- Bargain price
- Robust and hardwearing
- Warm with good dexterity
- Limited colour choices
- Snot wipe could be more absorbent
The 100% Brisker women’s gloves are a great set of winter warmers for moderate to chilly days. The softshell backing keeps the worst of the wind at bay, they're hardwearing and a single-layer palm means there's still a great feel on the bars. At this price, there’s no reason not to have a pair for winter riding.
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The softshell back of the hand feels a bit like neoprene and is pretty windproof, although it doesn’t claim to be, and it stays pretty warm even when soaked through. Better still, the palm is a single layer of suede-like material, for a feel on the bars that's like wearing a summer glove, despite the extra protection.
The cuff is neoprene, and along with the Velcro closure, gives a secure tapered fit (in his review of the men's Brisker, Jon said the cuff could be longer, but happily the women's version is better).
Inside the back of the hand is covered with moisture-wicking microfiber, which is cosy and warm. The inner seams are good too, with none of the stiff, bulky or restrictive issues I find with many winter gloves.
Elsewhere there are silicone strips on the forefinger for lever grip, and touchscreen-friendly thread in the fingertips. Even in these pretty dextrous gloves, however, you'll probably just end up frustrated at hitting the wrong part of your phone or GPS and take your glove off anyway. Or just ignore it and keep riding...
All Briskers get reflective print, though this fluro pink option is pretty bright anyway. There's a black option if you prefer, but for some reason only the men get the cool camo and subtle grey versions. I can't imagine why.
If you have smaller lady hands though, you’re restricted to black or pink as the women’s gloves come in the smaller sizes (men’s small is similar to a women’s large). I usually buy women’s medium gloves, and the medium women’s Brisker's fit perfectly.
The last feature to mention is the snot wipe. It's large, covering the whole thumb, but while it works OK it's not the most absorbent.
I’ve ridden in the Briskers all winter (and last, in fact) and, so long as I’m pedalling up some body warmth and the temperature is above 0°, they keep me toasty warm. I also use them on the gravel bike – they give better feel on the brakes than many road-orientated winter gloves.
They last well. I've washed these after nearly every ride and, although the softshell looks a little thinner now, they still perform just as well.
These gloves are an extremely hardwearing addition to any winter cycling wardrobe, give good protection in typical UK winters and don't interfere with control. They're my ‘go-to’ winter glove and I can’t see them being beaten any time soon – and at £27 they're a bargain too.
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