It’s not uncommon for Adventure Riders to carry around several sets of gloves on their trips. One set for cold wet weather, another for warmer conditions and a pair of motocross gloves strictly for off-road. Carrying just one set of motorcycle gloves that can do it all is the ideal, allowing you to avoid stopping to dig out your spares whenever conditions change.

The Dainese Veleta is a lightweight, short-cuff, GORE-TEX glove designed to keep your hands warm and dry in most bad weather. As a dual sport glove, the idea is to be equally comfortable on both street and dirt, allowing you to transition through environments without switching gloves.

The Technology

The Veletas are constructed with elasticated fabric, Amica Suede on the palm and Digital Suede leather on the right hand for added reinforcement of the thumb, index and middle finger. The left hand uses silicon strips on the first three finger tips to help make gripping objects easier. An adjustable Velcro cuff strap ensures a tight fit and pre-curved fingers help reduce hand fatigue and blistering on longer rides.

GORE-TEX is the technology that makes the Veletas waterproof and windproof while still allowing your hands to breath, and like all GORE-TEX products, they come with a performance guarantee. Dainese’s uses a technology called X-TRAFIT to glue the GORE-TEX membrane directly to the internal liner to prevent any slippage between layers. This makes the materials act like a single layer for better feel on the handlebars during performance riding.

Techno inserts use a stainless steel mesh to provide impact and abrasion protection for the knuckles and fingers.

The Veletas have a simple streamlined appearance but it’s a sophisticated glove that is packed with protective features concealed under a textile shell. The Veletas are CE certified in compliance with EN 13594/2010 category II level 1, which means they have a high level of protection from impacts, cuts, abrasion, tears and more.

Protective features include a system called “Techno Inserts” that use a stainless steel mesh coverings to guard the knuckles and finger joints. A polyurethane distortion control insert at the base of the little finger reduces the risk of unnatural twisting of the pinkie. Soft pads on the thumb, palm and top of the hand give additional impact protection.

First Impressions

Taking a close look at the Dainese Veleta gloves revealed the high quality stitching and construction you’d expect from Dainese. The Techno insert protectors felt solid on the knuckles and fingers, although, I would have liked to see hard sliders for extra abrasion protection on the palms.

I’m an Extra-Large in most gloves and after slipping on the Veletas, they were true to fit, although, getting my hand through the tight cuff opening was a challenge. Once on, the fingers were snug with just enough room at the tips for a perfect fit. The inner liner was comfortable and plush and no seams or pressure points from the protectors could be felt internally. However, the glove did feel stiff in the fingers.

The Veletas could use more Velcro material on the wrist to allow the cuff closure to lay flat when tightly closed.

Cuff length is just about right for either strapping it around the outside of your jacket sleeve or stuffing it inside. One small gripe I had with the cuff is that it needs more Velcro material on the wrist to allow a tight strap closure. When you cinch down the strap tight, it leaves extra strap material hanging off your wrist. Also, only a small portion of the Velcro material is actually connected when pulled tight, and this can cause it to detach easily.

Field Testing the Dainese Veleta

My first few rides with the gloves gave me the impression that these are primarily a street glove. On the highway, they offer good wind protection and have a nice padded feel. They keep hands comfortable anywhere between 50 degrees to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you ride with heated grips, riding in the 30’s is no problem with the Veletas.

Hands stay warm in all but the coldest conditions and the GORE-TEX membrane is very effective at keeping hands dry in the rain.

The first time getting off-road was a little awkward. The gloves had a squishy feel that made it hard to detect steering inputs at the handlebars. Hands also got hot and sweaty quickly, especially during slow-speed riding. Eventually, I was forced to switch to my off-road gloves and felt I might need to relegate the Veletas to strictly street use.

After riding with the gloves for a few thousand miles, I was surprised to see how much the gloves transformed after breaking in. It took some time, but the Veletas become more pliable and comfortable. The stiff finger feeling went away and getting my hands in and out of the tight cuff became easier. The pillowy insulation layer in the gloves also compressed down.

I gave them another try on the trail after the break in and was pleased with the improved feel and comfort on the bars. While hands still overheat and can begin to build up moisture in warm weather, they are more breathable than you’d expect a waterproof glove to be off-road. When moisture does build up, they quickly dry out once you get up to speed and the airflow speeds up evaporation through the GORE-TEX membrane.

The Veletas are an attractive dual sport glove with a streamlined, understated appearance.

After months of testing the Veletas in inclement weather, I was left thoroughly impressed with the waterproof and windproof performance. The gloves never failed to keep my hands 100% dry even after riding six hours straight in the rain. The moisture wicking properties also worked well, as one would expect from a GORE-TEX product.

On cold, wet weather trail rides or fast dirt roads, the Dainese Veletas are in their element.

Final Thoughts

The Dainese Veletas may not be the all-in-one glove I’ve always dreamed of, but it’s a highly versatile glove that can handle everything in-between the extremes. And they did reduce the number of gloves I carry down from three to two. On warm days, I use a motocross glove for technical off-road trails and the Veletas for fast dirt roads and the street. On winter rides, I use a gauntlet-style insulated waterproof glove on the street and switch to the Veletas for cold weather off-road use.

Their high-quality construction has allowed them to endure significant abuse during testing and I expect them to last for many years based on their current appearance. High protection levels make these one of the safest dual sport gloves you can buy and they continue to be waterproof, even after months of use. At $159 they are an excellent value, just be sure to give them some time to break in.

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Photos by Bill Lieras

Author: Rob Dabney

Rob Dabney started a lifelong obsession with motorcycles at the age of 15 when he purchased his first bike – a 1982 Honda MB5. Through his 20’s and 30’s he competed in off-road desert races, including the Baja 250, 500 and 1000. Eventually, his proclivity for exploration led him to dual sport and adventure riding. Rob’s never-ending quest to discover what’s around the next bend has taken him on Adventures in Latin America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and throughout the American West. As a moto journalist, he enjoys inspiring others to seek adventure across horizons both near and far.