Assos’s winter glove has the Swiss brand’s own airBlock windproof and water-
repellent fabric on the backs. On the palms is an abrasion-resistant synthetic
suede with silicone recurring Assos ‘A’s at the fi ngertips and around the edges of
the palm. Inside is what Assos calls a ‘multi-density wadding’ and the whole glove
is sealed against draughts by a low-profi le neoprene cuff with a
taped seam that sits fairly snugly around the wrist but is stretchy
enough that sleeves could be tucked in if that’s the way you do it.
Assos says the bonKaGloves are good for temperatures between
-4°C and 8°C but we found them very warm at 5°C. However, like the
Castelli Estremos, the bonKas breathe well and don’t absorb an excessive amount of
sweat into their linings. Assos has kept the design chic and black, as it likes to, but there’s a
sensible addition of a refl ective indicator strip on the outer edge of each little fi nger. There’s
also a tab at the wrist to help get the cuff positioned right.
For long winter rides these gloves are perfect, and for once Assos is not
signifi cantly more expensive than the others.
British brand Lusso, as ever, has managed to produce an excellent product for a very
low price.
The WindTex gloves are made from the eponymous fabric in their entirety with a grippy gel
pad sewn to the palm that extends to the underside of the thumb. There’s a refl ective
‘L’ logo on the backs. They are simple, sleek and stylish with no
extra padding or liner. The cuff is good and high and relies on
the stretchiness of the WindTex for a close fi t around the wrist,
which works very well.
As for the rest of the fi t, we would have preferred slightly less
material over the backs: when the wrist is bent — for example when gripping a shifter — it
bags a little.
WindTex is windproof and water repellent and we had no complaints at all about the
performance of the Lussos, even though they’re very lightweight, fi nding them able to cope with
temperatures in the low single fi gures as long as you don’t dawdle and not too hot when
it’s warmer. Lusso says their range is from 0-14°C and we wouldn’t argue with that.
Danish company GripGrab’s products are well suited for UK conditions. The Ride Waterproof
Winter gloves include a breathable membrane to help retain heat when riding in cold
conditions. They are windproof and water repellent as well as being well insulated. The cuff is
long enough to extend some way over the wrist and is closed by a Velcro tab.
There’s a pad of the company’s DoctorGel in the heel of the palm that
provides some cushioning, although it’s only in the right place when riding
on the hoods.
The palm, forefi nger and middle fi ngertips are covered in silicone ‘G’s to
provide grip on damp, cold bars. The thumb has a touchscreen tip and a terry
back for wiping glasses, brow or nose. The backs feature a refl ective dot pattern along the bottom
half, providing a decent area for enhanced low-light visibility.
Getting the right weight for a winter glove can be tricky but the Ride Waterproof Winter gloves
hit the middle ground and are effective without being too warm. Waterproofi ng is
good too, keeping the hands dry, with little tendency to sweatiness.
9
10
Assos bonKaGlove_Evo7 £90
Lusso WindTex £30
GripGrab Ride Waterproof Winter €64.95 (£55.95)
9
We i g h t
132
gramsWe i g h t
66
gramsWe i g h t
104
gramsBEST
ON TESTCycling Weekly | December 7, 2017 | 39