First Impressions
We first wrote about Sombrio Cartel a few weeks ago. The company’s Highline II Short was a real hit with us. As you may recall, Sombrio makes four specific collections including Freeride, EPIK, Race and Girls. The Ruckus Glove comes from the Freeride line and is built for technical trail riding, downhilling and general bombing the offroad.
Features
First things first, the Sombrio Ruckus is a damn good-looking glove. Large company logos and strategically placed plastic plates dominate the back of the hand. Heavy duty nylon, flexible stretch inserts at the knuckles and a microfleece-backed thumb complete the rear.
Specs
Palm: Synthetic suede/gel padding
Back: Nylon/stretch panels/plastic
Fingers: Full
Wrist closure: None
Sombrio constructs the palm from a washable synthetic suede. The company doubles-up that suede in high-wear areas including the central palm, the lower fingers and thumb. We found that this fabric tended to pill and leave residue on our grips, especially on initial use. At the heel, you’ll find a triangular gel pad for further comfort.
Sombrio opted for no wrist closure. Instead, they use a neoprene stretch material.
Fit
Consulting Sombrio’s sizing chart, we chose a men’s large for our test. I typically straddle the fence between a medium and large, and found the Ruckus in large fit well, if just a tad looser than others in the test. No complaints.
Final Verdict
What’s not to like about the Sombrio Ruckus Gloves? They’re good looking, use heavy-duty fabrics and fit well. Okay, we’re a little concerned about long-term wear given that the suede palm tends to sheds a bit. But in several months of use, we’ve really seen no major issues. If you prefer a glove without the hook and loop closure, the Sombrio Ruckus Gloves are the ticket.