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Torm Arm Warmers

8
£15.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Soft Roubaix arm warmers that provide good insulation and stay in place just fine
Weight: 
87g
Contact: 
www.torm.cc

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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Most arm warmers fall into one of two categories. On the one hand – or arm – you’ve got your skinny ones for milder temperatures, and on the other you’ve got your thicker Roubaix ones for colder days. These fall into the second group.

The fleece backing of the 80% nylon, 20% Lycra fabric adds a useful amount of warmth. These aren't windproof but we’ve been wearing them on autumn rides when the temperature gets down to about 10°C or so. Any lower than that and there’s no chance that we’re going to expose any skin even on the toughest climbs, so we just opt for a long-sleeved base layer and a jersey instead – although, of course, your body might have different thermostat settings.

The fabric is very stretchy so you get a snug fit without much creasing around the elbow, it shifts moisture away from your skin well, and it dries really quickly. All good. The silicone rubber band inside the elasticated arm gripper holds the top in place effectively even when you start to sweat, and the subtle white-on-white logo is embroidered so it’s not going to start peeling off after a few washes. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of washing, these go through the machine just fine and you stick them in the tumble dryer too.

Torm go for standard rather than flatlock seams but you hardly move your arms when you're cycling so it's not like the little ridges are ever going to chafe like they can on some leg warmers. 

The only other thing to mention is the styling and on that front – let’s call a spade a spade – with a 3cm-wide white band running down the outside, these look a lot like Rapha’s arm warmers. And they’re available in white with a black stripe too, just as Rapha’s are.

But hey, we guess most arm warmers look pretty similar and the basic design has been around for donkey's years. These arm warmers work well and they come with a reasonable price tag, so no complaints there.

Verdict

Soft Roubaix arm warmers that provide good insulation and stay in place just fine

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Torm Arm Warmers

Size tested: Black, size II

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?

Torm say, "Arm warmers – the clue is in the name! Really taking the bite out of the wind they are an indispensable part of any rider’s kit list. If the weather is at all in question pop these on and your arms are encased in cosy Roubaix fabric instantly warming you up and eliminating all excuses for turning back."

Some arm warmers come with windproof panels – these don't. Essentially, they're tubes of fleecy Roubaix fabric that provide decent insulation. Simple.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
9/10

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 40  Height: 190cm  Weight: 74kg

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: triathlon, commuting, sportives, general fitness riding

 

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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