I have the PI Carbon Pittards, which I use indoors for riding on the trainer. I like them very much for that because they are so cushy on the palm. I do not like using them for riding outdoors because there is no leather or padding extending around the side of the forefinger. I need that to keep from getting blisters from rubbing up against the hoods. Also, the palm is very thick & has no ventilation, so my hands get really sweaty.

Nanci recently talked about another PI glove, which I just got based on her recommendation. It is the PI Gel Vent Pro, and it's terrific. I need lots of padding on the palm, and this one delivers. Looks to me like the padding is of varying thicknesses, with the thickest part directly on the palm. It felt strange initially, in fact, I thought of sending it back when I first put it on. The palm padding is separated, & I thought that might be a problem leaving the center unprotected. It's not because when you have your hand bent, the gel pads move closer together. I was also worried because there was no velcro tab. I've had trouble with gloves that were pull-on before as they were kind of loose & would move around. No problem with the new PI's, they grip very securely. My initial ride with them today was very positive. Nanci - a big thank-you for that one!

I ordered up 2 other pair as well. I already know & like the Descente Women's Air Gel. The '06 version is better than the previous year's. The gel sections are better placed anatomically & separated, which helps over time because gel hardens. The old ones had large sections of gel that got really hard & stiff. These are nicely padded & feel really soft.

The other pair I ordered is the Louis Garneau Women's Air Stream. I liked them right away when I put them on, they are very light-weight. The palm has mesh to breathe, and the padding seems very nice, supportive without being hard. I can't wait to try them, but I will have to wait until the rains & the thunderstorms move on.