MO Tested: Racer Mickey Glove Review

I’ve been slippin’ Mickies on my paws for a while now – back before the days of viruses, when Corona just conjured up thoughts of mediocre beer. From the moment I received the Racer Mickey gloves, they became my go-to for any quick moto trips out of the house, shoots with the team, and press launches. As is usually the case with Racer gloves, they fit snug but comfortably straight out of the gate and molded themselves to earn the phrase “fit like a glove” within a few rides. Over 26 months of near daily use, I managed to wear out my first set (more on that later) and was quickly on to my second pair, which have seen continued constant use.

As is evident by the seven other Racer glove reviews at the bottom of this page, we’re big fans at MO. The company offers a wide range of gloves for men and women that span everyday use, racing, touring, and ADV. 

Construction

The glove’s short cuff design is made from a mix of leather, Clarino (artificial leather), and textile which do an excellent job of providing comfort, protection and ventilation. Protection is bolstered in key areas with Superfabric-covered hard sliders at the knuckles and palm as well as TPR pads on the back of the first three fingers and thumb. 

All of the darker material pictured here is Clarino.

The Clarino material used on the palm and fingers of the glove provides excellent tactile feedback from the bars and levers while also delivering excellent grip, even in wet conditions. Leather is used on the back of the glove with perforations at the back of the hand wrapping up alongside the thumb. The bifurcated knuckle protector adds to the dexterity of this lightweight glove. The leather used on the Mickey is incredibly soft and supple and contributes to the great fit and breathability. The palm is unlined while the back of the hand mingles with a soft liner that generally goes unnoticed and stays put nicely.

The small mesh details at the fingertips and pinky nearly go unnoticed, but work together with the perforated leather to aid in ventilation. The Mickeys are easy to slip in and out of thanks to the large opening and over-the-top Velcro wrist closure.  

Two years on

So, what wore out on my first set? Well, if you were to look at the back of the glove, you might be flummoxed. There are no indications that they look ready to retire at all. It was the leather panels in the palm – the extra layer at the base of the fingers (a high wear area) and the one around the palm slider – that gave up the ghost first. I did manage to wear a hole through the Clarino at the tip of my middle finger on my clutch hand as well. In fact, my left glove shows more wear in certain areas than my right, including wearing through the leading edge of the palm slider. 

The palm slider had completely peeled back on the right glove, breaking away at the stitching (likely due to sweat drying out the leather at its most vulnerable areas), while the left palm slider wore through at the leading edge from contacting the handlebar.

I didn’t take great care of these gloves, I just used them. Ran ‘em hard, put ‘em away wet with sweat. It wasn’t until they started to show signs of degradation that I tried making it up to them with a handful of Anthony’s Leather Cleaner & Conditioner. Had I washed my sweat out of them and conditioned the palms more frequently, they probably would have lasted longer, but not forever. I’m still pretty happy to have gotten over two years of nearly constant use out of them.

These are the new gloves which are already showing signs of wear at the same leading edge that wore through on the original set.

The only gripe I have with the Racer Mickey gloves is that the large palm sliders can get in the way on certain motorcycles – mostly the more upright ones. This is more of an annoyance than a major issue, but it has caused the leading edge of the palm slider to show wear more quickly from the constant contact. 

Hopefully, the fact that I’m on my second pair and that the Mickeys remain on top of a stack of great gloves drives the point home – I’m a big fan and would definitely recommend them for a wide range of uses. The Racer Mickey gloves retail for $122 and are available in S-XXXL.

Shop for the Racer Mickey glove here

Racer Mickey FAQ

Are Racer gloves good?

We tend to think so. The review above will explain why. Other owners of Racer gloves tend to tell us the same. 

Where are Racer gloves made?

Racer gloves are designed in Austria and are manufactured in China.

How do Racer gloves fit?

Racer gloves tend to have a more “American” fit. While I typically wear a large from other European brands, medium has worked well for me with nearly every Racer glove I’ve tried. According to the size chart, I’m spot on for a medium with my palm measurement, but measure at large for the finger measurement. Again, the Mickey in medium fits me perfectly.

Additional Resources

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