Sure, we still refer to it as a glovebox, but the compartment off to passenger side of the dashboard has lost its raison d’être in this era. Named as such because it was originally used to store the driver’s pair of driving gloves, nowadays it is used to keep anything but. Instead you are more likely to find a tangle of USB cords and a charger or two inside.
When was the last time you put on a pair of driving gloves?
As an accessory for casual or everyday motoring, gloves were once essential but have largely been forgotten. In fact, when was the last time you even put on a pair of driving gloves? There is arguably no need to use them in a modern car – the cabin is so comfortable, the materials we touch already well refined. Other than a nod to fashion, is there really a need?
I found that gloves do give you a better grip on the wheel, increase comfort, and add a splash of fun to your daily commute. So yes, let’s put driving gloves back in the glovebox! These two are certainly opposite in character but are a great place to start.
Mulholland Racer Delaney
This one appeals to the Porsche enthusiast – the name alone invokes the rebellious street racing spirit around Mulholland Drive in the hills above Los Angeles. The Delaney is inspired by Steve McQueen and also his infamous salute. With two fingers um, “color coded,” you can very visibly signal your displeasure if so required.
Like the sports purpose racers it draws inspiration from, this glove is all business. The leather is thin with minimal decoration or extra padding, and an open back with neat rows of perforations gives extra ventilation. Handmade in the UK, slip this on and you get a tactile connection to your steering wheel like a lizard on a ceiling.
Mulholland Racer: Delaney driving glove
Best for: Precision driving at the limit.
Best with: Porsches and similar Teutonic performance cars. MOMO Prototipo steering wheel.
On your wrist: No-frills precision. IWC Pilot Mk XVIII, Heuer Heritage.
Autodromo Stringback
Autodromo’s range of products takes you back to the honest, genteel days of motoring and the Stringback is no exception. This one is a timeless glove for timeless motoring experiences: the spirited morning run through back roads thick with dew or the coastal cruise with the sun in your eyes and salt spray in the air.
The leather is lusciously thick and buttery soft, the cotton back providing both ventilation and warmth. There is no snap closure with the Autodromo, they slip on and stay snug just like the driving moccasins you should be wearing. The soft leather makes gripping the steering wheel a joy, and they beg you to take the long way home.
Autodromo: Stringback driving gloves
Best for: Escaping to the coast.
Best with: British roadsters and Italian barchettas. Moto-Lita or Nardi wood steering wheel.
On your wrist: Vintage-inspired pieces. Autodromo Stradale, Oris Divers Sixty-Five
Product featured is the author’s own and not provided by the manufacturers.
This article also appears on DRIVETRIBE: The Beautiful Dashboard
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