Icon 29er C-Rated Glove Review: The Best Budget Motorcycle Glove?

I’ve tested my fair share of motorcycle gloves over the years. But few stand out like the Icon 29er C-Rated Glove.

This upgraded version of Icon’s popular 29er glove raises the protection level to a C rating while still keeping the price absurdly low.

In this Icon 29er review, I’ll break down this glove’s construction, protection, comfort, and more to see if it lives up to expectations.

But, the main question I will answer in this review will be: Are these the best motorcycle gloves for protection for you? Let’s find out!

A Brief Background on Icon and the 29er Glove

For those unfamiliar with Icon, they make hardcore riding gear that often focuses more on style than practicality. But the 29er has been an exception to that rule since its debut years ago.

Icon called it the 29er because it originally retailed for just $29, which was unheard of for a decent motorcycle glove. The materials and quality weren’t anything special, but it gained a cult following for its surprising value.

Over the years, Icon raised the price to a still reasonable level and made gradual improvements to the glove. The newest 29er C-Rated version represents the biggest overhaul yet, with upgrades to earn a C safety rating for impact and abrasion protection.

This caught my attention since there aren’t many sub-$50 motorcycle gloves that meet this certification. Fewer still manage to balance protection, comfort, and affordability.

But the question remained: did Icon manage to successfully pull off that balancing act? Or does the 29er cut too many corners despite the upgrades? Let’s take a closer look at what this glove brings to the table.

Breaking Down the 29er’s Construction

The 29er C-rated glove sports a simple, all-black design made from a combination of leather, synthetic leather, and textile materials. It forgoes any flashy colors or prints in favor of a straightforward, stealthy look.

Construction and Materials

The first thing I noticed when trying on the 29er is how incredibly soft and flexible it feels right off the bat. The majority of the glove utilizes flexible textile and synthetic leather panels to enable a natural, curve-hugging fit.

The palm consists of Ax Suede Laredo synthetic leather, which mimics the look and feel of distressed leather. It’s paired with panels of stretchy real leather around the palm and thumb to allow flexing without binding.

The back of the hand features a lightweight and breathable 3D mesh material. This aids airflow to keep your hands cool while providing an excellent tactile feel and flexibility.

The materials all feel appropriately durable, with double stitching in high-stress areas. But long-term durability remains to be seen through real-world use.

Protection

In terms of safety and impact protection, the Icon 29er glove carries a Level 1 C-rated certification. This means it passed standardized CE tests for motorcycle gloves evaluating abrasion resistance, tear strength, and impact protection.

The abrasion and tear resistance likely comes from the synthetic leather palm. Foam padding panels on the back of the hand and knuckles provide a baseline of impact damping without much bulk.

I wouldn’t expect mega-high levels of protection from a budget glove like this. However, the C-Rating proves that it does offer the minimum standards for motorcycle-specific gloves.

For just a few bucks more though, Icon’s Anthem 2 glove bumps the protection up further with D30 knuckle armor. So, I’d suggest spending $5 extra if you want more confidence on the road.

Comfort and Fit

I always start any gear review by trying products out myself before judging comfort. And I’m happy to report that the 29er C-Rated glove proved exceptionally comfortable on my hands.

The mix of textile, leather, and synthetic panels distributes pressure evenly across the hand without any tight spots or binding. Everything flexes naturally right out of the box, with zero break-ins needed.

Silicon finger grips provide an added feel on the bars or controls while tiny ventilation holes along the fingers release heat build-up.

Plus, the 29er glove runs true to size: I normally wear an XL glove, which is exactly what I needed in this model too. No surprises here!

The only missing comfort feature is touch screen fingertips, which aren’t really expected at this price. But apart from that exclusion, the 29er serves up exceptional long-haul riding comfort and ergonomics.

Putting the 29er C-Rated Glove to the Test

After closely inspecting the Icon 29er C-rated glove inside and out, I needed to validate all my assessments through real-world testing. So I reached for my trusty Honda CB500X and set out for some extended test rides.

Test #1: Short Evening Commute (45 mins)

My first test involved casual around-town riding at moderate speeds up to 55 mph. This evaluated general comfort, ventilation, and low-speed protection.

The 29er performed admirably throughout my commute. Excellent comfort and ventilation meant my hands stayed happy and sweat-free, as expected. There is a solid tactile feel through the bars and controls, too.

The C-Rated construction gave me peace of mind that my hands wouldn’t get shredded if the worst happened at city speeds.

There were no issues whatsoever during this initial shakedown commute. On to the longer-range testing!

Test #2: Weekend Canyon Carving Session (3 hours)

Now it was time to squeeze a bit more performance potential from my CB500X on some fun canyon roads. This allowed me to push the 29er gloves (1) harder in terms of abrasion resistance, impact protection, and high-speed stability.

After a full day of hitting apexes and railing through sweepers, the Icon 29er once again performed flawlessly.

The synthetic leather palms held traction perfectly during aggressive braking and throttle input. And the hand protection felt suitable for the impacts possible at my intermediate pace.

The glove’s flexibility and suppleness also maintained all-day comfort – critical for multi-hour canyon riding. My hands stayed energized and ready for action with no signs of soreness, numbness, or general fatigue.

For the price point, I couldn’t reasonably expect more from the 29er glove at this level of riding intensity. Time for the ultimate test!

Test #3: 500+ Mile Weekend Touring (2 days)

My final evaluation for the 29er gloves would be an extended 500+ mile weekend trip up the Pacific Coast Highway here in California. This two-day touring journey would truly validate long-distance endurance.

The route took me through everything from congested LA commutes to blistering desert straightaways to tight cliffside switchbacks. Speeds ranged from 25 mph to 95+ mph, testing every aspect of glove performance.

And even after full days covering serious mileage, the 29er C-rated glove delivered comfort, protection, and durability beyond my expectations.

Whether stuck in traffic or chasing supersport riders, my hands stayed protected and fatigue-free for hundreds of miles.

Neither the synthetic leather nor the mesh panels showed any signs of premature wear either. That’s a highly impressive lifespan from a budget glove.

I expected hot spots and hand cramps during such extensive testing. But even on long mileage days, the 29er proved triple-duty worthy as a commuting, sport-riding, or long-haul touring glove for most riders.

Final Verdict: Is the 29er C-Rated Glove Worth It?

When it comes down to deciding whether to buy the Icon 29er C-Rated Glove or not, three major factors stand out most:

• Next-Level Value – Excellent protection, features, quality materials, and certification for around $35. Phenomenal bang for your buck.
• All-Day Comfort – Zero break-in and carefully selected construction offer incredible long-haul hand comfort.
• Budget Price, Premium Performance – The 29er glove’s versatility for commuting, sport riding, and touring punches far above its ultralight price tag.

So is the Icon 29er C-Rated glove the best budget motorcycle glove available today? Absolutely.

While more premium gloves might edge out small wins in specific categories, none can match the 29er’s balance of safety, comfort, and value. Nothing else comes close for less than $50.

So whether you need an affordable extra pair of