Race Face Stage gloves review

Designed to be a lightweight, highly breathable full-finger glove, the Race Face Stage offers a barely-there feel on both sides of the hand.

Using a combination of woven elastic, Lycra and neoprene, the glove slips on easily, aided by a generous pull tab. Once on, the snug fit means you’re unlikely to complain about the lack of a Velcro wrist closure.

The Amara palm offers no additional padding, letting your handlebar grips provide the cushioning – something we quite like because of the extra bar control this approach delivers.

Despite being light, the construction is durable

Helping keep your hands cool, the back receives a ‘barely there’ silk-like nylon mesh. The potentially delicate mesh is used sparingly, with the thumb featuring a soft nose-wiping surface matched with heavy-duty webbing reinforcement. Fingertips are reinforced throughout, further bolstering durability. 

The thumb, index and middle finger are kitted with sturdy silicone grippers to help with brake lever and shifter control, while the tips of the middle fingers also receive touchscreen compatible covers, enabling immediate checking of your Strava segment.

That square rubber logo seems a little unnecessary

With hardwearing construction, respectable ventilation and clever features, what’s not to like? Well, there’s a rubber logo sewn on top of the mesh backing that serves little purpose, and finger length is on the short side – so best double check your sizing on these.