Galibier Roubaix Knee Warmers

The Roubaix Knee Warmers from clothing brand Galibier are very simple but massively effective for those days when the temperature can't make up its mind. They are comfortable, stretchy and cracking value for money.

• Pros: No irritating seams, great price
• Cons: No water resistance so not as versatile as some on the market

Galibier has often delivered decent products at very sensible prices and that is exactly what it has done here with these Italian made Roubaix knee warmers: £16.80 is impressive. Probably the closest we've tested to these are the Alé Seamless knee warmers, which use the same Dryarn fabric and are created the same way: knitted into a tube to remove the need for any seams that can cause irritation. They cost £25, which is still cheaper than most.

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Most knee warmers we see are around the 40 quid mark, like the Morvelo Stealth Stormshields, for example, but then again those are aimed more at the extreme weather end of the market.

The Dryarn material is a polypropylene/Lycra mix and it does a great job of keeping your knees warm, blocking out the wind. It's been pretty mild recently and I found them perfectly comfortable from around 5°C to 14°C. If you are working hard they can get a little bit clammy from sweat, but slow the pace a bit and they dry quickly.

As soon as the outside temperature warms up they are easy to whip off over your shoes thanks to how stretchy the material is, and they take up very little room in a jersey pocket.

As I mentioned above, these Roubaix warmers are knitted as a tube, removing the need for any seams running from top to bottom, and it's a design I like very much. Comfort is top notch and thanks to the knitted bands top and bottom they stay in place no matter how hard you are pedalling. They also look to be slightly shaped to fit the bend of your knee, plus the knit of the fabric feels thinner behind the knee too to reduce bunching as your leg bends. For added protection the knit is bulkier over the front of the knee.

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They come in a couple of sizes, and the L/XL tested here I found to be spot on. Galibier says that they should feel compressive rather than restrictive and that was exactly what I got.

The overall finish and construction looks to be good, with only the odd stray thread here and there. A neat touch alongside the knitted logos on the front of each leg is that they have also knitted the washing instructions into the bottom cuff, meaning there are no issues with annoying tags.

On the whole these are great knee warmers for warding off cold breezes without breaking the bank.

Verdict

Very warm, seamless and comfortable, at a great price