DexShell ThermFit NEO Gloves

The DexShell ThermFit NEO Gloves work really well on the bike: they're warm, waterproof and give a good grip on the bar. They aren't padded, which won't please everyone, and I found them more difficult to get on than others, but once you've achieved that, they're great.

Unlike typical winter cycling gloves, which have a hardshell material as an outer, a soft inner, and most often a fair amount of padding on the palm, these ThermFit NEOs have a knit outer and merino mix inner, and no padding anywhere. They do have silicone gripper on the fingers and across the palm, but aside from that the palm seems to be made from the same material as the tops, and they act and wear like any 'normal' pair of casual gloves.

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One of the big advantages of this kind of flexible knit design over those with thicker or more hardshell outers is that it makes pulling levers, wrapping around handlebars or grabbing items from a jersey pocket easier.

Their weatherproofing is excellent. I used them in a wide range of conditions, down to around -2°C and in pouring rain; they were really put through their paces but never found wanting. With impressive warmth and waterproofing, they kept everything out in even the most foul weather. They also cover a pretty wide range of temperatures – over the Christmas period we had days in the mid-teens and these were fine for that too.

The touchscreen-sensitive thumb and forefingers work impressively well, too, so I can use my iPhone or Garmin without needing to remove the gloves.

Not having any padding on the palm has its positives and negatives. It means you get a good feel of the road through the bars, but if you use them for a prolonged period over rough terrain your hands can take a bit of beating. I prefer to have a little padding, but I wore these for several longer rides without any major discomfort.

The silicone gripper on the palm and fingers provides more than adequate grip even in soaking wet conditions.

One slight downside to these gloves is that there is no 'wipe zone', so if your glasses get rained on or you need to wipe away sweat (or snot), you need to use the more abrasive material on the back of the hand.

I also found putting the gloves on an 'interesting' experience. They aren't particularly complex, but their construction means they create a pretty air tight seal, and you might need to individually adjust each finger. It's a little like putting on wetsuit gloves, if you're familiar with that. I found that as the gloves were used a bit more, this became slightly less pronounced, but it's certainly noticeable in the first few weeks. Taking them off is pretty simple, mainly because they offer a lot of dexterity so it's easy to grab the end of a finger and pull.

Value

For an rrp of £35, their performance is impressive. They're very similar to the Stolen Goat Climb & Conquer 4 Seasons Gloves that Mike tested last year and loved, which are the same price. In fact, beyond the logo and the layout of the silicone grippers, they look very, very similar...

> Buyer’s Guide: 10 of the best winter cycling gloves

Looking at other gloves in that price range, I tested the Bontrager Circuit Windshield Gloves in April last year, which cost £5 more and despite being excellent cool weather gloves don't offer the same warmth.

Conclusion

These gloves are impressive. The construction is unusual, but there is no doubt that they do the job very well. They're warm and weatherproof, and the silicone gripper do a good job so your fingers won't slip off the levers. There isn't any padding or a snot-wipe area, and they are a little more awkward to put on than most, but aside from that there is little not to like.

Verdict

Well-designed and comfortable gloves that keep out the cold and rain and keep in the warmth