Raida AirWave Motorcycle Riding Gloves Review

Words - Sahil Siddiqui

A few months ago, we at ZigWheels received a package full of new riding gear from Raida. Among the various items in the box, I got the Raida AirWave short-cuff riding gloves, which I really needed as I was looking to replace my old gloves with a new set. 

I used the Raida AirWave gloves extensively for a few months and have ridden over thousands of kilometres wearing them, which included dry weather and heavy Pune-Mumbai rains as well. Here’s how they performed:

What do the Raida AirWave gloves offer? 

The Raida AirWave gloves are a pair of short cuff leather riding gloves, priced at Rs 3,350. They also have 3D mesh panels on the fingers and back of the hands, which helps keep them ventilated throughout your ride.

Talking about protection first, the Raida AirWave gloves have hard TPR (Thermoplastic Rubber) protectors on both knuckles, for protection against impact and abrasion. On the palm, both gloves have two hard Knox Scaphoid Protectors - essentially palm sliders to ensure that your hand slides easily over the tarmac in case of a crash, and the gloves don’t catch and twist your wrist. The TPR protectors are there on the fingers as well, but the thumb and pinky finger miss out on them. The extended wrist cuff with the Raida logo also has TPR on the outside and acts like a wrist bone protector.

The Raida AirWave gloves have a velcro closure and the fingertips have foam padding for better comfort. The upper part of both palms and the inside part of both thumbs have synthetic suede material reinforcements which provide a better grip on the handlebar. The index fingers on both gloves are touchscreen-compatible. There is also a rubber visor wiper on the left index finger. The four fingers also have stretch panels for better fit. Additionally, there is a tich button (snap fasteners) on the inside of both gloves to keep them together and reduce the chances of them being lost. I also use this button to hang the gloves together.

How do they fit, feel and perform?

I have used these gloves for thousands of kilometres now. I used them in dry weather and in the rain, and they turned out to be pretty impressive. They are very comfortable for me and I love the snug fit. Not once did I feel any irritation or discomfort while wearing them. The pre-curved finger construction on the gloves makes it easier to hold the handlebar. The mesh panels around the fingers and back of the hand provide good ventilation and help to keep my hands sweat-free on hot days.

The Raida AirWave gloves offer a good feel when handling the bike’s key and while pressing any button on the switchgear. Even the small buttons on my helmet’s Bluetooth device are easy to use with these gloves on, which is really handy and convenient.

As Maharashtra is experiencing monsoons, I have been caught up in the rains a couple of times while riding with these gloves on, and they have impressed me even in wet riding conditions. They soak up the water and become slightly heavy. However, the suede fabric panels still provide excellent grip on the handlebar, even in heavy rains. It does have a rain visor wiper on the left index finger, but I prefer wiping off the raindrops from the leather on the inside of the fingers and palm, which I find more effective in any gloves I have used to date.

These gloves don’t have any reflective panels, but I personally don’t think it is a major issue as our riding jackets and pants usually have enough reflective panels on them. The pinky finger does have additional leather enforcement on the sides. However, it would have been better if the pinky and index fingers were stitched together for added protection.

Should the Raida AirWave riding gloves be your next upgrade?

I personally love leather riding gloves and prefer them over full mesh gloves or any other for my everyday rides. And that’s why I just love the Raida AirWave and would strongly recommend them among the various short cuff gloves available in the 3-4k price range. I love the rugged feel of the gloves, and they fit perfectly on my hands and around my wrist.

However, my colleague, Azaman Chothia, also wears the same size gloves as me, but these ‘L size’ gloves were too tight for him but were perfect for me. I think it’s because I have slimmer fingers. The Raida AirWave gloves are available in various sizes (XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL) and Raida also suggests getting one size bigger, and that might be for the same reason.