Held Ice Queen II ladies gloves in black

Held is one of those brands that people in the know rate very highly. They don’t always shout the loudest, but when it comes to gloves, they rarely put a foot, or should we say hand, wrong. The Held Ice Queen II is a good example of that quiet expertise; a proper, technical winter glove designed specifically for ladies who ride through the colder months.

 

This is a glove built for real-world touring and adventure riding. In our world, if you’re riding in winter, you want warmth and waterproofing. And that’s exactly what you get here.

 

The outer shell is made from goatskin. Now goatskin is stronger than cowhide, yet thinner and more supple. It makes for a glove that feels refined and comfortable straight away, without sacrificing durability. There are leather stretch panels on the fingers, so the glove flexes nicely on the bars rather than feeling stiff or restrictive.

 

Inside, you get a 3M™ Thinsulate™ lining. Thinsulate is clever stuff: it traps warmth without adding unnecessary bulk. Combine that with Held’s HELD-TEX® membrane and you have a glove that is waterproof, windproof and breathable. So, your hands stay warm and dry, without becoming clammy.

 

Protection is properly thought through. There’s hard plastic armour over the main knuckle. Along the edge of the hand, you get reinforcement and a panel of SuperFabric.

 

Practicality hasn’t been overlooked either. There’s special leather on the finger and thumb that allows you to operate a smartphone without removing the glove. You also get a visor wiper for wet-weather riding — one of those simple features you’re very grateful for when the rain starts coming down.

 

The glove fastens securely with hook-and-loop adjusters at both the wrist and the cuff, allowing you to fine-tune the fit and seal out the weather.

 

Finished in black, and designed for adventure and touring riders, the Ice Queen II is very much a spring-to-winter glove. Warm, waterproof, protective and reassuringly solid. If you ride year-round and want a proper ladies’ winter glove, this is a very good place to start.