Leather prices have skyrocketed in recent years.  The price of leather is up 90% in the past 5 years, and up 17% this year alone. This is a particular challenge for our industry.  The cost of leather can represent up to 60% of the cost of a leather glove.  In leather glove manufacturing, raw material prices — especially the cost of leather — are critical. Today, we want to share a 3-pronged strategy to deal with higher hide prices.  (Image Source: Bloomberg News)more   Why Eating Less Meat Makes Leather Gloves Cost More High leather prices can be explained this way: Fewer people...

If we’re not out riding, we’re dreaming of riding, or planning our next ride. So when it comes to holiday gifts, riders are a pretty easy bunch to please. But we noticed something: most of the gift guides for motorcycle riders look very similar — so we thought we’d spice it up a bit: We started with a dozen online motorcycle magazines, review sites, blogs, and e-retailers … … and hand-selected gifts – from the useful and practical to the unusual and hard to find. Here’s a curated collection of gifts for riders, at every price point. Last minute holiday shopping...

Graphics: W.L. Gore & Associates Component suppliers play a huge role in the development of high performance gloves. Technical materials are crucial to how gloves wear and hold up under a wide range of conditions. So we reached out to our friends at W. L. Gore, to find out what’s new at the Gore-Tex® mother ship down there in Newark, Delaware. Their flagship brand has long been the category leader. But in 2015-16, W.L. Gore & Associates is taking on a much bigger challenge: to improve the consumer’s experience, while shopping for gloves. We’re excited to share this innovation … Retailers; get...

Every winter, the electric gloves debate heats up (we couldn’t help ourselves …) Just this week, we got two product reviews on the subject!  So then we asked the question on facebook and twitter, and the results are pretty interesting.   The experienced riders we hear from (not a scientific sample by any means) are split down the middle, but maybe leaning more to heated gloves. Take a look at the following two 5-star glove reviews: Two experienced riders, with completely different views! more VOTES FOR UNHEATED WINTER MOTORCYCLE GLOVES: Stephan P. writes: These gloves are amazing.  12/01/14 They are incredibly warm. Avid skiers...

The holidays are about much more than giving and getting gifts … But when it comes to choosing just the right gift for the riders on your list, we’ve got two good deals for you this month! HOLIDAY SAVINGS!  FREE SHIPPING ENTIRE SITE. * The Perfect Reason to Pick Up an Extra Pair of Gloves! *   Winter Riding Gloves … or any gloves, for that matter … are the perfect gift for every rider. Who wouldn’t love a new pair of mitts!?  P.S. — Whether you wait until March or so to get back in the wind, or battle the elements 24/7/365 … If you have...

With a few functional accessories and mods, it’s possible to rig your ride to block wind and keep you warmer in winter conditions. Wearing the proper gear will keep you riding longer, too. Here are 3 things to consider when preparing your motorcycle to go the extra mile in the chill.  Mods, Winter Motorcycle Gear, Warmest Gloves  In our experience, successful cold weather riding is a matter of finding the perfect combination of winter motorcycle gear to wear, and modifying your motorcycle to help combat the elements.  Let’s start with your bike: Specifically, your windshield, seat, hand covers and protection for legs...

Did you enjoy your turkey?  Has the food coma worn off? What about Black Friday or Cyber Monday … Did you hit the stores? Gas prices will soon dip below $2, but the consumer hasn’t opened her wallet … yet. But here are a few reflections on the retail climate this holiday season … … and how online shopping trends might be very, very good for glove sales.more Is 30% Off Is The New Full Price?  What is your retail sales forecast for this gift-giving season?  With store windows screaming 50% – 80% off, it seems like 30% off is the...

n my last trip to China, I had dinner with a leather supplier who represents many tanneries. Our discussion turned to leather prices, which continue to rise. While ultra premium brands can absorb higher material prices, that’s not the case for most brands we work with. Here are some thoughts about how to maintain glove quality and margins, as we plan for another year of continued high leather prices in 2015.more 2015 Outlook: High Leather Costs, and other Challenges There’s an expression: “Costs rise like a rocket, and drop like a feather”. You would think that lower oil prices would...

When the weather is fair, we’re outdoors riding — but on a 30 degree morning like today, we’re relaxing with a hot cup of joe and checking out the motorcycle blogosphere. The next best thing to being in the wind, is reading about it! Here are 10 good motorcycle blogs to check out.  There are many more … so let us know which blogs YOU read, that we may have missed, in the comments! Wind In The Face–  Blog for ‘greasers, bikers and backyard mechanics who are on the road’. Over 3,500 pictures from all over the world are on...

This past weekend, Hurricane Arthur hit the east coast, bringing torrential rains from North Carolina to Maine. This got us thinking about the special challenges of riding on rainy days in summer. Most riders avoid the rain, others learn how to deal with it.  But sometimes you can’t avoid it, whether commuting or taking in a scenic cruise.  If you ride long and often enough, sooner or later, you’ll be caught in a sun shower or full-out downpour. You can try to wait it out. However, with the right gear, special attention to road conditions and your surroundings, and a...

Lately I’ve been thinking about how to help our retail and brand partners succeed in an omnichannel world. What’s omnichannel? It’s how the consumer shops — and expects to shop — in today’s always connected world. For example … Yesterday, I saw a nice scarf in a store window. I was in a rush, so I bought it — online — from my phone, on a train I ran to catch — — but not before adding a $12 pair of socks to my order, to qualify for free shipping.  (And if I don’t like it, I’ll return it to the...

This past week, the weather turned colder in many places. Barry C. writes:  ” … I rode last night… most of my body stays relatively warm or at least tolerable except my fingers… I have a pretty good set of winter gloves too… any tips? — Barry C. Barry’s situation is pretty common.  There’s one simple, economical  and often overlooked solution. Glove liners!   Why wear liners under your gloves?   There are several important reasons for riders like Barry to keep a pair of liners on hand: when your current gloves are the wrong gloves for the weather — i.e. when the gloves...