If you’ve already got your Nopinz SubZero Suit or Shorts for training indoors then you might like to accessorise with these sweatbands, which are pretty useful even on their own.
Nopinz says that the sweatbands are ‘a brilliantly simple dual-purpose accessory’. Those dual purposes are offering a bit of cooling, and something that’s on hand to mop your brow once you’ve dropped your towel on the floor mid-Zwift-race.
The sweatbands have a pocket that sits against your skin, and they come with a thin ice pack you can stick in there to help you stay cool in the heat of battle. Okay, it’s not the same kind of level of cooling that you get from the two big ice packs in the suit/shorts, but it’s pleasant enough. Better still, you can freeze a gel and lob it in there, and when it thaws you can neck it before the final sprint.
The other thing that you get is a towelling section; with one on both arms you can do a decent amount of mopping, though I still kept a towel within reach to dab myself down on the supertuck downhill bits. The combination of towelling and suit fabric isn’t especially stretchy, so if you’re blessed with hands the size of mine you might struggle to get them on without popping a seam, but once they’re on they stay put very well.
These aren’t a game changer by any stretch of the imagination, but they are handy: the cooling is a nice thing and the ability to hold a gel is useful on longer races, the kind that I studiously avoid.
> Cycling fitness: How to get the most from your indoor training sessions
They could do with being a bit stretchier, and they’re not cheap, but I’ve had plenty of use out of them and I expect many people could. They’re available in sizes S-XL so you should be able to get some that fit; refer to the Nopinz website for specific sizing.
Verdict
Useful indoor training accessory for mopping your brow and keeping you cool
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road.cc test report
Make and model: nopinz SubZero Sweatbands
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?
Nopinz says: ‘These are a brilliantly simple dual-purpose accessory. There’s a FreezePocket located on the inner wrist to help to provide a cooling effect where the skin is thinnest. We’ve even designed them to fit energy gels, so once your body has defrosted them (usually within 20-30 mins), you can get that all-important boost for the end of the session or race.
‘In addition, the bands have a highly absorbent toweling upper to absorb sweat and keep you fresher and more comfortable during intense sessions. Each pair of Sweatbands come with two reusable gels packs.’
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Nopinz lists:
FreezePockets actively cool the body
Store energy gels for a performance boost
Sweat-absorbent toweling
Unisex
Sizing advice is based on wrist circumference.
Small wrist 17cm and below
Medium wrist 17-19cm
Large 19-21cm
XL 21 and above
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Pretty well, they’re a useful indoor training accessory.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Offer a bit of cooling, something to mop your brow with, and a gel holder in one product.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Could do with being a bit stretchier.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
I don’t think there’s anything directly comparable.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? One committed to indoor training, yes.
Use this box to explain your overall score
Quite a niche product but easy to recommend if you think the things it offers will be useful for your indoor riding time. Quite expensive for what it is.
About the tester
Age: 49 Height: 189cm Weight: 92kg
I usually ride: whatever I’m testing… My best bike is: Kinesis Tripster ATR, Merida Scultura, Dward Design fixed
I’ve been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Every day 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, mtb, Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling, track
5 thoughts on “Nopinz SubZero Sweatbands”
very expensive for what it is
very expensive for what it is when you can go around your local poundshop or wilko and pick up some microfiber towels (or regular towels) for almost next to nothing.
Who would of thought of using
Who would of thought of using a towel Brilliant idea
I had a pair of these given
I had a pair of these given as a gift about a year ago. They were the XL size. The biggest they do. I do not have big hands or lower arms but these nearly cut off the blood, they were so tight.
My wife kindly inserted an extra bit of elasticated material in them to make them usuable.
I stopped using them as they were very much form over function.
My tip is to use Terry cotton
My tip is to use Terry cotton headbands.Yes, I look totally daft but they work brilliantly: Absorbs sweat without having to keep reaching for the towel and I can pop on a new one half way through longer rides. Amazon sells them in packs of six.
maxdabrit wrote:
Wouldn’t they melt and smell a bit orangey…?
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