Northwave Arctic Lady Long Winter Gloves are designed to keep hands toasty on even the coldest rides. Not only are they waterproof and windproof, but also have a layer of insulation and a fleecy lining.
The palms are silicone decorated for extra grip, while a reflective cursive design on the back helps after dark visibility.
In use, the fit was good, with reasonable length in the fingers and not too much volume across the palms. The fleecy cuff was nice and snug around the wrist, while the fuzzy inside of the glove felt pleasant against the skin and quickly warmed up. The structure of the palms was comfortable, resulting in less numbness than some winter gloves, even on longer duration rides. They were also light and not nearly as bulky as many winter gloves.
Definitely warm, with good levels of insulation for even very cold conditions unless the rider suffers from truly terrifying cold digits, these gloves did have some minor irritations. The fleecy lining was comfortable until I decided to take off a glove at a tea break, or to fettle with the bike. Putting the glove back on when hands were slightly damp from perspiration was tricky and resulted in a less than comfortable fit.
The level of perspiration itself was quite surprising too. The gloves are waterproof, but the waterproof fabric isn't very breathable.
I'd suggest saving these gloves just for the very coldest and least pleasant conditions where you're not likely to take them off anyway and you're less likely to sweat. side from that, the most irksome feature was that once damp inside, the gloves took a long time to dry out – up to 24 hours even when placed above a radiator.
For those with seriously cold hands these offer a pretty good value for money option for winter riding, but the dampness issue and drying time does make them less appealing on the whole.
Verdict
Nicely shaped and designed gloves. Comfortable to wear, but suffer from a lack of breathability and dry out very slowly.
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Northwave Arctic Lady Long Winter Glove 2014
Size tested: Black
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 winter use for female riders.
Designed to keep more heat in and keep hands warm- does this very well but insufficiently breathable to allow perspiration moisture to escape, meaning they get damp inside quickly.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Waterproof and windproof internal membrane
Insulation
Silicone print on palms
Fleece cuff and lining
reflective logo on backs of hands
Available in sizes S-XXL
Very well made with high quality feeling fabrics.
Very comfortable and warm but got (and stayed) damp very easily inside.
Good quality and washable at 30.
Neither heavy or as bulky as some winter gloves.
Comfortable to wear for long periods.
Good value for money if you suffer from very cold hands.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Pergormed well but could have been more breathable/faster drying.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Style, fit, quality, comfort.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Dampness and lack of breathability.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.
Would you consider buying the product? Probably.
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Probably.
Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?
A well-designed glove that could have been enhanced by extra breathability of the fabric.
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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