Renen GC-2 gloves review

American brand Renen started out as a motocross clothing company only a couple of years ago, but has since expanded into the mountain biking world.

Their GC-2 gloves are its mid-priced offering and are all about on-trail performance.

They’re well made, offer an excellent fit and work impressively on the bike. However, compared to some gloves at this price, they don’t offer a vast array of features.

That’s no bad thing in my eyes and they make a lot of sense on the bike, especially if you prefer simplicity over having all the bells and whistles.

Renen GC-2 gloves construction details

The GC-2 gloves come in five sizes (S-XXL) and three colours, with very subtle graphics.

Each pair comes in its own drawstring bag for storage, which is a nice touch.

The upper of the gloves is made from a single piece of Renen’s WarpKnit fabric, selected because it offers a decent amount of stretch and abrasion resistance. The thicker knit also provides some protection from the elements on colder days.

There are no Velcro straps in sight when it comes to keeping the GC-2s locked onto your hands. Instead, a stretchy neoprene cuff is shaped to hug your wrist just tight enough and features an extended pull tab for pulling them on easily.

Renen opted to use a single, thin layer of Clarino for the palm, with no padded areas.

Aside from each finger (not the thumb) getting some reinforcement around the tips, there are no other features to speak of.

There's no snot wipe, no silicone print on the palm (which is no bad thing because this stuff gets slippery in the wet) and no bulky padding on the upper or palm.

Renen GC-2 gloves performance

I’ve been wearing these gloves over the summer months and into autumn/winter in a variety of conditions, ranging from dry and dusty through to torrential rain and cold.

Slipping these on, I was reminded instantly of my favourite pair of mountain bike gloves, the Fox Ascents. These feature a minimalist design and leather palm.

The fit of the GC-2 gloves is almost identical in terms of how well they’re shaped, how little bunching there is when you grip the bar and the overall, minimalist feel they share with the Ascents.

Thanks to the thin palm, feel and feedback from the grips beneath is impressive and direct, but not at all uncomfortable.

The smooth upper fabric will ward off the odd scrape through the undergrowth easily and I’ve found it’s thick enough to make a difference on cooler rides, adding a little bit of insulation compared to those that use a thin mesh back.

Unlike some slimline gloves, the GC-2s feel rock-solid on the bars when you’re throwing the bike from side to side. Where some gloves can leave your hands slipping and shifting about inside, I had no such issue with these.

Finger length feels spot-on, too, and the neoprene cuff, while a little sweaty on warmer days, is incredibly comfortable against the wrist.

While I didn’t miss features such as a snot/sweat wipe on the thumb, these gloves aren’t the best when trying to use a touchscreen.

The GC-2s feel impressively well-made for the asking price.

Renen GC-2 gloves bottom line

The GC-2s' impressive comfort, quality construction and minimalist design really appealed to me.

I’m a big fan of the thin palm, solid, hand-hugging fit and subtle styling. It helps that they’re attractively priced, too.