Fox Racing’s Flexair Greg Minnaar gloves are built for one thing – ultimate bar feel. Through a minimal but rather premium construction, the brand has achieved its goals, bringing a near-gloveless feel in a reasonably durable and comfortable package. However, its simplicity sacrifices mod cons and a few features I’ve really found myself missing.
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Fox Racing Flexair Greg Minnaar gloves – Technical details
To get some housekeeping out of the way, although these particular gloves are Greg Minnaar’s signature gloves, they’re identical to the regular Flexair gloves aside from Greg’s signature embossed on the palm and the Green Camouflage colourway.
Built as simply as possible, Fox aims to bring big bar feel to the mix, and that’s through a leather palm – so no, these aren’t for vegans. For a hint of ventilation, the palm is perforated, and for touch-screen compatibility, there are conductive threads at the index finger and thumb.
The upper is made of a lightweight material that’s cut for a close fit, chosen for its breathability, and both the upper and palm are joined with a thin neoprene cuff.
And that’s as far as features go; the Flexair gloves really are that simple. They’re available in six sizes to fit hands from 18 to 22.5cm in length, and if you’re not one for the Greg Minnaar signature colour, they’re also available in black.
Fox Racing Flexair Greg Minnaar gloves – Performance
Even the lowest profile gloves on the market come at a cost to bar feel. Having any layer of material between the hand and grip reduces communication and feedback felt through the bar and brakes, but sweat and lack of protection are real downsides to riding without gloves. Thanks to the leather palm and thin-as-possible build, the Flexair gloves hit a near-perfect balance in bar feel, with the leather palm very much acting like a second skin, no pun intended.
In the pursuit of such bar feel, which is really among the best you can get with a pair of gloves, Fox has really laid into the simplicity factor – there’s no silicone of texture at the finger and while this does result very much in a gloveless feel, it’s a feature I’ve found myself missing while wearing these gloves. It’s surprising how much strips of silicone can aid grip on the brake levers and add another layer of feel to the cockpit. That said, if you are looking for a glove that provides as close to bare-hand bar feel, the Flexair achieves that goal.
For this test, I chose a large glove, and while it’s certainly a snug fit, there’s no real tightness of note or restriction to dexterity. It’s close to the skin, again furthering the brand’s aims of a gloveless feel, and with that, comfort is very good, but I have found a small, repairable hiccup in this area – the extended portion of the palm that acts as a pull and the seams that run on either side of it. If the gloves are just thrown on, the seams can dig into the wrist and get uncomfortable. This is fixed just by rearranging them once the glove is on, and over time, the material has softened to become more comfortable.
Fox says that the upper is ‘extremely breathable’, but if I’m honest, it’s better suited as a mid-season glove. I’ve ridden in these throughout the autumn and the start of spring, into a small portion of the colder months, and they’ve performed well, balancing warmth and airflow commendably. However, on the warmer days where it’s reached around 18 degrees Celsius, they’ve gotten a little on the toasty side – they’re certainly not a cool as other gloves. It would be great to see a thinner upper or a mesh to boost breathability further.
Although warm, the Flexair gloves are durable. They’ve coped with many washes, but importantly, they’ve coped well after being put through bushes and the like, apart from a bit of fraying at the upper, which is only to be expected. After a wash, they don’t shrivel up either, as can happen with leather-palmed gloves.
The second feature I’ve missed is a little bit of terry cloth on the thumb. Handy for wiping sweat or wet noses, the lack of an absorbent soft fabric patch hasn’t gone unnoticed. Again, the Flexair really leans into minimalism, but a nose wipe is a surprisingly useful feature.
Fox Flexair Greg Minnaar gloves – Verdict
The Flexair glove’s value is a fairly interesting one. At £45, it’s far from bad considering that you’re getting a leather palm and some serious durability, but against other gloves, it is lacking some key features and breathability. Lizard Skins Monitor Ignite gloves come with the features I’ve missed, but in a more breathable package that’s significantly cheaper at £25. They’re not quite as durable, however.
Then we can look at the POC Resistance Enduro Adjustable gloves at £60, and while these are some of my favourite gloves, they’re very pricy. Although bar feel is good, the POC gloves don’t shine a light on the Flexairs in that department. The Resistance Enduro gloves aren’t really summer-ready, but their balance of airflow and warmth isn’t too far away from what the Flexair provides.
Gore’s TrailKPR gloves aim to achieve similar goals to the Flexair, and while they’re mega comfortable and provide excellent bar feel, Fox’s offering trumps them in terms of durability while piling on even greater bar feel. These RRP at £40.
Although the Fox Racing Flexair Greg Minnaar gloves sit in a saturated market, they manage to stand out from the crowd owing to their near-unbeatable balance of bar feel and durability. Although breathability leaves something to be desired, they’re great for wear throughout most of the year, but don’t expect them to stay cool when it gets properly hot out. Despite how I would love to see some texture on the fingertips and a soft wipe, the Flexair gloves really lean into minimalism, which will go down well with those who want as close to a gloveless feel as you can get.
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Product purpose:
Build extra:
Lightweight back-of-hand materials for a close fit and exceptional breathability
Premium leather palm for the best possible bar feel
Pre-curved fingers for enhanced comfort while in riding position
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Product durability extra:
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