Sugoi RS Leg Warmers

These RS leg warmers from Sugoi match the RS arm warmers that we reviewed recently; they offer decent warmth for rides either side of deep winter but the getting the right size is quite important.

These leg warmers have some nice detailing. There are zips at the ankles to aid getting them on and off, and there are silicone grippers on the inside at the top, and on the outside, at the top of the thighs.

The inner surface has a brushed fleecy feel which does a decent job of keeping your pins warm on colder mornings. I found they were ideal between around zero and 12 degrees, but everyone's different here. On super cold days you can pair leg warmers with 3/4 bibs or even tights. Some riders don't much like the faff of putting on leg warmers and bibshorts and prefer to ride in tights in the winter, but they do have a couple of advantages: you can always take them off if things warm up; and you can use them for several days paired with different bibs.

The seams are well-positioned so they don't irritate, and flat-stitched too. The wide red gripper band on top of the thighs looks pretty swanky, although of course you shouldn't really see it in use as it should be covered by your shorts. Inside the tops, instead of a strip of silicone, you have a woven sort of gripper material. I had mixed results with these grippers. With fairly tight bibs I found that they stayed in place well, but with older or more elastic bibs I found the leg warmers did tend to head south. It's pretty annoying to be hoicking up your leg warmers mid-way around a ride.

In reality, the mediums I was testing were probably a little on the small size for me, and as the material is rather less elastic than some, getting the correct size is important. Furthermore, I don't shave my legs and they are on the hairy side; I suspect that the internal gripper material would work better on smooth skin.

Many of the most popular leg warmers on the market at the moment include a waterproof treatment (Castelli nanoflex, Sportful no-rain etc) but there is no such treatment here. Given that you can buy water-repellant leg warmers for a similar price, I think these are a bit on the steep side.

Finally, there are no reflective elements, just a small white Sugoi logo on each leg. For commuting purposes I would ideally want something to improve visibility.

These are well-made leg warmers that should last a long time, but getting the right fit is important as they are not the most elastic. Many people will probably opt for a water-resistant alternative given that the prices are similar.

Verdict

Well-made leg warmers that should last a long time, but make sure you get the fit right.