Street & Steel Westwood Gloves Review: Protection Without the Price Tag?

Riding a motorcycle can be an exhilarating experience. However, to fully enjoy the freedom of the open road, it’s essential to protect yourself. That’s why choosing the right motorcycle gloves is so important.

But, the main question I will answer in this review will be: Are these the best-armored motorcycle gloves for you?

In this Street & Steel Westwood motorcycle Gloves review, we’ll take a closer look at the Street & Steel Westwood gloves to help determine if they’re the right fit for your needs and budget.

Street & Steel Westwood Gloves The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, Street & Steel Westwood offers impressive value by combining supple, high-grade leather construction with useful protective features. The clean aesthetics work on everything from classic roadsters to sharp custom cafe racers to modern adventure bikes.

For less than $100, they might lack some of the premium accents of pricier racing gloves (1). But they don’t pretend to be. Instead, they focus on nailing the fundamentals like fit, comfort, protection, and resilience.

So, if you want something stylish and functional without going overboard, the Street & Steel Westwood deserves strong consideration.

Riders needing more hardcore protection may want to look elsewhere. But for riders seeking a dependable short glove that won’t destroy their wallet, the Westwood gets my seal of approval.

A Reliable Mid-Range Option

Coming in at the mid-$100 range, the Westwood offers a lot for riders looking for a solid pair of motorcycle gloves without breaking the bank.

At around $60, you get durable full-grain leather construction, decent protection for the knuckles and fingers, and an overall stylish design.

While the Westwood may not have all the premium features of top-tier track gloves, they provide good functionality for daily street riding.

The pure aniline drum-dyed leather feels supple right out of the box, while strategically placed panels add flexibility.

So if you want something stylish yet practical for casual weekend rides or even commuting, the Westwood strikes a nice balance between protection, comfort, and affordability.

Good Protection Without Getting Bulky

One of the things I appreciate about the Westwood is that it provides decent impact protection without feeling overly bulky or restrictive.

The gloves incorporate a soft thermoplastic rubber (TPR) knuckle protector that sits almost flush with the surface, so it doesn’t limit dexterity or add a lot of bulk. Even better, it’s lined with D30 impact foam to help dissipate energy from crashes or spills.

While not as burly as some racing gloves, I think the low-profile armor fits with the overall aesthetics and intended use case of the Westwood. For all-day rides, you want motorcycle gloves that flow with natural hand movement, and these deliver.

Quality Materials Where It Counts

As mentioned up top, the highlight feature of the Westwood is definitely the drum-dyed aniline cowhide leather used throughout the glove.

This type of leather undergoes a special tanning process to produce supple, durable, and highly-breathable material. Although thicker than naked leather, it still offers an excellent tactile feel.

From the shortened cuffs to the knuckle armor and articulated fingers, the dressy black leather gives the Westwood an understated look.

Street & Steel added stretch textile panels between the index finger and thumb to boost flexibility, along with elasticated accordions on the outside fingers.

However, besides a small reinforced digital goatskin leather palm patch, these gloves lack durable palm or heel reinforcement for abrasion resistance.

So, they may not be ideal for aggressive riding or racing. But for more casual use, the premium leather should hold up well to normal wear and tear.

Decent Fit with Some Minor Gripes

I tried on a large Westwood pair, which fit pretty well with my average-sized hands. The fingers were nice and snug without pinching, although the pinky area felt slightly tight and bunched.

Street & Steel gloves cater more towards American hand shapes, but I’d say the leather construction has enough give for most riders.

One thing missing that would’ve been nice is conductive index fingertip patches for using touchscreen devices. As motorcycle tech gets more advanced, handlebar-mounted touch displays are becoming common, so losing that functionality is a bit annoying. Reflective accents for low-light visibility are also absent.

Finally, there’s no extra palm reinforcement like kangaroo leather or abrasion padding beyond the small digital goat patch. So, while the standard cowhide leather should hold up to regular use, they may wear faster with repeated hard riding.

Considering the affordable price, though, most of these limitations are perfectly reasonable. Just something to think about depending on your specific needs.

Who Are the Westwood Gloves For?

The Westwood fills a great niche within the motorcycle glove market. Targeted more towards street and casual riding, they blend style, affordability, and functionality into a very attractive package.

I see their sweet spot being newer riders, commuters, or anyone looking for a solid short-cuffed leather glove.

The premium cowhide leather delivers great quality and road feel without the sticker shock. They work year-round for moderate weather, although perforations or insulation would expand the usage range.

While more hardcore track enthusiasts may want more robust protection, the Westwood checks all the boxes if you just need a versatile, durable glove for everyday use. Considering the materials and quality, they deliver fantastic bang for the buck.

Frequently Asked Questions

What types of riding are the Westwood gloves best suited for?

With their flexible leather construction and low-profile armor, the Westwood excels for street, commuter, cruiser, and casual riding. They offer decent protection without limiting dexterity or feel.

How does the sizing run on the Westwoods?

The Westwood uses a more American cut for the glove pattern. So unless you have very long piano player fingers, they should fit true to size. I’d recommend trying your usual glove size first.

Can you use smartphones and navigation while wearing the Westwoods?

Unfortunately no. Due to the leather construction, there are no conductive fingertip patches for capacitive touchscreen use. Riders will have to remove the gloves or rely on handlebar mounts.

What type of weather are the Westwood gloves best for?

Lacking perforations or insulation, the Westwood hits the sweet spot for moderate spring, summer, and fall conditions. They may be a bit warm mid-summer but provide sufficient protection during cooler months.

How does the protection level compare to high-end racing gloves?

While the Westwood offers decent armor, premium track gloves will always provide more robust protection using items like carbon fiber knuckles and multiple foam layers. So hardcore speed junkies may want more than what the Westwood provides.

And Finally…

Finding a pair of quality leather motorcycle gloves these days can really take a bite out of your wallet. But the Street & Steel Westwoods demonstrate that good protection and materials don’t have to demolish your savings.

While not a four-season touring glove or a high-tech track gauntlet, they hit a lot of sweet spots for the average motorcyclist.

If you do mostly street and backroad riding, value quality construction, and appreciate understated style, definitely check out the Westwoods. They deliver fantastic bang-for-buck without compromising where it matters most.

What has your experience been with the Westwood gloves? Feel free to share your thoughts below! Ride safe out there, everyone.

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Sources: Motorcycle Gloves Market: (1)