LIGHTWEIGHT WINTER GLOVES

£24.99-£54.99 Bid farewell to freezing fingers

01 MADISON ZENITH DWR 4 SE ASON GLOVE £24.99

COLOURS BLACK, BLUE SIZES S, M, L, XL, XXL

Madison’s Zeniths feel like a lightweight glove, but they have a neoprene-like stretch and are lined with a soft and comfortable brushed fleece. The unpadded palms are suede-like soft with silicone grippers and there are touchscreencompatible tips on the index and middle fingers. Their close-fitting, pre-shaped design means no bunching or wrinkles at the palm and well-placed seams keep them comfortable. They have a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating that keeps spray and light rain out for an hour or so before wetting out, but even then they kept my hands warm down to about 7°C. These wouldn’t be my first choice for freezing rides, but I reach for these comfortable, well-priced gloves on cold, wet days.

02 CASTELLI T U T TO NANO GLOVE £45

COLOURS BLACK SIZES XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

By far the lightest-weight gloves here, these Castellis have a close-fitting, almost second skin-like feel to them. Their super-stretchy Nano-Flex 3G fabric is the same that Castelli uses on its arm and leg warmers and it has a soft fleece lining. They kept my hands warm down to 8-10°C and in light rain their nano-treated surface helps water to bead and keep your hands dry, but in heavier rain they’ll be overcome in about 30 minutes, although they’ll still keep your hands warm unless it’s very cold. Silicone palm prints offer all-weather grip, but after a bit of use and washing, some of the print’s peeling away. These lightweight 44g gloves are also better suited to spring and autumn rather than winter.

03 CHROME MIDWEIGHT CYCLE GLOVE £47

COLOURS BLACK, OLIVE/BLACK SIZES S, M, L, XL

The Chromes are the most traditionally styled glove here, with a shorter cuff, double-skin construction and a warm thermal lining. It’s a design more suited to leisure and commuter cycling when you’re likely to be wearing a non-riding winter coat. The fit is excellent, the fingers are long, and Chrome’s comprehensive online sizing guide ensures you can find the right fit. Their 70D ripstop nylon backs keep water at bay as rain beads on the surface, allowing you to shake them dry. They have minimal padding, thumb and fingertips that are touchscreencompatible and subtle reflective details. The warmest gloves on test, the Chromes would be my choice for commuting with a heavier winter jacket.

04 A LT UR A POL A RT EC WATERPROOF GLOVE £50

COLOURS BLACK SIZES XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

Altura’s new Polartecs combine a tough neoprene-like exterior with a waterproof membrane sandwiched between the outer and a thermal lining. This waffle-like fleece lining traps air, keeping your hands warm but without them getting sweaty. They’re bulky compared with the Castelli and Sportful gloves, but are impressively waterproof and the adjustable mid-length cuff works well with close-fitting sleeves. The silicone print provides great grip in the wet but, though the fingertips worked well with a Garmin 1030, they struggled with an iPhone. The sizing is also a little off, resulting in the palm fabric bunching. A shame, as these are both warm and waterproof.

05 SPORTFUL NO R AIN GLOVE £50

COLOURS BLACK, BLUE SIZES XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

Sportful’s No Rain name is a bit of a misnomer as these gloves don’t stop rain soaking the material. Rain initially beads on the surface so you can shake it off, but the fabric wets out in an hour. However, even when wet they stay warm, with the tightly woven outer and soft fleecy liner keeping the chill out and the warmth in. The extended cuff ensures there are no gaps between the glove and jersey, and grip from the full silicone print on the unpadded palm is excellent. These work best above freezing but the second skin-like fit means sizing is crucial. Get the sizing right, though, and these are ideal for cool damp days.

06 PE A RL IZ UMI A MFIB L I T E GLOVE £5 4.99

COLOURS BLACK

SIZES XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL

These have all the usual winter glove features – thermal padded insulation, water-resistant outer and a long, adjustable cuff – but Pearl has pared them back as much as possible, while still maintaining their cold-combatting qualities. The 60g Primaloft Gold insulation has little bulk, the soft and supple synthetic leather palm is unlined so you have a good connection to the handlebar, and the thumb and index fingertips are touchscreen-friendly. These are great gloves for cold and damp morning rides, keeping your hands warm but not sweaty. They do wet out after a couple of hours in full-on rain, but I haven’t tried many gloves of this weight that last longer in adverse conditions. A great all-rounder.