Giro Lusso mitt

There's plenty of good synthetic mitts out there but if you're looking for a pair of gloves made to high standards from good quality leather, you tend to end up paying through the nose. Giro's Lusso mitts aren't cheap either but they're cheaper than equivalent gloves form other makers, and they're well designed and should easily outlast inexpensive offerings.

First impressions are of a mitt that's of very high quality. The leather is thick and supple and there's plenty of padding on the palm. The attention to detail is very good: the mesh panels between the fingers help your hands to breathe and eliminate a problem seam, and the elongated wrist section on the palm makes pulling the Lussos on a simple job. Getting them off isn't quite as easy, as there's no finger loops to help you to extract your hands.

They're pretty comfy right from the off and the high quality leather upper and palm mould quickly to the shape of your hands. There were a few problem areas to begin with – the velcro closure rubbed a bit and the glove was very tight around my wedding ring – but these were only teething troubles. Getting the Lussos thoroughly soaked in a downpour helped: they take an absolute age to dry, but wearing them wet certainly helps the gloves to find the perfect fit, and now they're as comfy as any mitt I've tried. The 3mm technogel pads in the Pittards leather palm are well positioned and do a good job of isolating your hands from road shock, and the kidskin upper is ventilated to aid the natural breathability of the leather. There's a microfibre wiping surface too, which isn't as effective as towelling but works all the same.

Verdict

At nearly £60 these aren't cheap gloves but they're made to a very high standard and should last, with care, for many seasons. They're comfortable and durable, and a good investment if you put the hours in on the bike.