Castelli Rosso Corsa Secondapelle Glove

The Castelli Rosso Corsa Secondapelle gloves offered a real draw when I first saw the manufacturer's description, but when they arrived I was concerned that their minimalist design wouldn't be up to the job. My fears have proved unfounded, though, and they are possibly the most comfortable gloves I've ever had the pleasure of sticking my hands in.

The fabric is very lightweight, with a minimalistic feel. The way you put them on takes a bit of getting used to, as you have to push your hand into a relatively small opening that then clings around your wrist once you're wearing them. After a couple of goes, you realise they're not going to split down the sides and almost forget you were so concerned, though I do still take a bit of extra care when putting them on and taking them off.

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There's a little tab on the palm/finger interface, which helps to ease the gloves off, though I still found myself pulling the fingers off one-by-one because of the close fit. This hasn't been a problem with the thumb, which is cut slightly too large for both of my thumbs, although it hasn't posed any issues in terms of comfort, the gloves just don't cling to my thumb as they do to my other digits.

Once on, the gloves feel very natural. They've been comfortable for hour-long commutes through to four or five-hour weekend rides. There are no lumpy pads, just a soft, tactile palm material and ultra-lightweight fabric on the back of your hand. It's easy to forget you're wearing them.

Inside, there are minimal seams, which also adds to the overall comfort. The palm grips well on a range of bar tapes and also did a good job on the mountain bike. The Secondapelles are so comfortable in fact that, although I'd taken to wearing no gloves while riding, they've convinced me to give mitts another go. They're not made for cold climates, but I did find the extra material welcome on "summer" 7am commutes when the temperature was below 10°C.

Not only do the gloves perform well, they're stylish too. Castelli kit can sometimes be a bit 'shouty', with big logos and text, but these are very quiet in their design. The logos on the back of the hand are screen-printed with a satin finish, which incorporates the Castelli branding without changing the sleek look of the gloves. They've washed very well too, without fading or the logos peeling, despite some pretty long and sweaty rides.

Their overall design makes these gloves very, very small. Those on test are a size large, yet I'm still trying to find them after coming back from holiday; they're small, black and bunch up to the size of a plum, which has made them disappear into the mass of hats/gloves/overshoes that populate the understairs cupboard. They come in white, red and fluoro too, so maybe a brighter colour would help here...

I've often wondered about the benefits of spending more than my usual sub-£15 on a pair of gloves, and these Rosso Corsa Secondapelle mitts have convinced me that the extra investment is worthwhile.

Verdict

Minimalistic looking lightweight glove that feels fantastic