The Leatt MTB 3.0 Endurance gloves feature a lightweight, minimalist construction with a MicronGrip padded palm to help reduce fatigue from handlebar vibration. They feature masses of ventilation, a pre-shaped palm and fingers and the styling is awesome. As a massive fan of minimalist gloves that offer tons of handlebar feel, I was looking forward to testing these. They’ve been awesome in warm weather, and now into Autumn, the grip has come into its own in the wet. But I have experienced some issues.
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Leatt Gloves MTB 3.0 Endurance – Technical details
The outer fabric is constructed from a gossamer-thin, super-stretchy micro grid material that looks like it should provide masses of breathability. There’s a small rubberised print section to the outer edge to help with abrasion resistance, and terrycloth snot/sweat wipes on both thumbs. The sides of the fingers use a slightly tougher and less stretchy material for extra overall build strength, and the whole glove is sewn together using stretch stitch thread for added seam strength.
This palm is made from Leatt’s MicronGrip Palm material. There are no silicone print sections at the fingertips, as the material is supposed to provide excellent grip in both wet and dry conditions. It’s also very thin and looks like it should induce great bar feel, and feels durable. The three padded sections on the palms measure 4mm thick (approx). The pads below the base of the fingers and thumbs are foam, whilst the biggest, at the heel of the palm, is a silicone gel pad designed to take the most abuse.
Laser-cut holes in the centre of the palm and finger sections should boost ventilation when riding in hot conditions. The palm is pre-shaped and fingers touch-screen compatible – essential, so you never miss an Insta-worthy opportunity.
The stretch fit cuff employs a simple elasticated panel that also adds a smidge of padding. The whole glove is very neatly finished. The Lava colourway – which looks a bit like paint splatter, in muted tones looks awesome, and if you’re brave enough, the Art colourway looks like it takes its cue from cubist design. Of course, there is always Black to fall back on and a Teal colour too. Sizing ranges from S-XL
Leatt Gloves MTB 3.0 Endurance – Performance
Leatt produce some of the coolest designed kit out there. I’ll admit to being a fan, and these gloves are no different, with some radical colourways. I tested the Lava colourway in a size M. The fit is bang-on. No loose flappy material at the palm, almost perfect finger length with no excess, with a nice, tight fit across the top of my hands. Being so thin and stretchy, they needed no bedding in at all.
The touch-screen compatibility of the palm material is a cinch to use, and I found I could use any finger to swipe to my heart’s content. A must-have for scoring the perfect instabanger mid-ride, although it didn’t work when the palm was wet.
Tested throughout our blistering summer, they’ve been cracking in terms of breathability, with the thin overall build and vent holes doing their job admirably to keep sweat buildup to a minimum. I’d say they are certainly aimed at warmer weather riding, but have so far transitioned well into autumn as the grip on offer is awesome, even when wet. But come cooler temps, I’ll have to relegate these in favour of something more weather-resistant. Overall, they have held up very well in terms of durability, except for the outer material, which snagged very easily – something I discovered whilst riding overgrown trails. It’s left them looking a little scrappy, but there are no holes, and the palm has proven hard-wearing with no issues.
My biggest issue has been with the palm padding, it’s thick – I measured 4mm (approx). Although the padding provides a nice layer of cushioning at the palm, and did cut out some vibration damping through the bars on longer, rougher descents, they just didn’t work for me. I felt like I was riding with thick handlebar grips, which don’t suit my small(ish) hands. I ride thin grips for max bar feel and usually opt for Carbon bars, so to me the extra padding feels overkill. Strip out the padding, and these would score top marks.
Leatt Gloves MTB 3.0 Endurance – Verdict
With most padded and protective gloves edging towards a burlier build, it’s hard to find something directly comparable to the Leatt MTB 3.0 Endurance gloves.
The Endura Hummvee Plus Gloves II have a padded palm, and the build is on the burlier side. They are a bargain at £24.99, but are more suited to cooler weather.
If you’re after the same level of lightweight construction, then Leatt’s Glove MTB 1.0 GripR retails for a few quid cheaper at £32.99 and shares a similar design and the same excellent materials without the palm padding.
Two go-tos of mine are the 100% Sling gloves – £37 and Troy Lee Designs Ace Gloves – £34.99, both utilise a lightweight construction with no padding, excellent breathability, and acres of direct bar feel.
I’m a yes/no fan of the Leatt MTB 3.0 Endurance gloves. Yes, they breathe very well, are super comfy and look great, but for me, the padding isn’t necessary when riding a good bar grip combo for vibration damping. But there is noi denying their durability, even if the upper material is prone to snagging.
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