Product of the Month - November, 1997

Moss Motors' Driving Gloves

As the weather turns cold here in the Northeastern United States, getting into our Miata on a frosty winter morning can be a rather unpleasant experience. The seats freeze our delicate buns, the inside of the windows fog up, and then we reach down and grab our cherished Voodoo Shift Knob (Product of the Month - October, '97) and, well, lets just say it sucks the life giving warmth from our hands faster than you can hit the redline out of a toll booth!

Now don't get us wrong - we wouldn't trade our Voodoo Knob for anything in the world, but there's more than one way to skin a cat. Our favorite solution is driving gloves. Soft, supple leather gloves are thin enough to give the tactile feel necessary for that "one-ness" with the driving experience, yet also give just enough protection to take the shock out of grabbing a block of frozen aluminum.

Truth is, we use driving gloves year round. During the warmer months, they act as a moisture barrier so the hands don't slip from the wheel. They also prevent scalding when that same shift knob sits in the hot sun on a summer day. But most of all, they give a solid grip on the wheel without the mushy feel of winter gloves. No, they don't quite the thermal protection for really, really cold days, but for the majority of the year, we absolutely love driving with them.

Over the years, we've tried several different gloves. Some we haven't liked as they were either too thick or had Velcro closures which don't work out too well. Others aren't tanned well and leave stains on the hands after every use. We recently decided to try Moss Motors' gloves and they fit - er - like a glove!

Moss carries two types of driving gloves. The traditional string back design is fabricated from soft deerskin on the palm side and a light string mesh on the back of the hand. The other type is 100% deerskin, front and back. While the choice is mostly a matter of personal preference, there are some minor tradeoffs to consider. The string back design provides better airflow, helping to keep cooler in the summer so there's less sweat buildup inside. During cold months, this is less of an issue since neither design really provides any more thermal protection than the other. However the full leather design has a tighter, more skin-tight fit which gives a better feel to handling the wheel and shifter. We actually have one pair of each design and switch off from time to time.

Whichever your preference, we think a set of driving gloves should be standard equipment for every driving enthusiast!

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Copyright © 1997, Eunos Communications