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Specialized Radiant glove

8
£34.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Waterproof winter warmers – though lacking extra palm padding
Weight: 
0g
Contact: 
www.specialized.com

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We’ve used these gloves right through the past couple of winters and they’re coming out of the box at the back of the garage for a third stint now that the weather’s getting colder.

Unlike some ‘waterproof’ gloves, these actually keep the rain out. You can plunge your hands into a bowl of water with these on – if you’ve got nothing better to do on a cold winter’s evening, like ¬– and your fingers will stay dry thanks to the Hipora membrane that’s hidden away inside. The outer layer will soak up water and get fairly heavy, but nothing gets through.

And they’re very breathable too. If you’re still short of things to do, fill them with hot water and you can watch the steam come out while the liquid stays in. Or you could just take our word for it.

The fleecy inner surface is very comfortable and you get enough Thinsulate insulation to keep your hands happy on most winter rides – once it gets down close to zero, you’ll probably want some inner gloves underneath, depending on how much you feel the cold. The cuffs are good and long so you can tuck your sleeves in there and Velcro tabs help the elasticated wrists keep draughts well and truly shut out.

The palms don’t have extra padding for handlebar comfort – wear track mitts underneath if that's an issue – but they grip well even on wet tape. The wipe on the back of the thumb is lovely and soft while reflective print and piping helps you get seen in headlights.

Verdict

Waterproof winter warmers – though lacking extra palm padding

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Specialized Radiant glove

Size tested: M

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes, these get plenty of cold weather use

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 36  Height: 184cm  Weight: 74kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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