Review: Racer Gloves & Joint Protection

Racer has been making ski gloves for nearly a century, and in 2015 the French company entered the mountain bike market. Since then, they’ve expanded their range to include more apparel and protection for the gravity and trail riding segments.

We got our hands, knees, and elbows on some Racer products to let you know how we felt about them on the trail and how they compare to other popular choices.

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Construction

At the top of Racer’s catalog when it comes to leg protection, and price, is the Profile Knee pad intended for gravity riding. These are slip-on style pads that use silicone strips and two velcro straps to hold them in place.

We’re all aware of the shock-absorbing benefits of D3O inserts by now and the Profile Knee uses a mat of those orange polygons in the front panel, as well as around the side and top sections. Like most D3O pads, you’ll want to remove the special foam when washing the outer material. Small slits inside the knee sleeve allow you to remove the D3O inserts without too much wrestling.

That’s all wrapped up by an Aramid material on the front panels that won’t latch onto pedal pins or tree branches. They have an uncanny resemblance with another popular, heavy-duty knee pad, the Race Face Ambush, minus the smooth laminated front layer - you'll only find this on Racer’s lighter-duty knee pads, oddly enough.

Fit

The Profile Knee only comes in three sizes; MD, LG, and XL. Racer provides a sizing chart and based on those measurements, I chose the “large”, which is stated to have a thigh and calf circumference of 44-47 and 37-40cm. I undershot the sizing since those numbers aren’t in reference to any specific distance from the knee itself.

Compared to a Fox, Race Face, or Akta knee pad, that I’d choose in size large, they are much tighter overall. There weren’t any acute pinch points, but in general, they are a very tight fit for a size large. I’d be better off moving into an X-large pair.

In terms of volume, they aren’t the slimmest, but not as bulky as the Fox Launch Pro D3O, with their optional plastic knee cap. Fitting them under most pants shouldn’t be an issue, except for those ultra-skinny trousers.

Performance

Important abilities, like flexing, breathing and staying in place rank high for the Profile Knee pads. Around the back, the rear panel is a thin, four-way stretch mesh that lets out the hot air. No bunching occurred either, even with the tight fit. I’d be totally happy to pedal in these all day long, provided I upsized to an XL.

I’d rank these pads as more of an enduro knee pad than a full-tilt downhill race pad. The lack of a plastic cap to cover the knee or extended shin coverage does leave a little to be desired if these are supposed to be the burliest knee pads in Racer’s lineup. With that said, I think they’re a solid all-around option, particularly for clipless pedal riders who don’t need shin coverage.

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Construction

For riders seeking a lighter option, Racer has the Mountain Knee 2. This redesigned pad takes a minimalist approach. Although there’s still a D3O insert, this version is backed with EVA foam and neither is removable. The lycra and mesh material mean that they use a single, non-adjustable elastic strap and silicone grippers on the cuffs to hold them in place.

The Mountain Knee 2 is CE level 1 approved and has little side coverage. Basically, they will only reduce the severity of impacts directly from the front, and possibly the top.

Fit

The light, lycra body of the Mountain Knee 2 pads could be what makes them fit true to size, compared to the burlier Profile Knee guards that use the same sizing guideline. They’re long enough to eliminate any thigh gap too.

The fit and coverage is reminiscent of the Fox Enduro Pro pads, however, the padding is not quite as flexible and doesn’t wrap around the sides of the knee quite as well.

Performance

For a light-duty knee guard, these Mountain Knee 2 pads use comfortable and durable materials in key areas. The silicone strips on the inside of the elastics hold them in place without the need for bulkier velcro straps. Behind the knee, an extremely light mesh material keeps air flowing well.

On the front of the padded panel, an abrasion resistant laminate didn’t tear from pedal pin scuffs., much like the Ion Ion K-Sleeve Amp. My only complaint with the Mountain Knee is that the generously thick pad they’re very two-dimensional. Thankfully, I never hit the ground with these, but they don’t conform enough, leaving the sides of your knee vulnerable.

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Construction

I’ll admit, it’s been a while since I’ve used elbow pads of any sort. The Mountain Elbow 2 pads are a light, slim-fitting option that won’t make you feel like Robocop. They use identical construction to the Mountain Knee 2 pads, excluding the stretchy, non-adjustable strap. Instead, they rely exclusively on the silicone lined elastic cuffs to hold them in place.

Fit

In terms of sizing, these seemed to be the most accurate as I found myself wearing a set of medium sized pads comfortably. Even without any adjustment, they fit snugly without sliding around. The thinner padding also matched the curvature of the elbow joint more appropriately than the knee pad version did on the lower leg.

Performance

Who hasn’t tried elbow pads and been disappointed by them sliding down or being too restrictive? This pair from Racer is able to avoid either of those problems. The slim design is sleek enough to fit under long sleeve jerseys without causing any mobility issues.

On cooler days, it did take the silicone a few minutes to heat up and stick them in place. From there on out, they stayed put and never caused any arm pump, which is one of the most crucial factors when it comes to elbow pads being up to snuff.

The padding is slightly thinner and less bulky than the Mountain Knee 2 pads, but still gets a D3O stamp of approval. Likewise, they could still do with enhancing their 3D shape. Bending you elbow does mildly make them fold and expose the top and bottom of the joint. Basically, they offer enough padding and abrasion resistance to take the sting off of a slide-out.

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Construction

If you’re a fan of minimalist gloves, or no gloves at all, the Factory Gloves from Racer are worth a serious look. They use a lambskin palm with no unnecessary stitching on the palm that would otherwise interfere with the contact on the grip.

You won’t find any velcro closure on the cuff. To aid in pulling them on, the palm cutout tapers into a pull tab with a rubber embossed logo for extra grip. Up top, a silicone pattern might just be for looks, but there is a functional suede sweat wiper on the top of the thumb. The entire glove is extremely soft, thin, and stretchy.

Fit

Like the rest of the Racer equipment, it would be best to try before you buy. I found the stretchy gloves to fit on the larger side. Typically, I’ll wear a size medium pair of gloves from most brands. At first, these seemed to fit just fine. Then, they grew slightly over time as sweat broke them in. I’d advise dropping down a size due to the amount these stretch out to.

Performance

Although I’m a glove guy, I prefer minimalist gloves with just enough material to increase grip, as long as they don’t bunch up. The Factory Gloves from Racer are well constructed and fit well. That is, until they become wet.

The grip is still there, but the amount of stretch makes them disconcerting. At times, I felt like my hands were sliding around in the glove. Sizing down would be the play here.

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Pinkbike's Take

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