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ADV ProductsREV’IT! Livengood GTX Gloves: 4-Season Comfort Without the Bulk

REV’IT! Livengood GTX Gloves: 4-Season Comfort Without the Bulk

A comfortable 4-season glove with innovative features & premium protection.

Published on 04.23.2019

Spring is one of the best times of the year for adventure rides but there is always the risk you may roll into some deferred winter weather. While we can’t control mother nature, we can be prepared with warm, waterproof gear. When you’ve got miles to cover on the highway, a pair of lightweight ventilated gloves just don’t cut it with temperatures down into the 40s F. Even with heated grips cranked to the max, you are going to feel the chill. And if it starts to rain, you’re in for some real misery.

A set of waterproof, insulated gloves can make your longer journeys a whole lot more pleasant. But with all that padding, it can make it hard to get a secure grip on the bars and it limits your throttle control. We recently came across the Livengood GTX gloves by REV’IT! (new for 2019) that promise the warmth of a winter glove but without the extra bulk and spongy feel that comes with heavy insulation.


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The Livengood GTX gloves are constructed with an abrasion-resistant PWR|shell fabric and a goatskin palm, incorporating a waterproof Gore-Tex membrane directly laminated to the shell to prevent water build up between layers. This also provides improved feedback from the controls while offering the top-level breathability and waterproofing Gore-Tex is famous for. PrimaLoft Gold and a high loft fur liner are used for a thin yet warm insulation layer. While impact protection is provided by a TPU palm slider, TPR finger protectors, and a 3D SEESOFT knuckle guard.

REV'IT! Livengood GTX 4 season motorcycle gloves
The index and middle finger are touchscreen compatible.

Additional features include a single-motion closure system and several reflective accents for nighttime riding. Livengood gloves are also touchscreen compatible and have a special visor wipe material on each index finger that can be used to clear your helmet screen or goggles.

With a particularly wet winter in California this year and some cold wet riding in Portugal, I got a chance to give the REV’IT! Livengood GTX gloves a good test. So let’s take a look at how they performed.

First Impressions

Slipping on the Livengood GTX gloves for the first time, they have a plush feel that you’d expect from a premium insulated glove but with a more direct connection on the palm. Insulation on the backhand is more pronounced than the palm but not as puffy as a ski glove. It was a little tricky figuring out how to use REV’IT!’s self-cinching cuff, but it proved to be a pretty ingenious design after getting used to it.

REV'IT! Livengood GTX 4 season motorcycle gloves
Instead of using a separate Velcro strap on the wrist, REV’IT! integrates a cinching strap into the cuff velcro allowing a secure closure in one single movement when you pull back on the cuff closure strap.

Instead of using an extra Velcro strap to secure the glove around the wrist, the single-motion closure strap is integrated into the larger cuff closure. Simply pull the Velcro cuff closure back and it simultaneously cinches up the wrist strap to secure the glove on the hand. Then close the Velcro cuff like a normal glove to secure it. To loosen the wrist cinch strap, tug on the tab that says “pull” and it loosens it up so you can get your hand out. The system is a little clunky until you get the movements down, but it saves you an extra step and the cuff closure also covers the cinch strap so it doesn’t involuntarily get released.

How They Performed

It’s not unusual for a glove to fit comfortably in the store, then reveal pressure points once you’ve been riding with them for a few hours. After several rides, no issues appeared and the gloves grew more comfortable over time. One area where I often get pressure points is knuckle pads, but the SEESOFT knuckle protector proved very comfortable.

REV'IT! Livengood GTX 4 season motorcycle gloves
The Gore-Tex waterproofing performed flawlessly during our wet-weather testing.

Insulation was just the right amount to keep hands warm riding on the highway in the low 50s. With heated grips you can dip down into the low to mid 40s F. And It was nice not having the typical bulk of a insulated glove that can cause your hands to slip around when the riding gets more spirited.

In warmer weather or light off-road riding, they are svelte enough to allow you to keep going without feeling the need to swap gloves immediately. They also provide good feel to ride at a fast pace on a twisty road. They aren’t the best choice for a full day in the dirt, but you can get through a half dozen miles of off-road terrain before your hands start overheating.

REV'IT! Livengood GTX 4 season motorcycle gloves
A goat skin palm and TPU palm slider offer abrasion protection.

While riding in Portugal for the launch of the Triumph Scrambler 1200, we were hit with some heavy rain. After a few hours in it, I felt lucky to be one of the only journalist in our group with warm dry hands. They remained watertight during a few wet-weather riding days in California as well. Visor wipes on the index fingers were fairly effective for clearing your vision, but I feel a hard plastic finger squeegee would work better.

Touchscreen fingertips are more precise than most gloves I’ve tried – especially considering they are semi-insulated. However, only the index and middle finger are touchscreen compatible. I would like to also be able to use my thumbs when using the touchscreen for zooming in and out of map screens.

Who Is It For

Adventure Riders who travel longer distances on the highway, through all types of weather. Also riders, who want premium comfort and protection but don’t want to pull over to switch gloves when they get to a twisty road or when they find a short section of dirt road to explore.

REV'IT! Livengood GTX 4 season motorcycle gloves

Our Verdict

At $189.99, the Livengood GTX gloves come with a premium price tag, but the cost is middle of the road for a 4-season Gore-Tex glove. They are a little warm for hot weather and in cold weather, you may still need heated grips, but overall they are some of the most versatile all-season gloves I’ve tried. Protection from impact and abrasion are top notch while, they also deliver on comfort and waterproofing. A well-balanced glove for anyone looking to do some traveling.

What We Liked

  • 100% waterproof in heavy rain.
  • Warm enough for winter rides with heated grips on, without much bulk.
  • Closure system lets you close cuff and cinch wrist in one movement.
  • Plush interior and pliable knuckle protector makes them a pleasure to wear.

What Could Be Improved

  • A hard finger squeegee on the left index finger would be appreciated.
  • Add touchscreen compatible tips to the thumbs too!

REV’IT! Ridge/Globe GTX Specs

COLOR: Black
SIZES: Small to XXX-Large
PRICE: $189.99

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Revzilla MotoSport Cycle Gear

Photos by Stephen Gregory

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.

Author: Rob Dabney
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Ron Doogalo
Ron Doogalo
April 24, 2020 9:56 am

Recently got a pair of these and they are my new favorite pair.

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