Retro motorcycle gear is hugely popular right now, and Australian owned Black Pup Moto is at the forefront of those offering everything from jackets to gloves. We grabbed a set of Original and Thumpa gloves from them for a proper test.
Both styles are designed to suit the classic café racer rider, but we reckon they’ll look equally good on riders on board everything from heritage bikes to late model cruisers. They have a real vintage look and are extremely comfortable, once worn in.
First, to the Original. Tested in Distressed Brown leather, they’re made with with real cowhide leather and are suitable to use most of the year, spanning the gap between what might be called summer and winter gloves.
We did find them a little warm on a hot summer’s day, particularly as they have no ventilation, but they’ll be versatile enough to be worn well into the winter riding season. During testing, we saw no sign of wear and tear.
Double stitching throughout should ensure these gloves last a very long time. The extended gauntlet has an adjustable Velcro strap for ease of integration with a jacket, and a strong elastic keeps the base firmly against your wrist, keeping the elements out.
Reinforcement soft armour has been placed on the inside of the thumbs and in the palms to protect from aggressive grips. Moulded hard knuckles and more reinforced soft armour in the heel of the palm provide protection from serious impacts or slides on the road.
Another great feature is the smart phone capable touchpads on the tips of thumb, index and middle finger on both hands, allowing you to use your phone or GPS without having to take your gloves off.
Priced at just $89, we think that’s excellent value for real leather gloves you will use almost all year round. Available in sizes from Small right through to 5XL, they come in just the one colour. Worth noting other products in the range come in Black and Charcoal.
The second offering from Black Pup Moto, the Thumpa glove, is a short cuff summer offering that are the ultimate in breathable gloves, featuring all around perforated leather, making for a comfortable ride in the heat of summer.
The Thumpa shares many of the same great features of the Original too, being made from the same distressed brown cowhide leather with the same levels of protection and armour, as well as offering identical smart phone capable touchpads.
We were really impressed with the ventilation of these gloves. The air flows through the perforated leather really well and keeps your hands sweat free. The cuff sits really low on the wrist and extends on the inside, which makes it really comfortable.
After the initial wear-in phase, these gloves became super comfortable and flexible, making using the controls feel like you were not wearing gloves at all. We have seen no signs of wear either. That’s no surprise given how good the quality is.
The Thumpa too is priced at $89 (like the Original), and comes in sizes from Small to 3XL. It’s available in Distressed Brown or Black leather. You can purchase both gloves from Black Pup Moto’s website, and the company ships locally and globally.
Their online presence has a really good size guide, and they’ll happily swap sizes if you aren’t happy.
Our test product was provided by Black Pup Moto. Exhaust Notes Australia has not been paid to review this product.
The Original
Pros – well priced; quality leather; good protection; smartphone capable.
Cons – wear in period; only one colour.
The Thumpa
Pros – well priced; quality leather; good protection; smartphone friendly, excellent ventilation.
Cons – wear in period.
