Richa Tasmania WP gloves in black

There's a lot to like about Richa's Tasmania glove.

 

First thing to note is that it is what we call a summer-waterproof glove. That is to say that it has a waterproof membrane, but no thermal lining. What this means is that it's the kind of glove you might wear from, say, the beginning of April to sometime in October, perhaps. This having been said, on the very hottest days, you might still benefit from a pure summer glove without a membrane.

 

The chassis of the Tasmania is all leather. Some people prefer that, although from a 'wetting out' standpoint, we might suggest that a leather palm with a textile upper is the gold standard. The membrane in the Tasmania, by the way, is not laminated. Again, not so good in terms of potential wetting out, but the drop liner construction of this glove will mean that it's both warmer and more comfortable. There's a visor wipe on the left, index finger.

 

It has to be said that the Tasmania wants for very little in terms of protection. You get a large, but not aggressive, knuckle protector. Rubber and padded bumpers feature on all the fingers, and on the thumb. The glove has both a palm slider and a scaphoid protector. You also get a panel of highly abrasion resistant Superfabric on the outside of the wrist. Finally, the two smallest fingers are strapped together with a piece of elastic, with a view to ensuring that you don't lose part of your finger like Troy Bayliss did in WSB.

 

On the palm, there's a panel of what is called digiprint leather, the role of which is to increase purchase on the grips. And there's a bit of concertina banding on both the back of the hand and the thumb for easier movement and comfort.

 

One of the things that attracted us to this glove is the wrist fastening mechanism. At the wrist itself you get a fairly standard Velcro strap, but there's also a neat, elasticated wrist strap that allows you to very effectively strap down the mid-length cuff. It works a treat, meaning that wearing it inside the sleeve of a jacket will never be a problem.

 

There's only one thing that disappoints us with this glove. And it's its touchscreen capability. Now this has long been a Richa failing, and for many, although not all, it can be a deal breaker. The shame is that the Tasmania is meant to be touchscreen sensitive. And on the index finger there's a symbol that confirms this. But it's not easy to use, it's not reliable, and frankly it's not very good. In theory, you're meant to use the flat part of your finger. Even then it only works some of the time, and it's not exactly pinpoint precise.

 

The Richa Tasmania is a very nice glove. And for most bikers it will be more than up to the job. The wetting out concern only manifests itself after about three hours in the rain, so that's not an issue for most.

 

The glove is comfortable and protective. The detailing is impressive. Everything has been thought through, and like all Richa gloves, it is well put together.

 

We have long been of the view that Richa punches above its weight when it comes to gloves. And the Tasmania does nothing to alter that perception. This isn't their most technical glove, but for the guy who does, say, 3-5,000 miles a year, it might just be the perfect glove. And it's pretty well priced too.

 

We've said this before about Richa's gloves, but it's just a pity they don't try harder with the whole touchscreen thing!