Altura Club Mitts

At just shy of 20 quid, Altura's Club Mitts are priced at the entry level end of the market, but you get some decent features for your money, including a memory foam palm and a microfibre sweat-wipe panel that runs alongside the length of the thumb.

New for 2020 – and with graphics in eye-catching colours to team up with the Club jersey – the Club Mitts offer much the same tech as Altura's slightly cheaper Airstreams, but with perforations across the palm and fingers for added breathability.

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According to the Altura glove size guide I was bang on size small, and the unisex glove provided a brilliant fit with its stretchy polyester/elastane upper and all the coverage you'd want for a day in the saddle. There was a tad more creasing across the upper due to a little extra material – both width and lengthways – than with other female-specific smalls I've tested (despite the advertised anti-crease fabric) so it's possible they won't allow for stretching over time – so consider sizing down if you're not on the cusp.

Overall, though, the Clubs serve up a satisfyingly snug fit, certainly aided by the hook and loop (aka Velcro) adjustable closure positioned in just the right spot to sit comfortably without any rubbing in action.

The 'easy removal' finger pull tabs, which never go amiss for tired or chilly fingers, are a handy addition. Their placement makes them marginally more awkward to remove than when the tab's in between fingers (such as on Lusso's Summer ones), but as long as you're not being timed it's all good – and this is nitpicking really, because they're speedy to get on, and speedy to get off.

I tested these gloves during a period of renewed love for my cross bike and the hottest May on record, and can attest to just how comfy they are in sweaty conditions over uneven terrain, and while gripping the brakes far more than is required or justified. The Altura Dry technology which, Altura says, is engineered to move excess moisture away from the skin, wicks well as advertised. My hands were kept pretty sweat-free – as was my brow thanks to the microfibre sweat-wipe panel that runs alongside the length of the thumb, a nifty little feature.

A small array of perforations across the palm and fingers is the added breathability feature that elevates these mitts from Altura's most basic, and although there could be more, it's better than none.

A road mitt bugbear of mine is pinching between the fingers which tends to strike on and after descents, but the Club Mitts kept me discomfort-free – likely thanks to the hardy fastening which keeps them in position even with opposing forces.

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Adding to this overall feel of comfort are 'strategically-placed' memory foam pads on the heel of the thumb and upper palm. The pads are indeed in the right spot, though they're quite meaty. To this end these aren't minimal gloves – they feel a bit 'belt and braces' on comfort – but their placement and squishiness did the job; they felt good on the tops, hoods and drops. It's worth noting that this feature is a tech-bracket down from the gel in the Altura ProGel Mitt, but the resulting comfort appears similar and, as far as wear and tear goes, there was no sign of deterioration or compressing after a good few wears and washes.

Although these Clubs aren't the cheapest we've tested – Galibier's Chronos are less than £15 – they're a great price for what you get, and on a par with Lusso's Summer gloves and Decathlon's Van Rysel RoadR 900s (although its Triban RR900s are £14.99). The ProGels I mentioned above are £26.99, and you can spend a whole lot more from the likes of Supacaz and Rapha.

Overall, the Altura Club mitts work as intended, performing well and delivering comfort – all without being eye-wateringly expensive – and for this, they truly deliver.

Verdict

Super-comfy, high-wicking mitts with an impressive selection of features for an entry-level price