G-Form Sorata 2 gloves review

G-Form’s Sorata 2 gloves offer a sleek profile, good ventilation and seamless mobility. Whether venturing into enduro, all-mountain, trail, cross-country or even moto riding, they are candidates for the best MTB gloves crown.

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G-Form Sorata 2 Mountain Bike Gloves – Technical details

The G Form Sorata 2 gloves incorporate an enhanced SmartFlex pad configuration on the knuckles to offer protection. This unique technology features on both the small and ring fingers to defend against any surprise impacts while riding. These gloves have been elevated with a seamless, single-unit synthetic suede palm equipped with perforated ventilation.

gformpalm.jpg, by Rhian Atherton

The Sorata 2 gloves are smartphone friendly on the thumb and index fingertips, meaning that touchscreens can be fiddled with while the gloves are on. The fabric on the back of the hand is breathable and moisture-wicking, plus protection from the sun with UPF 50+.

G-Form Sorata 2 Mountain Bike Gloves – Performance

These gloves come with a super-breathable upper-mesh fabric that keeps the hands comfortable and cool. The SmartFlex knuckle protection works impressively to protect the hands from trailside abrasions. At first glance, the distinct-looking pad looks stiff, but it is flexible and soft while offering enough defence from scrapes and falls. The added protection is only on the little finger and the fourth finger and doesn’t interfere with riding.

GFormclosueuo.jpg, by Rhian Atherton

The palms of the gloves are quite thin resulting in a clos- to-gloveless feel. I like this as I prefer a close grip which results in more control and confidence. The great level of dexterity is a major plus for someone who likes plenty of range of movement. The downside is there isn’t much protection from holding onto the grips for hours, such as gel pads or similar.

Small perforation holes on the palm help warm hands breathe better. There is lots of traction on the grips, even in bad weather but their uppers are thin, making riding through overgrown woods very painful, regardless of the protection from the cool SmartFlex tech.

The simple slide-on function is good, as there are no issues with worn-out Velcro or interference with long-sleeved jerseys. They are slightly baggy around my wrist compared to gloves I’ve used with the same design but are easy to take on and off because of this. There is a softer terry cloth on the thumb, which helps wipe sweat off your face, sunglasses, or whatever else you may need to wipe while riding.

gformfist1.jpg, by Rhian Atherton

G-Form Sorata 2 Mountain Bike Gloves – Verdict

With a £37 price tag, the Sorata 2 gloves look like good value when compared to other gloves on the market that come sorted with some kind of knuckle protection. Endura’s MT500 D3O glove is £45 and comes with a more substantial, more year-round suitable build and the coverage blended by a slither of D3O covers each of the knuckles. It’s similar to the Alpinestars Techstar gloves too, however, their D3O padding is more pronounced and they cost £40.

Overall, I enjoyed using these gloves – especially in the warmer weather, although they are super thin. Despite the thin material, the knuckle protection on offer is excellent. They are a great option if you’re looking for a lightweight, flexible, super-breathable pair of off-road cycling gloves.

• g-form.com
• The reader’s guide to Off-Road.cc’s review scoring system

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