Review / Motonation Lightweight Rapita Textile Gloves

When the dog days of summer approach, it's very tempting to lose the protective gear in search of some cooling air. During these times, many look to lighter materials that will flow more air but still provide a level of protection.

While at AIMExpo this year, Motonation gave me a pair of their lightweight Rapita Mesh Textile Gloves for free to try in the hot southeast weather. So during a roughly 1,500-mile round trip from Florida to Mississippi, I wore the glove in hot weather to draw some impressions.

The Rapita gloves slide on easily and reach the top of your wrists. The glove's cuff uses a neoprene collar and closes with a single Velcro strap for security. In use, the glove stays put and doesn't slide around on your hand. Interior comfort is about what you would expect, comfortable but not plush.

You’ll find multi-layer Clarino synthetic leather in the high-impact palm area of your hand. There's also some additional memory foam at the base of the palm. Keeping the glove together is a high tensile strength nylon thread with double stitching in high-impact areas.

The index and middle fingers of the Motonation Rapita glove have a layer of material that allows you to use your phone. Photo: Mike Botan

The top side of the glove uses vented mesh textiles to increase airflow. It allows some additional air inside, but it's not like the Rapita is an entirely open mesh. In addition, you will find plastic knuckle armor and rubber inserts covering the upper portion of your fingers. Finally, 3M reflective piping at the top of the glove provides some additional visibility at night.

The top of the Motonation Rapita glove after 1,500 miles of hot weather riding. Photo: Mike Botan

For those times you need to use your phone (not while riding), both gloves feature a special material on the index and middle fingers that allow you to type without removing your gloves. That's a nice feature for a glove at this price point which is $39.95.

The Rapita is a comfortable and capable short summer glove. In addition, it possesses some features you may not find on similar and pricier gloves. So when the weather turns hot, and you decide that a lighter and shorter glove is in order, the Motonation Rapita glove could be what you are looking for.

Note: Motonation provided the gloves in this review at no cost.