100% Ride Camp gloves review

100% has a knack for making simple-looking, keenly priced designs work just as well - if not better - than premium kit, whether it's with the best mountain bike gloves or the best MTB helmets. That’s exactly what the Ride Camp gloves bring to your hands if you’re after maximum control and communication, but it’s definitely worth trying sizing before you buy.

Design and aesthetic

The 2D flat pack presentation with back and outer thumb cut from one piece of fabric and palm, inside thumb and fingers cut from another, doesn’t fill you with hope for a fabulous fit. The 3D neoprene cuff is very tight too, and even riders who are normally an easy medium struggled to fight their way into our large sample gloves. That means we’d definitely size up on your normal fit, or ideally try them on before you buy. Luckily that’s easy in the shop as they come attached to their header card with a handy press stud “try me” tab that you can cut off once you’ve found the right size.

Fit and performance

Even when you find the right size, the fit is still snug at first but the very stretchy yet tough knitted backing fabric means they mold to your hand and fingers without feeling restrictive. From experience, they do stretch slightly over time too, so don’t go too baggy on the initial fit. Lycra finger sides really help here, and the clever palm-to-thumb cut means that despite being formed from a single piece of material, I had no bunching or rub issues in the grip area. The Clarino fake suede material gives excellent grip whether wet or dry, and the totally unpadded, seam-free palm gives excellent zero-distortion to trail surface and bike behavior communication. The Clarino is extended around the sides of the first finger and thumb, which is a really subtle but effective feature as that reinforces the glove exactly at the point you’ll get the most wear. A silicone strip stretching the full length of the first finger and then across into the palm center adds extra stickiness. There’s rubberized branding across the back too.

The backing fabric is breezy enough for summer but still handles bramble swipes without ripping, and we’ve got sets a few years old that still have plenty of life left in them, apart from the loss of grip silicone and stuck-on logos which eventually peel off. The asymmetric neoprene cuff is even cut away slightly on the back so it won’t bunch up against a big watch or HR monitor. Metallic threads in the first finger and thumb tip mean your gloves can stay on for dealing with a phone or touchscreen essentials, though they’re inevitably clumsy if you need to compose an essay and not just fire an emoji. Eight different colors across men's, women's and youth sizes will keep your coordination (or clash) game on point too, and pricing is excellent.

Verdict

100%’s Ride Camp gloves look deceptively simple at first, but material choice and a host of subtle ‘real rider’ informed details make them brilliant for maximum bike control and fine feedback. Digital communication is decent too, and they’re a great price for a tough glove. They come in loads of designs and sizes from youth upwards, but even though they stretch we’d definitely go up a size from normal when buying. However they're obviously not the right choice if you prefer some padding between you and the bike.

Tech Specs: 100% Ride Camp gloves

• Price: $24.50 / £22.99
• Sizes: S, M, L, XL (Youth, Women, Men); XXL (Men) 
• Colors: Black, Red youth, Black, Brick Red, Light Blue (Women); Black, Fatigue Green, Fluo Yellow, Navy, Red (Men)