Motorcycle
Glove Reviews

Eska H2 Motorcycle Gloves Review

Not much is known about Eska and their gloves among most motorcyclists or even dealers, but they have been making high-quality gloves for nearly a century now. It would be an understatement to accuse them of knowing something about keeping hands safe, and more riders should take some notice. One bit of gear which is a perfect choice for learning how well Eska does their job is the H2 Motorcycle Glove.

First of all, not every feature of the Eska H2 can be covered here – there are simply too many of them to fully describe and explain them all – as it is an advanced piece of gear. They are warm weather specific and primarily feature a ballistic nylon open-weave mesh fabric chosen for letting the cooling air inside. Safety is paramount here, though, and much of the shell is made of several types of leather; Amara microfiber leather is used on the palms for exceptional feedback through the grips, and a special “Pittards digital reinforcement” leather on the underside of the fingers is there for this same reason and to keep your digits safe should they encounter pavement.

Hard silicone ridges are strategically located on the palm side to improve grip further – a neat touch. Double layered sections are also located over the first two fingers on each hand to resist damage with repeated clutch and brake lever usage.

The tip of the thumb and outside edge of the H2’s forefinger are also graced with Amara. This shares the palm with a gel pad insert which is square in the middle at bottom where your hands are statistically likely to be impacted. All of this premium material is sewn together using high-spec double-stitching just about everywhere. However, the seams are inside the gloves, so you do feel them a bit. There is a thin internal lining which is presumably to help this but is not so thick as to block airflow into the shell.

Carbon fiber is used generously on the top of the knuckles and in most of the finger bends as well. This is integrated in an innovative fashion so that there is no detriment to the H2’s flexibility; double stitched and yet allowed to float while appearing to be solidly mounted. More carbon fiber material is at the base of the palm for impact absorption and to allow the glove to slide on rough surfaces. From the gauntlet through the underside of the wrist and around all of the fingers is an elasticized porous material that aids dexterity and cooling. Though it is not claimed to do so by Eska, this material seems to be wicking as well.

The gauntlet is shorter than what you would find on a race-bred glove, but the H2 does have enough to cover the important bones of the wrist; a pair of rubberized ‘bumpers’ are sewn in for this purpose. Another interesting item on the feature list is the special accordion-like mesh material used on the thumbs – look closely for it. Maybe the most significant entry among the list of attributes with which Eska built the H2 is the CE approval stamp and European EN 13594:2002 safety standard compliance – extremely rare.

Look and feel of the H2 is absolutely professional and purpose-built. As you slide them on to your hands, this is immediately noticeable. Awareness of the safety and serious design work that went into these gloves is your next thought, and then you wonder why you have never tried these things before. You can feel the stitching, and it might be annoying for people with hands that are at the upper limit of the sizing, but it was never a problem here. Blame the unique ‘X’ structure of the fingers and their tendency to run a little small, so try them on before you drop your money on a pair.

One you get your hands around your bike’s grips, though, you understand why riders who do know Eska keep buying them. The fit is slightly snug but it does get stretched out and begins to form fit your hand nicely. The ventilation is excellent with the H2 and your hands will not see much perspiration in the heat. Not only will your hands remain dry, they also easily reach the controls without any interference from the glove’s safety-focused construction.

With the CE stamp of approval, safety testing passed, stylish design, top-tier build quality, and very respectable performance in any warm to hot environment, the Eska H2 is well worth its (around) US$84 asking price. The only problem may be locating a set as they can be tough to find; you may end up ordering from France, so be prepared to wait. However, if the H2 lasts even half as long as it appears it will, it is well worth the time and money.