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Chapeau Leather Mitts

8
£34.99

VERDICT:

8
10
Smart, comfortable, easy to look after and sensibly priced
Weight: 
44g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Back in the day, cycling mitts (or gloves) were either crochetedleather, or sometimes both. Today it's more common for them to be made of man-made materials but there is still a market for a more classic-looking glove. The Leather Mitts from Chapeau tap into that demand nicely, with Chapeau's iconic bowler hat logo a nice match for the retro-influenced white leather backs. Chapeau has used modern leather from Pittards combined with various other more modern ingredients to result in a comfortable and stylish glove.

It's not just the fabric, I found the cut a pretty good approximation of the shape of my hands. Generally with leather gloves, you aim for a fairly tight fit to begin with so that the leather can yield a bit over time and conform to your hands. I have fairly large hands and the supplied large size was just right – a squeeze to begin with but comfortable from the outset too. I found I mostly just didn't really think about my gloves while I was riding, even on longer rides, and as ever, that's a pretty good indication of comfort.

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They're only available in one colour, with a white leather back and a black palm. The white leather is a soft sheepskin, perforated with holes so small they are really barely more than pores. Unlike some, you won't get crazy tan spots from these gloves. Chapeau says that this offers uncompromised breathability, but they don't let as much air through as a mesh back. This never resulted in reduced comfort, but on really hot days it would mean they became a bit more tricky to remove as my hands sweated.

The palms are very well ventilated. They're made from a combination of more textured Pittards leather and a couple of different meshes. The leather is positioned in the areas where you'd want a little more padding, which are also the areas most susceptible to wear. The leather sections around the thumb and the base of the palm have some thin padding, while there is none added at the top of the palm. You may have a preference for a well-padded or an unpadded glove – what we have here is what I'd consider the happy medium, with just the right amount of padding.

In between the leather sections on the palm is a 3D mesh material which is both breathable and comfortable. A second type of much finer mesh is used under the base of the fingers. This feels a little bit flimsy and I was worried it would be a weak point, but after a couple of months' using the mitts it's not showing any inclination to disintegrate.

Care is pretty straightforward – I've just been chucking them in the washing machine in a low-temperature wash with non-bio detergent. The leather seems to cope with this pretty well and I've not yet had to treat it – it comes out pretty much as supple as it went in.

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As there's no Velcro or poppered strap, they aren't the easiest to put on or, particularly, to take off. I found that careful removal would take a few seconds longer than some other mitts. On the outside of the wrist is a small section of stretchy Lycra which yields a little, but they are still a bit fiddly.

A welcome concession to bodily function, the large soft snotwipe is the best I've used. It does the things that you'd want a snotwipe to do; I don't think we need to delve into further details here.

Priced at £35, these are decent value. They cost the same as the Gore Bike Wear Retro mitts, which are made from similar materials, and are significantly less than other full leather mitts from the likes of Rapha and Giro, although more than those from Galibier. I've enjoyed wearing these mitts and they're likely to be a go-to pair for all but the hottest days.

Verdict

Smart, comfortable, easy to look after and sensibly priced

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Chapeau Leather Mitts

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Chapeau says: "If you enjoy taking care of the details, you'll love the Chapeau! leather mitts. With classic styling to complement any kit selection these gloves are more than mere accessory, engineered to perform to the stresses of riding in any condition.

"Constructed in the very best water and sweat resistant Pittards leathers, a soft feel and form fitting sheepskin, the mitts feel as good as they look. Whilst the leather resists the absorption of moisture from rain, sweat and humidity, breathability and comfort are not compromised.

"A textured pattern on the palm leather increases grip and provides abrasion resistance with 3D meshed palm for extra comfort and increased air flow.

"Finished with extra-soft binding around the thumb at the all important contact point, these mitts are going to become to your cycling like a hand to a glove."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Back is perforated leather, palm is a mixture of synthetic mesh and textured leather.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Nicely put together and pleasingly robust on the evidence of a couple of months' use.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

I hardly ever thought about them during a ride – that's the hallmark of something doing its job well. On really hot summer days I'd probably choose something more breathable.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

I wouldn't expect these to last as long as full-leather gloves, but they coped well during testing.

Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10

Snug and comfortable.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

No complaints, per the chart.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10

You can get lighter mitts, but really, we're talking about a few grams here.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10

Just the right amount of padding for my tastes, and soft material in the places where you want it (e.g. around the thumb).

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

Decent value compared to some leather mitts.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

I bunged them in the washing machine in a cool wash a few times without any issues.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Really well - they are comfortable and smart.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Classic looks; come up clean after a wash; comfort; inclusion of a good snot wipe; good value...

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Not the easiest to take off.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

These are a pretty likeable pair of gloves with a more traditional look without going full retro (with the attendant concessions to practicality that tend to accompany that). Their only real issue for some people will be that they are more fiddly than many to get off. A solid 4 stars.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 37  Height: 188cm  Weight: 78kg

I usually ride: On-one Bish Bash Bosh  My best bike is: Rose X-Lite CRS

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: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed, mountain biking

Jez spends his days making robots that drive cars but is happiest when on two wheels.  His roots are in mountain biking but he spends more time nowadays on the road, occasionally racing but more often just riding. 

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3 comments

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stealfwayne | 7 years ago
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particularly enjoy using these for the reasons mentioned in the review. Very comfortable in use and the wipe area is very good. Feel they could do with some removal material between the fingers to aid removing. Also very reassuring to know that the white is very noticeable so when indicating 'they' can't say they haven't seen the white backs.

Avatar
DanielCoffey | 7 years ago
0 likes

Thank you for the review - I have tucked it away for future reference. They come in four sizes which is good.

To add to your review, in the UK they have a generous free returns period, free shipping and also crash replacement. The details are on the Chapeau website.

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Yorky-M | 7 years ago
0 likes

nice

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