Gear Review | DriRider STORM Armoured winter gloves

DriRider’s STORM Armoured winter gloves combine waterproof construction, protective features and everyday comfort at an impressive price. We put them through a full winter of daily riding in Australia and reckon that for under a hundred bucks, they’re great value.

I’ve been wearing DriRider winter gloves for many years, and there’s always a pair in my riding gear cupboard ready for the colder months. I previously owned the original DriRider STORM WP gloves, which were excellent, and since then I’ve made a point of keeping a pair of DriRider winter gloves in rotation. Given the amount of riding I do, I generally get around three winters out of a pair, although riders covering fewer kilometres could reasonably expect more.

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After the STORM WP, I moved onto the Summit Pro, followed by the Hurricane, which I wore for two years before handing them over to our tyre-testing guru, Taka, when he was preparing to ride from my place to Melbourne in cold, wet conditions. For this winter, after speaking with DriRider, I received a pair of the STORM Armoured gloves, and they’ve been brilliant.

DriRider’s Dri-Tex membrane keeps water out while allowing moisture to escape, smart stuff!

At $99.95, I still find it amazing how much glove DriRider delivers for the money. These are properly constructed winter motorcycle gloves with waterproofing, protective armour and quality materials, yet remain under the $100 mark.

Dual Velcro closures at the wrist and cuff provide a secure fit, with both straps remaining in excellent condition after a winter of daily use.

The STORM Armoured uses a combination of ripstop and Soratex micro-stretch textile, with a drum-dyed goat leather palm and Amara reinforcement. The combination provides a soft, supple feel while offering durable contact surfaces where they’re needed. A Dri-Tex waterproof and breathable membrane keeps the weather out, making them suitable for regular winter riding.

Leather-covered TPU knuckle armour and SuperFabric reinforcement provide protection in key impact and abrasion areas.

Protection is well considered, the knuckles feature leather-covered TPU armour, shaped to follow the natural contours of the hand. There is also SuperFabric reinforcement in key areas, including the palm slider, along with additional padding. The gloves carry CE EN13594:2015 certification.

The integrated index-finger wiper is well positioned and makes clearing rain from the helmet visor easy.

The longer winter cuff extends over the jacket sleeve, with an adjustable Velcro closure and a separate, thinner wrist strap. Stretch panels through the fingers and wrist help with movement, while a visor wiper on the index finger clears water from your helmet screen. There’s also a touchscreen-compatible fingertip, although I found it didn’t work reliably with my phone. Interestingly, it does operate the touchscreen on the BikePlay system fitted to our KLE500 SE long-termer no worries at all.

The drum-dyed goat leather palm and Amara reinforcement provide a soft, flexible feel with durable contact surfaces.

One of the things that impressed me immediately was the fit, I’m wearing an XL, and the sizing is spot on. All the fingers are consistent in length, the lining sits properly and there’s no awkward excess material getting in the way. That makes a real difference with indicators and other switches especially on some of the modern bikes with a million buttons on the left switchblock!

At $99.95, the DriRider STORM Armoured gloves deliver impressive construction, waterproofing and comfort at a very competitive price.

DriRider products are designed and tested for the Australian market, although these gloves are manufactured in Pakistan, helping us with price point. The fit works particularly well for me. The knuckle armour is nicely shaped, allowing natural hand movement without creating pressure points. You can grip the bars, operate the levers and move your fingers freely without fighting the protective structure.

Lightweight, soft and easy to operate, the STORM Armoured gloves offer an excellent balance of warmth, protection and control feel.

They’re also incredibly soft and comfortable inside, the gloves feel luxurious for something at this price, and while they’re comfortable straight out of the box, they seem to get even better as the kilometres accumulate. They’re lightweight, easy to put on and take off, and don’t have the bulky feel that can make some winter gloves awkward around switchgear and keys.

The DriRider STORM Armoured gloves feel luxurious for something at this price, and while they’re comfortable straight out of the box…

I wore them almost daily throughout winter, and for the conditions we generally experience around Sydney and the Central Coast, the warmth has been excellent. Only when temperatures have really dropped have I swapped to one of my electrically heated glove sets. I generally carry both options, particularly when riding a scooter, where there’s enough underseat storage for a spare pair.

The XL sizing is spot on, with consistent finger lengths and a comfortable internal lining that doesn’t restrict movement.

Waterproofing has been excellent during my testing, and they’ve handled wet winter riding without any issues. The visor wiper is useful, positioned nicely on the index finger and effective at clearing water when conditions deteriorate.

The closure system has held up well, too. Both the main Velcro cuff strap and thinner wrist strap remain intact and strong. That thinner strap was the first component to give me trouble on previous DriRider winter gloves, although even then it was only the outer section that began flapping loose, with the Velcro remaining functional. After daily use throughout this winter, both straps on the STORM Armoured are still in excellent condition.

The moulded TPU knuckle protection follows the shape of the hand, allowing natural movement without uncomfortable pressure points.

DriRider is an Australian motorcycle apparel brand with a history stretching back to 1980, when Brisbane brothers Mal and Col McLeod established the company…

Maintenance is straightforward, I can hand-wash them and hang them out to dry naturally without losing their feel, shape or comfort, another practical advantage for gloves used regularly through winter.

The DriRider STORM Armoured gloves have been Jeff’s daily winter riding companions, offering warmth, comfort and waterproof protection.

DriRider is an Australian motorcycle apparel brand with a history stretching back to 1980, when Brisbane brothers Mal and Col McLeod established the company. Now 46 years on, DriRider remains focused on designing and testing riding gear specifically for Australian conditions. Gloves have become an important part of its extensive range, alongside jackets, pants, boots and protective accessories, with an emphasis on delivering practical protection, comfort and value for local riders.

At $99.95 RRP, they’re exceptional value. Based on my experience with DriRider gloves over the years, I expect to get several winters of use from them. Highly recommended for Australian riders wanting comfortable, waterproof and protective winter gloves without spending a fortune.