Will add my approval to the above comments. Have had a pair for 3 years now and I rarely wear anything other than these gloves. Very very comfortable for basic riding and touring. Have better gloves for a track day and for wet/winter riding, but these are my go to choice 90% of the time. Hold up very well to, other than sun fading of the black color they are still like new after 1000’s of miles.

  6. February 14, 2021
    Reply

    I’ve had several pair of these over the years. I currently have a pair of the gauntlets (like pictured here) that are more than ten years old and a pair of ‘regular’ gloves that I wear with my more “fashionable’ (Spidi ‘city’ jackets or my Trailmaster) riding gear when I’m going to work or similar. They are excellent gloves and after treatment can be really quite water resistant. My only complaint is that they are not touch screen compatible – in a world that is decidedly filled with touch screens, this is no longer an option.

  7. Rez
    July 7, 2021
    Reply

    I’ve had a pair for 5 +years. My faaavvvvorite gloves. Just noticed the pointer finger stitching started splitting. Anyway getting other pair. On the touch screen topic, mine work on my iPhone for some reason. Maybe it’s luck. Maybe it’s Madeline.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published.