SealSkinz Ladies All Weather Cycle Gloves £30

At a glance A light, dextrous and comfy pair of waterproof cycling gloves, most breathable in colder weather

Tested by
Claire Maxted

Value

Performance

There's no need to let miserable weather put a halt to your cycling. Sealskinz, a brand renowned for their waterproof accessories, have designed this light and dextrous women's fit glove with pressure point padding on the palm and finger grip to keep your hands dry while you concentrate on riding over wet, slippy terrain. I've been testing a pair through the winter for my daily 12 mile road bike commute and recreational mountain bike rides. So far the highly waterproof, durable Porelle membrane has kept my hands free of rain, and only a little sweaty.

The Porelle membrane is laminated between the inner and outer fabric layers and it is physically impossible for water droplets to pass through the membrane. "What about sweat?" I hear you say. Well, the membrane is breathable as it does allow water vapour to pass through, however, this process works most effectively when the temperature inside the glove is warmer and more humid than the temperature outside. Once your sweat has condensed into water droplets, you will start getting wet from the inside. On warm and wet days you can't help getting slightly damp hands if you're working hard on the bike, but in cold weather these gloves are great for keeping your hands dry and warm.

The soft area on the back of the thumb is useful for a shifty nose wipe when your cycling partner isn't looking and the grip on the fingers sticks excellently to wet handlebars. The palm padding is in the right place, but it could benefit from being slightly wider to accommodate slight changes in your hand position as you ride. The wrist closure is very easy to operate one handed when wearing the other glove, and although the seams make it quite bulky it still fits comfortably. If you are buying online I recommend using the sizing chart on the Sealskinz website and erring on the larger side as the test pair were a comfy but tight fit, especially to get on and off.

Buy from www.evanscycles.com

Manufacturer's summary:

In a ladies fit using a membrane technology and lightweight construction these black gloves offer superb fit for all weather use, they include pressure point padding on palm and grip on the fingers.