The POC Essential Mesh glove is aimed at any rider wanting a minimalist glove, that does the trick in keeping the hands protected in an encounter with the ground. In this POC Essential Mesh Glove review, we will look into where the glove excels, and where it doesn’t so much.
The POC Essential Mesh is a great glove. But before we look into whether it suits you and your riding, it helps to know what actually makes a good glove.
What Makes a Good Glove?
Just briefly, a good glove includes a couple of essential components:
1. Is durable
No point in having a glove that disintegrates after one crash!
2. Fit and comfort
You can check this by curling your hand into a tight ‘c’ shape. If there is excess material around the palm, it will likely cause blistering or rub while you ride.
3. Provides a bit of grip
You want a bit of grip to reduce the amount of pressure your hands have to use to stay on the bars. By reducing the pressure, you are less likely to get compression of the nerves and hence reduce the chance of getting hand numbness.
The other things to look out for include touch screen compatibility and a sweat or nose wipe. Nothing is more frustrating than having to rush to take your gloves off to answer a phone call, take a quick photo or check TrailForks on the go! And having a sweat wipe or nose wipe is handier than you’d think.
POC Essential Mesh Glove Review
Pros
- Minimalist Glove
- Best looking glove out
- Very breathable
- Terrycloth nose wipe
- Well ventilated palm
Cons
- Slide on glove not great for larger hands
- Won’t suffice as a winter glove
Comfort and Fit
The POC Essential Mesh Glove is one of those gloves that actually ‘fits like a glove’ in the cliche sense! The super-thin materials hug your hand but still allows complete movement when needed.
As you curl your hand around the bars, the 4-way stretch material across the top of the hand stretches to fit your hand perfectly.
Durability
Despite the thin materials, they don’t feel flimsy at all. While I personally cannot attest to the longevity of the glove, my flatmate has been riding in these gloves for years now. And even with a few grunty crashes thrown in the mix, and the gloves are still going strong!
Padding
The POC Essential Mesh glove doesn’t have any padding as such. This gives a much more minimal feel which a lot of riders prefer. It does, however, reduce a bit of the vibration through the bars when compared to riding wearing no gloves.
If you are looking for a padded glove, see here for the best-padded MTB gloves.
Grip
Silicon prints combined with the ax suede palm material allow for excellent grip on the handlebars.
The great ventilation (explained below) helps reduce sweaty palms, which also contributes to having an exceptional grip of the handlebar while mountain biking.
Ventilation
This is where the POC essential mesh exceeds- it is super breathable. The 4-way stretch material on the top of the hand allows air to easily flow into the glove. The perforated palm then allows air to pass on out and prevents the palm from getting sweaty.
For those wanting an all-year-round glove, the Essential Mesh likely won’t suffice in winter. But for those that don’t enjoy wearing gloves due to the lack of ventilation, this will be the perfect glove for you.
Cuff
The glove is a pull-on style glove. There are no annoying velcro straps to get in your way or irritate your skin. The glove uses a pull tab to slide the glove over your wrist.
The only issue arises if you have extra-large hands. Pull tab systems don’t seem to work as smoothly for larger hands as it tends to stretch the material as you slide them on. Keep this in mind when trying out pull-on gloves!
Fancy Extras
The POC Essential mesh hasn’t gone too overboard with the design. Essentially POC has included the two ‘fundamental’ fancy features- the nose wipe and the touch screen threads.
The terrycloth nose wipe helps with wiping any moisture due to sweat or a runny nose to keep you enjoying the ride.
The conductive touchscreen pads on the thumb allow you to quickly answer a phone call, take a photo or check maps without having to remove the gloves!
Final Thoughts
The POC Essential Mesh are some of the coolest-looking gloves out. And some of the coolest feeling!
If you are looking for a super-light and breathable glove, that will protect your skin in an encounter with the ground, the POC Essential mesh won’t disappoint. These are a minimalist’s glove through and through, yet they can withstand the test of time (and crashes).
For similar gloves to consider, have a look at our reviews on the Fox Ranger, Giro DND, 100% Ridefit or more minimalist gloves, see here.
