Price: £42.90 / €45 / €39.50
Colour: Black
Sizes: S/M/L/XL
Touchscreen compatable: Yes
It isn't cold enough yet where I live for me to bust out any kind of heavy-duty winter gloves, but it has been chilly enough to wear lighter full-finger gloves on occasion.
Given the conditions, I have picked up my testing for my guide to the best winter cycling gloves, looking at a couple of lighter options better suited to warmer autumn conditions.
I've been riding in the Velotoze knitted waterproof gloves for over a year, and am now ready with my full review. If you're interested in some comfortable, lighter, long gloves, this pair could well be one to consider.
Just under a year ago, I reviewed the Velotoze Waterproof Neoprene Cycling Gloves, one of three long-fingered offerings from the brand, and a pair that quickly became my favourite neoprene gloves once I logged some miles with them in the rain.
Now, it's time to look at the knitted waterproof glove option. These gloves use a lightweight, soft knitted construction with a waterproof membrane inside. They are very comfortable, but there's built-in waterproofing too, which adds value and versatility.
The gloves retail at £42.90 / €45 / €39.50 and come in one black colour.
Design and aesthetics
Velotoze products are used regularly by the UAE Team Emirates-XRG, including world champion Tadej Pogačar. I first spotted him using VeloToze gloves at last year's Giro and was interested to learn more. After speaking with the brand, I'm also told that at least one other team purchases these gloves to use without branding.
The waterproof knitted gloves are constructed from a mix of acrylic, nylon, spandex, and elastane. A three-layer construction makes up the fabric, with a waterproof membrane are sandwiched between the first and second layers.
I'd say the gloves sit around the medium-weight bracket overall. They aren't super thin and light, but they are lighter and offer more dexterity than lots of proper winter gloves. The brand says they are designed for a temperature range of 5°C (40°F ) to 19°C (66°F ). That upper limit will depend on how conditions are; if it's wet and windy in warmer temps, you may still need gloves.
Some waterproof products of this nature can feel a bit 'crinkly', but there isn't any of that here. The gloves are soft, lightly elasticated all over, and have been very comfortable with a pretty much perfect fit in my size medium, which is true to size.
There's a white 'Velotoze' wordmark on the outside of each glove, and the palms are covered with grippy silicone 'oTo' letters all over. These are just some of the letters taken from the brand name, and VeloToze uses them on a few bits of kit.
The gloves have a nice long cuff, always a welcome feature for me on a pair of gloves, and due to having no velcro or zips to worry about are easy to pull on and off. You can easily run the cuffs over or under jersey sleeves as desired.
Performance
First off, I've mentioned it already, but these gloves are super comfortable. It's a simple design and shape, but the woven, stretchy nature of the gloves ensures they contour to your hands really well when you pull them on, and there's no slop or bagginess. It's a comforting feeling, I relish pulling them on and really like the longer cuff. Big tick for comfort.
There's a dual-purpose offering here, and depending on what you are doing, this could be an incredibly versatile pair of gloves. You can wear the gloves when it's cooler or cold, and they provide a good amount of warmth. In warmer temperatures, I'd say between 10-15 °C / 50-59°F, they may become a bit sweaty. The waterproof membrane does affect breathability, but overall, it's not bad. You're not going to have anywhere near the same levels of sweatiness as with a neoprene glove, for example.
If you're going hard, you could wear these gloves well down into single digits, and they will look after you, too. And the comfort and dexterity will help you out when doing things like reaching for food. They are also touchscreen compatible, which is always helpful.
No glove is totally waterproof, and fabric gloves will eventually succumb. These knitted gloves do a very impressive job when it comes to waterproofing for me however. Under my tap test indoors, they dealt with an onslaught before succumbing and letting some moisture in.
Outdoors, I recently gave them a solid test on a 200km ride with several hours spent in the rain; they did a fantastic job and only started to get a little soggy after a good few hours in the wet. Overall, they kept my hands dry and warm whilst my ride companions were wringing out their saturated gloves. On a long, hard ride, they came into their own and felt like a secret weapon.
The particular day saw temperatures of around 15ºC / 59ºF, but with wind chill and rain making it feel much colder than it was. The gloves warmed my hands up very well after getting cold in the cruel wind, and came into their own when the rain came down. They are also very easy to pull on whilst riding, another feature I like.
In the poor conditions before the rain came, there was a slight wet and warm element when working hard, as I sweated, but overall they kept my hands very comfortable.
It's worth noting that these gloves need a cold hand wash when cleaning, so remember not to just throw them in the wash with the rest of your kit.
Value
I think these gloves offer very good value for the money at £42.90 / €45 / €39.50. They do a lot and offer good protection over quite a wide temperature range. Comfortably cheaper than many other gloves from recognisable names.
They fill quite a nice gap in my glove arsenal, and I do love the comfort and fit. Money well spent in my opinion, especially when they make bleak rides more comfortable.
Other alternatives
While I have tested these VeloToze options for a year I am aware that there are similar options from other brands on the market. I haven't tested the GripGrab model, but my colleague Will swears by them, though they lack the touch screen compatibility on offer here. Likewise Sealskins and Showers Pass have a model that looks very very similar, so if you can't find a VeloToze in stock then have a hunt around for these other options.
Verdict
These are excellent gloves that bring a lot to the table. I love the comfort VeloToze has built in, and the fit of the gloves is bang on.
They work for me in colder, dry conditions and do a very good job of keeping the rain at bay on wet rides. I would reach for a full-blown neoprene glove for the wettest rides generally, but for changeable weather or showers, these comfortable gloves will keep your hands dry.
Design and aesthetics |
A simple, unfussy design that just works, I really like the longer cuff |
9/10 |
Wet weather performance |
Very good, kept my hands dry in the light to medium rain for hours. |
8/10 |
Cold weather performance |
Strong, you can't cater to every rider, but I could wear these gloves down into single figures easily. Won't be as warm as real winter heavy hitters. |
8/10 |
Comfort and fit |
Excellent, a great fit and highly comfortable, not sure I would change a thing. |
10/10 |
Value |
I think these gloves offer good value for the money and are a versatile pair. |
8/10 |
Overall |
43/50 |
