Shima Caliber Motorcycle Gloves
Pros
- Stylish retro styling
- Very comfortable
- Keep your hands cool
- Provides plenty of protection
Cons
- Strictly summer gloves
I purchased these Shima Caliber gloves the week before my Triumph Bobber arrived. I’ve now worn them all 4 summers since and they’re still going strong.
As with most motorcycle retro gear, it was the looks that attracted me to them first but I’m happy to report the performance matches the looks department. Below is my review of these cracking gloves.
BEAUTIFUL VINTAGE STYLE
These gloves are designed to look like a pair of vintage motorcycle gloves and they are absolutely stunning. They are ideal if you are the proud owner of a Cafe Racer, a Bobber or any of the retro motorcycles currently on the market.
The standard colour of the Shima Caliber gloves is brown as shown in the photos and they look really neat.
They are also available in black or white leather. The white leather option is mostly white with black accents. The black option features white text with the “Shima” name written on the knuckles.
They were the best looking retro gloves I could find.
THESE GLOVES PROVIDE GREAT PROTECTION
Like all Shima clothing, the Shima Caliber gloves provide you with very good protection. They are made out of high-quality leather which has been reinforced with a special Tempra foam.
You will also have your scaphoid bone protected by a special absorber made out of Poron®XRD™ foam. This has the potential to absorb more than 70% of an impact. They also have the obligatory knuckle protection.
They really put a lot of thought into the design of these retro gloves. They may look really stylish but this does not mean that they sacrificed safety for appearance.
PROPER VENTILATION MAKES A DIFFERENCE
The Shima Caliber gloves have been designed as a Summer glove. I’ve also worn them early spring and all the way to the end of the riding season. By mid autumn you are warming your hands on the engine while waiting at the red light.
Because they are designed for summer wear the ventilation of these retro motorcycle gloves also needs to be mentioned. These gloves have been designed using perforated leather.
This is going to allow the gloves to have much better ventilation than if they were made using a solid leather design. I’m happy to report this does work to keep your hands cool on hot summer days.
The holes in the leather add to the vintage look as well. They have a very retro vibe to them and should appeal to just about all riders of classic or retro styled motorcycles.
VERY COMFORTABLE GLOVES WITH GOOD GRIP
The Shima Caliber gloves are extremely comfortable but it’s the grip they give you that fills you with confidence.
According to Shima this is due to their unique GRIP+ system. What this means is that you will always be able to maintain an optimal grip due to the way that the glove contours to your hand.
The side of the gloves will always remain perfectly shaped and this makes it easy for it to conform with the line of the handgrip. It feels really good in practice and you will never find that your hands are in an uncomfortable position.
These gloves simply improve your overall comfort levels while ensuring that your grip is as good as it can possibly be. I’ve never had any cramp issues with the Shima Caliber gloves on.
Also, these gloves are really easy to pull on and off. Some motorcycle gloves I’ve had can be so bulky that they will feel awkward to put on or overly difficult to pull off.
That is never going to be the case with these gloves. They come with a special pulling strap that makes pulling them on and off quick and easy.
LONGEVITY
The longevity of the Shima Caliber gloves is something to keep in mind too. Due to the fact that they have been made using such high-quality goat skin leather, like me, you should get plenty of years out of them. They are resistant to many types of damage and should stay looking good for longer than many similarly priced gloves will.
I’ve just finished my 4th Summer with these now and they still look in great condition as you can see from the photos I took.
SEVERAL SIZES AVAILABLE
Shima Caliber gloves are available in sizes from small all the way up to XX-large. This means that these are a practical choice for motorcyclists with hands of just about any size.
They also do the brown and black in a women’s XS size.
About the best recommendation I can give these gloves is that I’ll be buying them again once my pair need replacing.
The truth is that I found these stand out from other retro motorcycle gloves on the market in many positive ways.
For a start the price point of the Shima Caliber gloves is really quite reasonable when you consider the quality of them.
I wasn’t expecting much because of the price but as I loved the look of them and I figured it was a low enough price to take a punt on them.
At the end of the day, the final decision is obviously going to be up to you. They definitely look the part and have enough positive features to make them excellent value for money. If they look good to you and you decide to take a gamble yourself, then like me, I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.