The Raida AqDry Waterproof Gloves are just what the doctor ordered for riding through the monsoons.
Story: Sayantan De
In our nation, a lot of people commute on two-wheelers everyday. While cost prevents the switch to a four-wheeler, availability deters them from public transport. Then there are the hardcore riders who roll out their two-wheelers come rain or shine, and that’s excluding the adventurers who seek out the Himalayas astride their metal horses.
For all of these people, a pair of waterproof gloves seem like a necessity and while there are quite a few of them in the market, most are fairly expensive. The Raida AqDry waterproof riding gloves, therefore, are a budget-friendly choice for a pair of waterproof riding gloves, priced at Rs 2,950. Admittedly these are short-cuff gloves, but Raida also offer the Alps waterproof gloves which are full-gauntlet in length. Other than the Royal Enfield and Cramster waterproof gloves, the Raida AqDry are the most affordable waterproof gloves in the market.
While I braved the Pune monsoon with the help of these gloves, my hands were kept dry which made operating the controls an easy thing to do. They also have decent grip on wet levers. Furthermore, there’s a visor wiper on the left index finger which helps somewhat in clearing the water away from the visor.
Safety includes polymer knuckle protectors, polyurethane finger protectors and TPU palm sliders, none of which I needed to test personally. When riding in Ladakh, the AqDry proved that its merits extend beyond waterproofing because the fleece inside kept my hand toasty warm which helped combat the windchill to a great extent.
The gloves did make me sweat a bit, so ideally one should carry a dry-weather pair of gloves as backup. While there are touchscreen-sensitive fingertips (index fingers only),, they don’t work very well even when dry.
Overall these are a solid, value-for-money pair of waterproof riding gloves that should be in every rider’s kit. However, if you intend to ride in heavy rains for long distances, we would recommend investing in full-gauntlet gloves. The Raida Alps could be an alternative.
Rating: 4/5
Also read: Axor X-Cross Dual Visor Helmet Review
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