At last! I've got something for free to test! I recently got these gloves through the post, via James, to evaluate. Unfortunately for these gloves, this was just in time for the Karrimor mountain marathon, which is about as severe a test as any, especially if you recall what the weather was doing last weekend!
Well, are they waterproof? They look like ordinary woolly gloves, but with rubber gripper dots on the palm. After a quick immersion in the washing up bowl, it was quite clear that they are most definitely waterproof - which is the first plus point.
Unfortunately even before I got to test their waterproofing qualities, something else struck me. The fit is not very good. The fingers are 'chipolata' shaped if you know what I mean, with a very simplistic shape which is not what you'd expect on an expensive product. I can only assume that it is due to the 'welding' system that they use to manufacturer these gloves - they do look as if they've been made from two halves 'stuck' together. There is certainly no pre-curve on the fingers, which is almost essential for bike gloves, and a big fold of fabric forms right underneath the main pressure point on the bars (ulnar nerve area). I would not ever wear these on a bike for long distances without a cycle mitt underneath them, otherwise you'll get blisters in no time.
The Karrimor marathon is on foot, so these bike-related problems were not relevant during the test. A pair of waterproof gloves that were light, and allowed relatively dextrous work was exactly what I needed for that weekend (I could adjust rucsac straps, take compass bearings, but not quite tie my shoelaces whilst wearing these gloves). Throughout the 8 hours of torrential wind-blown rain of the first day's run the gloves proved to be totally waterproof. However, the obsession with making these gloves look 'normal' seems a little counter-productive, as the thick woolly outer slowly soaked up water giving me cold hands anyway. I had to ring the gloves out about once an hour, to try and keep my hands warm. The new generation of Seal Skins socks use thinner, less absorbent outer fabrics for exactly this reason, so I'm not sure why the gloves have not also been modified.
The gloves have none of the features often found on high quality cycling gloves. The palm is not padded or reinforced against abrasion, there are no reflective patches, or pre-bent fingers for the ideal riding position. This is hardly surprising as these gloves are NOT a specific mountain biking product at all, but one designed for all outdoor sports: running, walking, fishing & cycling. This is not a unique problem, as I have been similarly unimpressed by the Polaris fleece waterproof gloves and other winter 'MTB' gloves. While summer mitts come with a full complement of gel padding, kevlar palms and hundreds of other dedicated features, winter glove manufacturers seem to have this idea that by adding rubber gripper dots to a fleece fell walking glove, you instantly have a MTB glove - which is quite a long way from the truth!
For the last few years I have always bought my winter MTB gloves from Germany. Excellent brands to look out for are Jack Wolfskin, Chiba, Hestra, Roekl and Gore Bike Wear. Some of these brands are occasionally available in the UK, so keep your eyes peeled for them as they are all superb.
Verdict:
These are medium weight, totally waterproof gloves, which allow for much finer hand dexterity than conventional bulky waterproof 'ski-type' gloves. However, they are designed for general outdoor use, the fit could be much better, and they have almost none of the features usually found on a cycle glove (padding, reinforced palm, pre-bent fingers, reflectors etc). I therefore can recommend them heartily for general outdoor use but not for prolonged cycling.
Last Updated 21-12-2000
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