Lizard Skins Monitor 1.0 Gloves

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Lizard Skins looked to expand their product lineup of grips, bar tape, body armor, and frame protection with the Monitor 1.0 gloves. The aim here was to create a lightweight and minimalist glove with ample tech features without the added bulk. We grabbed a pair and hit the trails for a couple of months to let you know how they succeeded.

Lizard Skins Monitor 1.0 Highlights

• Articulated fingers
• Knuckle gussets
• Seamless material integration
• Clarino palm
• Touch screen compatible
• Available sizes: S-XXL
• MSRP: $42 USD

Initial Impressions

The first thing I noticed on ride #1 with the Monitor 1.0 glove was the super supple and soft Clarino palm material. Clarino has the smooth feel of suede and the strength of leather, without the drawbacks of the real thing since it maintains its characteristics when wet or after washing. And since Clarino a tough material, Lizard Skins is able to make the palm super thin.The material along the top of your hand is equally thin and minimal which I personally enjoyed. Additional tech features such as gusseted knuckles and touch screen pads on the index fingers round out the Monitor 1.0 gloves.

On The Trail

Being someone with small hands, I really enjoyed the fact that the fingers aren’t too wide and that the material doesn't bunch up under the knuckles. The Clarino in the palm is one of thinnest and most comfortable I’ve experienced in a pair of gloves, it ALMOST feels like you’re pulling a Blenkinsop and riding gloveless. The material covering the top of your hands also breathes extremely well and I never noticed my meat paws getting sweaty even on hot & muggy summer rides. And for those that are concerned about posting your Strava times or Instagramming your ride, you’ll enjoy the touch-screen friendly index fingers.

Things That Could Be Improved

The Monitor 1.0 gloves have a Velcro wrist tab which you’ll either love or hate. I would prefer to have a slip on glove so there’s less bulk and no Velcro strap digging into the top of your wrist when your hands are bent. I found that if the tab wasn’t lined up perfectly, I could feel the exposed Velcro on my skin which is a slight annoyance. Lastly, the price point is a bit higher than most gloves on the market, and although I assume this may have something to do with the high quality palm material and the touch screen fingers, it still bears pointing out.

Long Term Durability

Despite stretching out a bit compared to the initial ride, the Monitors are still holding up quite well without any tearing or visible distress to the palm area and fingers after a few months of riding. All the seams and stitching still look new and the only real sign of wear are the missing rubber grippers on the finger tips. They wore off after a few rides, but to be honest I’ve almost never come across a glove where this doesn't happen.

What's The Bottom Line?

I really enjoy the fit, comfort, and breathability of the Monitor 1.0 gloves. My current arsenal of gloves has been relegated to storage in favor of these until they will become too worn out for riding. If Lizard Skins could drop the price a bit they would get a bump in our star-rating, as it stands now they have themselves a real contender in the glove market - but one that comes at a premium.

For more information head on over to www.lizardskins.com.

About The Reviewer

Justin Schroth has been riding mountain bikes for over 15 years, experiencing first hand the evolution of the industry from thumb shifters and MCU cartridge forks to carbon fiber frames and single-ring all mountain bikes. As an East Coast rider, he loves trails with a combination of jumps, technical downhills, and the occasional loose corner for some foot out action. With a Mechanical Engineering degree, Justin's instinct is to always consider how it works over how it looks. After many years of racing the Northeast Norba and Collegiate series, Justin hung up the race plate and his diploma to go behind the camera at Lucent Productions, creating mountain bike video content for several clients such as Highland Mountain Bike Park.