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Ana Nichoola Naked-Hand Fingerless Glove

9
£24.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Excellent super lightweight, barely there summer riding mitts - just watch out for the sizing
Weight: 
28g
Contact: 
www.ananichoola.co.uk

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Styled as gloves for people who don't like gloves, the Naked Hand Fingerless Gloves from women's equipment specialists Ana Nichoola are minimalism at its best. Taking a lot of inspiration from the pared down racing mitts worn by pros, but with their own spin, these are extremely lightweight (just 28g for the pair) and breathable.

With a simple pull on design, the backs of these mitts are made from a light, airy stretch mesh fabric, while the palms are Amara synthetic leather with 1.5mm padding in high wear areas and silicone grip dots for extra traction on the bars. Both thumbs sport a nose wipe and there are pull tags on two of the fingers to aid with easy glove removal. They are available in a stunning purple and also white.

Those of you who have read a few of my reviews will anticipate how impressed I am with the fact that these come in purple. And for those who haven't, I am VERY impressed. Even the palms are a contrasting shade of purple. On both colour options. That crucial detail aside, these gloves are pleasing to the eye in a low key, modern way, with little in the way of girly frills but distinctly feminine appeal. There will be jealous men out there, too, I'm sure.

In use, protection of the hands is really quite minimal. Those who suffer in this area may not find these offer sufficient extra padding. However, for those who don't have too much trouble, these are a great option for adding just that little bit more comfort than bare hands. I suffer off and on from sore hands and occasional nerve tingling and numbness, but even on a 50 mile road ride these did the job very well indeed. They weren't as comfortably cushiony as some more padded gloves out there, but they were incredibly breathable and light, and felt less intrusive. The silicone dots on the (purple) palms meant they were particularly good on the drops, adhering nicely to the bar tape. The hoods were a little less comfortable, given the small amount of padding, but still fine. There was no numbness or tingling at all. They're light, and really only suited to summer or warm spring or autumn use, unless you always have over-warm hands.

In addition to being good for road riders looking for a pared down race mitt, these also do a great job as a casual about town riding glove, for those wanting just a little something to help stop soreness. Think 1980's fingerless glove chic. Or perhaps not.

The only slight problem with them, is something I've encountered with most of Ana Nichoola's gloves (apart from the Sorbets) - the sizing. I normally take a size medium in mitts, but I needed a small in these and there was still some room in them. If in doubt, go smaller.

At £24.99 they are very good value for money, with good quality materials and a really smart design.

Verdict

Excellent super lightweight, barely there summer riding mitts - just watch out for the sizing.

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Ana Nichoola Naked-Hand Fingerless Glove

Size tested: Purple-small

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?

Aimed at those who don't like riding with gloves on but want a bit of extra comfort.

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

Artificial Amara Leather 24%

Lycra mesh 24%

Lycra 19%

Silicone 15%

Foam 14%

Nylon 4%

Available in S,M,L

Machine washable cool

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Good quality materials, some loose stitches here and there.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Performed really well as minimalist protection for the hands.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Should last a good few summers

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
10/10

Insanely light.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

Very comfortable- breathable and light and just enough padding.

Rate the product for value:
 
10/10

Very good value indeed.

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

Performed very well as a super lightweight breathable riding mitt.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Style, breathability, silicone dots, pull tabs on fingers.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Slight issues with sizing.

Did you enjoy using the product? Very much.

Would you consider buying the product? Definitely.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? No, because I want to keep them exclusive. I'm mean.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Looks and performance in one excellent value package.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 37  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 67kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, general fitness riding, mtb,

 

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1 comments

Avatar
tommyketchup | 11 years ago
0 likes

I only checked out this page cause the title had "naked" in it  2

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