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Hands On: Answer’s New iPhone Compatible Won Glove

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There are sure to be a lot of riders who feel cell phones have no place on mountain bike rides, but how else are you supposed to work Strava? All kidding aside, there is a time and place for getting off the grid, but for a lot of us a smartphone like an iPhone can be just as useful as a pump on our daily rides. Whether it’s stopping to take a photo of some epic scenery, trying to meet up with your time-challenged buddies at the trail head after work, or using it as a last resort in case of emergency, there are many reasons you might need to pop out that phone during a ride – which usually requires removing your gloves.

Seeing as how more and more riders seem to be favoring gloves without a velcro strap, removing gloves especially when soaked from Midwestern humidity can take a minute – even more so when you go to put them back on. The Answer Won gloves are no different, in fact they’re very hard to put back on when wet. Fortunately though, thanks to their “answer-it” technology you never have to take them off to get to that call. Developed with Input from Eric Porter, and designed by Tom Bender, the Won is a winner.

More after the break.

Way long ago, we brought you this simple glove hack that converts any of your full finger gloves into touch screen compatible models. However, for the sewing inept, the Answer Won answers the call (how many answer puns can we fit in this? Know the answer?). Thanks to a box stitched index finger tip on both hands of each pair of gloves, the Won allows you to operate a touch screen with almost no pressure at all from your finger. Out on the trail it worked exactly as advertised, meaning I never had to take off my gloves to take pictures or operate the phone. Texting is a little difficult simply due to how little control you have, but that’s what Siri’s for, right?

While the “Answer-it” tech might be the stand out feature, the gloves shouldn’t go unnoticed even if you have no plans on ever using a touch screen while riding. The Wons are noticeably lighter and breath better than the Answer Fall Line XC gloves, and offer a tighter fit as well. Once the gloves are on and snugged into place, fit and feel is excellent. I’ve noticed a little bunching on the first few rides, though as they break in it’s becoming less noticeable. Perhaps best of all, the snot/sweat wipe thumb covering is ridiculously soft, hell, it’s almost more like a fleece blanket than a glove, and it covers the entire thumb.

The Won gloves seem to have a pretty bomber construction, and even after doing some heavy trail work in them, including clearing thorns, they’re still in great shape. Padding is pretty much non-existent, so look elsewhere if  you prefer some padding on your palms. Four colorways are offered, the Green/Black, Black/Black, White/Red/Black, and White/Black (not pictured).

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16 Comments
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barfly
barfly
11 years ago

What is the point of bike gloves without padding – especially those whose primary selling point is replicating a hand without a glove on it?

Hollywood
Hollywood
11 years ago

FYI- all you have to do is wet your fingertip a bit to work an iphone…I know it’s not a product…but it works.

Dave
11 years ago

I prefer gloves with no padding. I look to my gloves to provide good grip and crash protection. The grips and suspension should take care of filtering the bumps out.

greg
greg
11 years ago

i prefer gloves w/o padding as well. at most, just a second layer of leather.
specialized has had some gloves with phone compatibility for over a year. more than one model. has the “wiretap” name in it.

erik
erik
11 years ago

youre all gloved up and riding, your phone can wait

Ouam
Ouam
11 years ago

Am I wrong or those gloves fit a

Ouam
Ouam
11 years ago

Sorry, i had some issues with my gloves….. 😉
It seems that the green ones on the 1st pictures seems to fit a little bit larger…. No?
It’s a wrong size sample or all of them fit like that?

Watchtower
Watchtower
11 years ago

I’ve had good luck producing snot rockets with non padded gloves, but come to think of it, the padded gloves worked well too.

Topmounter
Topmounter
11 years ago

I only wear padded gloves on my road bike. That being said, I don’t think we need to encourage more people to talk / text / surf while riding. I already see enough of that and it is disturbing (especially people riding on the road).

Ned Ludd
Ned Ludd
11 years ago

I’m really sure that the cell phone industry needs this bit of fluffing. It’s true. It’s not like people are obsessively compulsive about always having to check their smartphone’s display for new tweets, FB updates, texts, or emails. It’s not like people ignore other humans in favor of their loving smartphones.

It’s nothing like that.

So please, keep fluffing this, while pretending you ever go “off the grid.”

I’d wager 12 dozen Krispy Kremes none of the people here at bikerumor has the faintest clue what being off-grid would be like.

No, it doesn’t mean going for a bicycle ride without your smartphone. It doesn’t mean that.

Dan
Dan
11 years ago

This is the downfall of man. Really who’s going to need to updated their Twitter saying that they just shredded some brown pow, or some other time wasting activity. Do these come in rolls so people can wipe their ass with them.

JB
JB
11 years ago

I’ve found once I’ve done a few hot summer rides (92F and 75% humidity today = ugh!) , my gloves all work just fine with my iphone.

Jen
Jen
11 years ago

Just loop some conductive thread in your favorite gloves’ fingertip and off you go.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Making-A-Glove-Work-With-A-Touch-Screen/

Zach
Zach
11 years ago

@Ned, I’ll probably never be able to please someone like yourself, but do weeks-long self supported backpacking trips and 7 day long canoeing adventures count as being off the grid enough for you? Clearly I’m no explorer, but I’ve been days from civilization my fair share.
Thanks for reading.

Fred
Fred
11 years ago

The stitching at the side of my right pointer finger has blown out conveniently making my glove touch screen compatible.

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