My first pair of PI Gel Lite Tour gloves lasted around 1200 miles. The wear on them was exactly like you described. It took me a while to find another pair, but I wanted the same ones since they don't have velcro straps, you just slide them on. Velcro straps are just one more thing to deal with and I'd rather just slip them on and go. These fit me perfectly ("like a glove" HA!), so I didn't feel like I needed the adjustability of velcro. They are $20, I figure not too expensive in the scheme of things. DH's are also some type of PI and he could not figure out what I was doing to wear mine out so fast, his have lasted around 3000 miles.