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review
Arm & leg warmers

Sportful NoRain Arm Warmers

8
by Liam Cahill
UPDATED Sat, Jul 06, 2019 09:45

First Published Jul 6, 2019

0
£27.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Very good arm warmers with added rain protection
Weight: 
60g
Contact: 
www.sportful.com

Sportful's NoRain arm warmers are comfortable, with a fleecy inner and a surprisingly water-resistant outer. The styling is subtle and they offer protection that can simply be rolled up and popped in a jersey pocket when not needed. The price is good too.

  • Pros: Comfy, supersoft fabric, water resistance is good, warm enough
  • Cons: None really

Sportful's NoRain range includes knee warmers and leg warmers, the idea being to keep showers from making you chilly on cooler days. The NoRain element is a hydrophobic silicone that sits within the fabric. It works well to fend off light rain and wheel spray. Sat on the start line of a rainy road race, my arms were at least, dry!

On general rides, these are very comfortable to wear, with a close fit that doesn't move or bunch up while riding. In all honesty, I forgot that I was wearing them, only noticing them when the rain began to fall and I could entertain myself watching the water roll off.

Sportful NoRain Armwarmers - detail.jpg

Heavier rain and persistent light rain will eventually work its way through, but it helps that there are no folds in the material where water could gather.

The fleecy inner is very soft and has remained that way through several washes. I've managed to keep these away from the tumble drier which I find is the key to maintaining the NoRain treatment.

Sportful NoRain Armwarmers - cuff 2.jpg

I've used these arm warmers for a few chilly starts and they provide a good amount of warmth. If you're looking for some protection on spring, early summer, and autumn rides then I'd say these are a great option. For the coldest days, stick with a jacket.

Sizing is good, with plenty of length to cover right from the upper arm to the wrist. With plenty of stretch, there are also no tight spots and getting these on and off can be done very quickly. Up at the top, there's a silicone gripper that does a very good job of keeping these in place.

Sportful NoRain Armwarmers - cuff 1.jpg

The price is good too: at £27 it's lower than a similar hydrophobic offering from Castelli (£35), although dhb's Aeron Rain Defence arm warmers are £25.

> Buyer's Guide: 14 of the best arm and leg warmers

Overall, these arm warmers fit really well and the soft fabric is comfortable on long rides. They'll see off a little rain and the price is good too. There's certainly a lot going for them.

Verdict

Very good arm warmers with added rain protection

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Sportful NoRain Armwarmers

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

From Sportful: "NORAIN NANOTECHNOLOGY MEANS THAT RAIN STAYS OUT, WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE COMFORT, STRETCH AND BREATHABILITY OF TRADITIONAL THERMODRYTEX PLUS WARMERS."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

From Sportful:

Single-seam construction

Silicone gripper elastic

Reflective logos

Anatomic fit in 4 sizes

Weight: 86g

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
7/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
7/10

Good length for full arm coverage.

Rate the product for weight:
 
5/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

They're a lower mid-price option, just slightly more expensive than dhb's Aeron Rain Defence arm warmers.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Avoid the tumble drier.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Really well. They fend off light rain and road spray for a good length of time.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The comfort is brilliant. I forgot that I was wearing them.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

There's a lot to love about these arm warmers. They fit very well and perform perfectly. The price is good too.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 24  Height: 177cm  Weight: 62kg

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Di2  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo-cross, commuting, club rides, general fitness riding, I specialise in the Cafe Ride!

Sportful NoRain Arm Warmers 2019
Sportful Norain arm warmers
Sportful 2019
Sportful
Liam Cahill

Son of a Marathon runner, Nephew of a National 24hr Champion, the racing genetics have completely passed him by. After joining the road.cc staff in 2016 as a reviewer, Liam quickly started writing feature articles and news pieces. After a little time living in Canada, where he spent most of his time eating poutine, Liam returned with the launch of DealClincher, taking over the Editor role at the start of 2018. At the weekend, Liam can be found racing on the road both in the UK and abroad, though he prefers the muddy fields of cyclocross. To date, his biggest race win is to the front of the cafe queue.

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