While Dakine's women's Cross-X gloves have an armoured look, they're not too over the top. In a full finger style with neoprene knuckle pads and hard rubber moulded sections, nothing's left exposed to stray branches and rocky encounters.
They're lightweight, with dense mesh sections on the back of the hand for breathability. Finger articulation is good for an unrestricted handlebar grip and there's minimal padding on the palm - a bit more would be welcome for longer rides. Generous terry cloth thumb panels take care of snot dribbles and dirt splatters.
The best feature however is the silicon fingertips on the first two digits that give a secure grasp of brake levers and shifters, in all conditions. In fact, the gloves feel thin enough for plenty of trail feedback and control, with that extra bit of armour for when things get burly. Comfortable stretchy neoprene cuffs with Velcro closures finish it off. We like.
