Polaris RBS Windgrip Gloves

Polaris' Vortex Windgrip gloves have had a bit of an RBS makeover — that's Really Bright Stuff to you and me. They certainly stand out in low light conditions. They're warm too though you might want to beef up your bar tape.

Filling that middle ground between summer mitts and full on winter gloves the Windgrips use a fleece backed polyamide/polyester mix for the main body to keep the wind out and trap warmth while still keeping the overall bulk down. It's good to see a fleecy snot wipe too, something that is often missing on this style of glove.

The palm is purely polyester covered in silicone Polaris logos which grip your bar tape even when it's wet. It's thin though with no padding whatsoever so if you suffer from numbness around the ulnar nerve for example you might struggle with these.

The fit is close without being tight which is good for warmth, you need a bit of space to trap warm air and at 22.5cm circumference I fit nicely inside these size large gloves (22-24cm) though if you have long fingers you might want to go up a size. My fingers are quite short and wide (sausage fingers according to my kids) and I was very close to end of the gloves.

The cuff comes about an inch past the wrist so will fit nicely under a jersey sleeve without any flesh being left exposed.

As far as warmth is concerned I found them most effective between 7 and 15°C and I'd say I have a reasonable resistance to cold fingers. They are comfortable, giving you plenty of dexterity plus you don't have to take them off to use your smartphone screen.

If you do get caught out in the rain they hold on to heat well when wet thanks to that fleece lining and they'll also dry quickly.

As far as the price goes they are on par with other gloves of this style that we've tested. They look well put together with a nice fit and are comfortable for long rides provided you can ride without padding.

The fluoro yellow colour stands out at dawn or dusk for signalling your intentions known to following drivers.

Overall then they are comfortable, fit well and keep your hands warm in autumn and spring temperatures plus help out on the visibility front. Check for finger length though.

Verdict

Bright and warm for a decent price, the lack of padding might be an issue for some though.