Spidi Carbo Winter H2OUT leather gloves review

Tested by: Mikko Nieminen // RRP: £149.99 // Sizes S-3XL // Colours: Black/silver, black/yellow

I know it’s not been that cold yet, but I’m not a fan of being cold on the bike so I like to get kitted out with warm clothes, and I do like nice warm winter gloves.

These gloves from Spidi combine elements of racing and touring gloves. They have a triple fastening system, aerodynamic knuckle paddings, racing stretches and they have been finished in leather with Keramide layers to make them abrasion-resistant. Just what you’d expect from racing gloves, right? But they also have a waterproof, breathable H2OUT membrane, anti-water barriers and soft Primaloft wadding, typical of winter touring gloves. Overall, I think the results are stylish and functional.

With all the padding and the leather outer layer the gloves took a little while to bed in, but they’re not too clumsy for winter gloves. After about a week’s commute the gloves were fully moulded to my hand shape and fitted like, well, a glove.

I like the fact that they are big and substantial, with knuckle armour and Keramide layers for added protection and plenty of insulation. You get a lot of glove for your money.

To say that these are leather gloves is to over-simplify matters slightly; the palm side is goat leather with rubber panels to help with grip, while the knuckle side is cowhide. There are several reflective panels to help with visibility in the dark – a nice touch for winter gloves that are often used in less than perfect light.

Sometimes with padded winter gloves you feel like the throttle is slipping shut unless you really squeeze the bars. With these gloves the goat leather on the palm is great for getting a good grip of the handlebars.

The gloves can be adjusted with three Velcro strips, which means that it takes a bit longer to get them on and off, but once on the fit is great.

For more information about the gloves and more Spidi products, visit: www.spidi.com