Like helmets, gloves are a personal thing. Which is to say that if you find a pair that fits and feels good, you'll be happy. You'll be happier though if you trust the brand in terms of design and materials and construction quality.

I've been wearing RS Taichi for a few years now and, alas, I have crashed in them a couple of times and, each time, the gloves (stitching, leather) have suffered only minor damage – these are not crash once and bin gloves. The designers over in Osaka have come up with a new design – the GP WRX – and I'll be using them as soon as they arrive.

The yellow RS Taichi badge wraps around the wristbone, the carbon knuckles have some padding under them and there are three carbon 'sliders' on the heel of the palm to aid slithering down the track rather than risking leather on Tarmac. And there's the now obligatory double-leather on the outside of the pinky fingers.

I'll let you know how they are. In the meantime, here's the tech spec from Taichi.

•RS TAICHI original molded carbon hard knuckle and finger protector with 6mm dual compound foam
Perforated leather used between finger for ventilation
•Carbon slider with 6mm dual compound foam in palm to prevent hand from gripping during a crash
• 5mm foam padding on wrist for better protection
•Kevlar on knuckle to finger tip for maximum strength (inside of glove)
•Wrist closure with rubber molded protection
•Additional leather layer on side of little finger for abrasion resistance

Colours : RED, BLUE, GUN METAL, BLACK
Sizes: Ladies; S, S, M, L, XL, XXL, 3XL, 4XL