Kalf Mitts

Kalf's Men's Mitts provide really comfortable padding – ideal for those who prefer to have a little protection for their hands – but what struck me the most was how well they fit all over the hand.

The top is made of flexible Lycra, while the palm features thin goat leather for optimal grip and flexibility under the palm, with two small flexible cutouts for added stretch where needed as well as laser-cut holes for ventilation.

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The wrists are fastened by a Velcro cuff, so it's easy to get your hands in and out of the glove, while the digits are stretchy too. Kalf has also avoided stitching in between the fingers, which means that pressure in this area is greatly reduced and kind on the delicate webbing of your hands.

As a result, I found them very comfortable to wear over long rides, including a century sportive, while my hands never overheated, even when the temperature rose in the sun.

Kalf is a relative newcomer to the cycling apparel market, and is available exclusively through Evans. Its distinctive chevron design features on the back of the mitt (it's reflective, but not massively so) and there are logos on the Velcro tab. There's also ample space for a suede panel on the back of the thumb for nose wiping.

What I particularly liked was the foam padding under the top and edge of the palm, which is minimalistic yet effective at providing a little extra cushioning to the main pressure points of the hand. They do a great job of dissipating road buzz without getting in the way of the soft and flexible yet grippy palm.

Interestingly, I was very comfortable in a size medium, although I normally wear a large in gloves (and XL in some). This suggests that they come up slightly large, as well as being flexible and stretchy. If pushed I'd probably still go for large if I were to buy a pair, but the flexibility of the design means the mediums are fine.

> Read more road.cc reviews of cycling mitts

Additional features include a wrist tab to help pull the mitts on and off, as well as tabs under the middle and third fingers for extra protection and easier adjustment.

The quality shines through, with washes leaving the materials as-new and the important Velcro tab as effective as ever.

All in all, Kalf's mitts are a decent piece of kit, with the price tag of £24.99 a fair estimation in my eyes – sitting alongside many others reviewed on road.cc. I'm impressed.

Verdict

Kalf's mitts are well considered, cool and cushioned – winners in my book