The Cortech Latigo RR 2 gloves offer a lot of protection for a reasonable price. And they’re still very comfortable.
Of all my motorcycle gear, I’m most particular about my gloves, which is probably why I have quite a few pairs to cover all kinds of riding conditions. That’s not to say I always buy more expensive gloves or that I stick with just one brand. It just means that I have specific preferences when it comes to the feel and features my gloves provide. I’m still happy to find gloves that provide what I’m looking for at a lower price point, and that’s the case with the Cortech Latigo RR 2 gloves I’ve been using this summer.
Along with a helmet, gloves are gear that I wear every single ride. I don’t want to think about going through life with mangled hands and good gloves also make the ride more comfortable. I generally prefer gauntlet gloves to prevent any gap at my wrist (so I don’t end up with a sunburn bracelet) and I have waterproof, insulated gloves for winter, lightly insulated waterproof gloves for cool, wet weather, gloves with better protection for track days and gloves with good protection for street rides and travel. The Latigos fall into that last category, mainly for hot-weather use.
The Latigo gloves retail for $89.99 at RevZilla and you get a good amount of protection for the price. Start with the hard plastic knuckle protection, which is on a separate layer of leather so it floats when you clench your fist, preventing any pressure on the back of your knuckles. There is padding and a second layer of leather along the side of the pinkie finger and a pad on the same side at the base of the hand. There’s an extra layer of leather at the base of the palm and on the back of the fingers, along with some small foam pads. Altogether, it’s protection I would say is generous for street and touring use but not up to track-day demands.
What I like about the Latigos is that you don’t give up comfort for that protection. They’re all leather and provide good feel (I generally prefer goatskin or good old cowhide over some of the more exotic materials, like the kangaroo hide on the palms of my Held gloves). There’s a silicon pad on the palm at the base of the fingers, to prevent slippage on the hand grips. Two small expansion panels on the base of the back of the first two fingers don’t look like they really make a difference, but they can’t hurt in providing more flexibility for riders like me who prefer two-finger braking.
After two months and several thousand miles of usage, there is some fading on the back of the Cortech Latigos from the sun, though the palms are still dark black. Other than the fading, they have held up well so far.
Some riders say the best way to break in a new pair of gloves is wear them in the rain and let them dry as you ride, conforming to the shape of your hands. That’s exactly what happened the first time I wore the gloves. I rode through a few showers on my ride home to Ohio from Philadelphia. The Latigos broke in quickly and are now quite comfortable. The leather feels supple and I like the feel they give me on the controls. Perforations between the fingers and on the sides and back of the gloves make them comfortable in hot summer weather.
I can only point to two areas as downsides. First, after a couple of months and several thousand miles of summer usage, the backs of the gloves are fading quite a bit. That will be annoying to some and welcome patina to others. To me, it’s a non-issue, but just know that these gloves won’t look brand new for very long. The only other downside is that they bled some dye onto my hands in those early rainstorms. Some leather bleeds dye, some doesn’t. These gloves do, though it has diminished with time.
Since those two issues are not major concerns to me, I’m quite happy with the Latigo RR 2 gloves, especially considering the level of protection and the sub-$100 price point. I’ve long felt that Cortech gear offers a good balance between price and quality. It’s not the most high-tech gear, but in my limited experience, it works well, holds together and doesn’t cost much. I have a perforated leather Cortech Magnum jacket that has to be around 15 years old now and though it also shows a lot of patina, it seems to have many years left.
For riders who want a glove with a good balance of comfort and protection for street riding and sport-touring usage, at a very reasonable price, I can recommend the Cortech Latigo RR 2 gloves.
Your review matches my experience with these gloves.
I have the same gloves, but in the red, white, and black color scheme. They have been my go-to gloves for a year now. I wear them in any weather, except the coldest days. They are quite comfortable and seem to be holding up nicely. The red dye has faded a little, just like you describe. I am very impressed with them, especially for the price.
Are the rest of Cortech’s products as good as these gloves?
I have not used a huge number of Cortech products, but all of the ones I have tried have been good on an absolute basis and very good when judged on a “for the price” basis.