Samshield V-Skin Gloves

• Thin riding glove of perforated synthetic leather, not mesh
• Suede palm with silicone print as grip zone, with an inlaid pattern
• Reinforced Lycra on the fingers, double-width spandex cuff at the wrist
• Samshield describes no hook-and-loop or adjustable strap; the cuff does the closing
• Sizes 7 up to and including 10.5, without size 8, in white, black, brown and navy
• Suitable for dressage, showjumping, eventing and driving; in dressage and driving gloves are compulsory
• The model with silicone in the palm; the V-Skin Hunter is the silicone-free version
• Samshield gives no fibre percentages and no model-specific washing instructions; the label inside the glove is the source

• Silicone print on the suede palm, intended by Samshield for grip and precise rein contact
• Back of the hand in ultra-thin, perforated synthetic leather, so air can pass through the glove
• Reinforced Lycra on the fingers, described by the manufacturer as flexible and comfortable
• Double-width spandex cuff settles around the wrist without constricting
• Four colours in the range, including white for the dressage arena
• Sizes 7 up to and including 10.5; size 8 is not in the range
• Same construction as the V-Skin Hunter, but with a grip print in the palm

Who is it for? For the rider who wants a distinct grip zone in the palm, in a thin, close-fitting glove without an adjustable fastening.

When do you use it? All year round indoors, and outdoors from spring to late autumn. Samshield calls the back of the hand breathable and mentions no lining.

For which discipline? Dressage, showjumping, eventing and driving. In dressage and driving gloves are compulsory, in showjumping and cross-country they are not. Choose white for dressage; black works in the dressage test of an eventing competition; in dressage, black, navy and brown only work if your jacket is that colour.

When is another Samshield model a better choice? If you do not want a silicone print in the palm, choose the V-Skin Hunter: it has a silicone-free, hydrophobic microfibre suede palm and feels thinner. If you are looking for a visible finishing detail, there is the V-Skin Blazon with a metal emblem or the V-Skin Swarovski with crystals on the closure tab. For riding in frost, a lined winter model suits better than any of those four.

Maddelin carries this V-Skin in sizes 7 up to and including 10.5. Size 8 is not in the range, so there is a gap between 7.5 and 8.5.

The range differs considerably by colour. Maddelin carries white in 7, 7.5 and 9. Black in 8.5, 9 and 10.5. Brown and navy run without a break from 8.5 to 10.5. So first check which sizes exist in your colour and then make your choice.

Samshield gives no size guide with hand circumference per size for its gloves, nor advice for when you are between two sizes. As the manufacturer describes no adjustable fastening, the glove has to fit well on its own: if in doubt, try both sizes.

• Brand and model: Samshield V-SKIN, product reference PERM-V-SKIN
• Grip zone: suede palm with silicone print, with a pattern in the palm
• Back of the hand: perforated synthetic leather, ultra-thin
• Fingers: Lycra, reinforced
• Wrist closure: double-width spandex; Samshield describes no hook-and-loop and no strap to adjust
• Lining: not mentioned by Samshield
• Details: Samshield emblem on the wrist, small logo on the little finger
• Colours in the range: white, black, brown and navy
• Sizes in the range: 7, 7.5, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10 and 10.5
• Fibre percentages: not stated by Samshield; the label inside the glove is the source
• Washing instructions: not published per model by Samshield
• Country of manufacture: not stated by Samshield

Choose your size carefully. Samshield describes no adjustable fastening, so the spandex cuff has to fit your wrist well on its own. If in doubt, try the two sizes one after the other and also check which sizes exist in your colour.

For care, the label inside the glove applies. Samshield publishes no washing instructions for this model, and the brand's general care guideline covers clothing, not gloves.

If you compete in dressage, keep a pair in a colour the rules allow, such as white, separate from your training pair, so that you always have a pair in the prescribed colour to hand for the arena.

If you drive, count on two pairs: in the dressage and cones tests, gloves are compulsory for the groom as well. And for cold weather, keep a lined winter model from the range alongside; this version is perforated and made precisely to let air through.

Stretch the double-width spandex cuff open slightly with your other hand and slide the glove over your hand. Then smooth the fingers down one by one, so that no air stays in the tips and the silicone print lies flat against your palm. There is nothing to adjust — the cuff is the closure, and that is exactly why the size has to be right.

Samshield gives no washing instructions for this glove; the label on the inside is the source for washing and drying.

Is the back of the hand made of mesh?

No. It is perforated synthetic leather: a single sheet with perforations, not netting. Samshield describes it as breathable, light and more hard-wearing.

Where does this model's grip come from?

From a silicone print on the suede palm. Samshield attributes grip and precision of contact to this palm. The palm also has a pattern.

What is the difference from the V-Skin Hunter?

The palm. This V-Skin has suede with a silicone print; the Hunter has hydrophobic microfibre suede that Samshield explicitly calls silicone-free and that comes out thinner. If you want a distinct grip zone, this is the model; if you want as little as possible between hand and rein, the Hunter.

How does the glove stay on without hook-and-loop?

Through the spandex cuff at the wrist, which is double width and, according to Samshield, gives a secure hold. The manufacturer describes no strap to readjust, so your size has to be right.

In which sizes and colours does Maddelin carry the V-Skin?

White in 7, 7.5 and 9; black in 8.5, 9 and 10.5; brown and navy in 8.5 to 10.5. Size 8 is not in the range in any colour.

How is the glove constructed?

Perforated synthetic leather on the back of the hand, suede with silicone print in the palm, reinforced Lycra on the fingers and spandex at the wrist. Samshield does not give percentages per fibre; they are on the label inside the glove.

Can the glove go in the washing machine?

Samshield does not specify washing instructions for this model. The label inside the glove is the source: follow the symbols on it.

Can this glove be worn in the dressage arena?

In dressage, gloves are compulsory, internationally in white, off-white or the colour of your jacket; under Paardensport Vlaanderen white, buff or the colour of the jacket. So the white version always works; black, navy and brown only with a jacket of the same colour. Rules differ by federation, discipline, level and country and change regularly, so check the rules of your own federation.

Is the Samshield emblem allowed in an international arena?

In an international competition arena, a manufacturer's logo of up to 3 cm² is permitted. A sponsor logo on gloves is not permitted there. Samshield does not give the dimensions of the emblem or of the logo on the little finger, so measure them when it comes to an international competition.

Is this a winter glove?

No. Samshield mentions no lining, and the back of the hand is perforated to let air through. For cold weather, a lined winter model from the range is the better fit.