Galibier Zephyr All Surface gloves

The Galibier Zephyr All Surface Gloves are ideal for those riders who want protection, but don't want that to mean muted feedback from the handlebar thanks to bulky padding. They are very well made and comfortable, and breathable too.

I only wear gloves when it's really cold, as the majority – whether full-fingered or mitts – have quite a bit of padding on the palm. For me, that reduces the feeling from the front end of the bike.

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For road riding the lack of protection is not really an issue, but as I spend around 50% of my time on gravel bikes, I do sometimes feel I should be better prepared for the inevitable crash on a loose surface.

That's where these Galibiers come in. I've been using them a lot, and find them very comfortable indeed.

The fingertips took a bit of getting used to, as each finger has a small section sewn into the tip; as it's not nearly as stretchy as the rest, they felt a little restrictive to begin with. After around four or five hours wear, though, everything softened up and become more supple.

The backs of the hands are nylon, which Galibier says is durable and resists abrasions – and I agree. Even after riding through brambles and getting them snagged on branches and thorns, they've suffered no damage. There is a lot of stretch in the backs too, which makes the fit great without requiring any Velcro tabs or anything for closure.

The palms are AX Suede, and they're quite soft and supple. There is just one section of padding that covers the hypothenar region (the mound at the base of your little finger, the bit you'd karate chop something with) and adjacent palm. It's very minimal, but enough to take the sting out rough surfaces. It's grippy too, so no slipping on the handlebar in the wet or dry.

This minimalism leaves you with plenty of dexterity, and I didn't even need to take them off to deal with mechanicals. The fingertips are compatible with touchscreens too, for phone and computer tapping.

From a breathability point of view these are pretty good. Their backs are thicker than the lycra of most mitts, so for anything above about 20°C I found them quite warm, but thanks to all the air holes the breeze can blow through to remove a fair bit of the sweat. They offer UV protection too, though Galibier doesn't say to what level.

Galibier also offers these in a mitt version, which Dave reviewed and liked.

I tend to head out on the bike very early in the morning, and things here are starting to get quite fresh from a temperature point of view. I've worn these when it is around 8°C and found them plenty warm enough, and they'll go a couple of degrees lower, I reckon.

They get wet through quite quickly in the rain, and don't dry anywhere near as fast as a pair of summer mitts. They stay comfortable though, and don't get any heavier when soaked.

Value

These are £34.60, and for that you are getting a very well-made pair of gloves. The stitching is very neat, and they'll stay looking like brand new for a long time.

Liam recently reviewed the Stolen Goat Voltage Grey gloves, which are also lightweight full-finger things. They are a bit cheaper at £29, but with a thin lycra-style back panel, they're nowhere near as robust as the Galibiers.

Lusso's Terra gloves are light and aimed at gravel or mountain bike riding. We haven't reviewed them, and I haven't worn them, but they look very similar and will set you back £30.

Overall

The Zephyr All Surface gloves are very comfortable, and versatile for all kinds of riding. They lack the killer pricing of some Galibier kit, but they're good value nonetheless thanks to their strong performance and strong build.

Verdict

Ideal lightweight gloves for all kinds of riding, in all sorts of conditions