One of the best things about deerskin is that it barely needs breaking in compared to stiffer hides, but a few simple steps will speed the process and get your ILL DOZER gloves molded to your hands faster. This how-to walks through the easy, leather-safe way to break them in so you reach maximum feel and control in days rather than weeks.
Step 1: Buy the right size first
Break-in starts with fit. Deerskin gives slightly as it works in, so you want a snug fit out of the box, not a loose one. A glove that fits well new will fit perfectly after break-in; one that is loose to begin with only gets sloppier. Measure around the widest part of your palm and follow the size guide before you ride. Compare cuts across the deerskin glove collection if you are still choosing.
Step 2: Wear them around the house
The simplest break-in method is the most effective: put the gloves on and use your hands. Grip a bar, make fists, spread your fingers, pick things up. The warmth of your hands and the natural flexing work the leather faster than anything else. Twenty minutes of active use a day for a few days does most of the job.
Step 3: Simulate the riding position
Grab a broomstick or the bars of your parked bike and hold the riding position with the gloves on. Work the throttle motion, squeeze the levers, and let the leather learn the shape your hands take while riding. This targets the exact creases the gloves will form on the road, so they break in where it counts.
Step 4: Ride them
Nothing finishes the job like miles. Take a few shorter rides and let your hands, the warmth, and the steady gripping do the work. By the end of a few rides the deerskin will have molded to your knuckles and palm, and the gloves will feel like they were made for your hands.
What to avoid
Do not soak the gloves or use heat to force the break-in. Direct heat and heavy water can dry out and damage the leather, undoing the supple feel that makes deerskin worth owning. Skip the shortcuts and let the natural method work. If the gloves get sweaty or wet from a ride, let them dry slowly at room temperature, away from heaters and direct sun.
Keeping the feel
Once broken in, a light conditioning a couple of times a season keeps the leather supple and protects the feel you worked to develop. Treated this way, your deerskin gloves will stay comfortable for years and keep molding further to your hands. Good deerskin only gets better with use.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to break in deerskin gloves?
Usually just a few days of active use or a handful of rides. Deerskin is supple from the start, so the break-in is quick compared to stiffer hides.
Can I use water to speed up break-in?
Avoid soaking the leather. Excess water and heat can dry and damage deerskin. Flexing the gloves by hand and riding in them is faster and safer.
Should I condition new gloves before break-in?
It is not necessary out of the box. Break them in first, then condition a couple of times a season to keep the leather supple over the long haul.
Break-in is the easy part with deerskin. A few days of use and a few rides, and your ILL DOZER gloves will feel like an extension of your hands.