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review

Q36.5 Woolf Leg Warmer Blue Navy

7
£86.00

VERDICT:

7
10
High-performance leg warmers that offer more warmth than you'd expect – but they come with a mighty price tag
Warm for their weight
Breathable
Form-fitting with plenty of stretch
DWR water-resistant coating
Great reflectivity
Initially a little uncomfortable
Very high price
Weight: 
91g
Contact: 

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The Q36.5 Woolf Leg Warmer offers a great, low-bulk alternative to full-on bib tights. Performance is very good – warm and breathable thanks to the merino-polyamide mix, with a DWR coating to repel dirt and light rain. They fit nicely, and there's plenty of stretch down to the high percentage of elastane. There's lots of quality reflectivity on the rear lower legs too. The fit might not suit you if you're larger in the lower leg, however, and initially they feel a little uncomfortable. Oh, and the price is extremely high – exceeding anything in our best arm and leg warmers buyer's guide.

> Buy now: Q36.5 Woolf Leg Warmer for £75.99 from 7hundred

When Stu reviewed the 7Mesh Colorado Leg Warmers he started his review by saying that seventy quid was a lot for a pair of leg warmers. How about £86, then? I'm not sure I can even justify the price tag, so I won't. But this is still a very good pair of leg warmers, which you might want to consider – if you can afford to do so.

2022 Q36 5 Woolf Leg Warmer Blue Navy - front.jpg

In terms of material, things are looking good. They feature a dual-layer UF Active merino-polyamide blend fabric with a healthy dose of elastane thrown into the mix (44% polyamide, 28% wool, 28% elastane).

According to the Italian manufacturer Q36.5, they're 100% made in Bolzano, Italy 'from start to finish', which I read to mean the materials are sourced within Italy, but just to be safe let's just say they are 'made' in Italy.

At 91g, and with a very thin feel to the fabric, they're pretty minimalist but surprisingly warm – more on that later. They come in navy, Australian green, and black, and feature raw cut hems at the thigh with wide silicone grippers, and elasticated material at the ankles.

2022 Q36 5 Woolf Leg Warmer Blue Navy - back.jpg

The only downside I can make out with the material is the use of regular seams instead of flatlock seams, which are pretty much universally preferred these days.

There's a surprising amount of reflectivity, with two large panels at the lower rear leg section. The panel is fairly innocuous in the daytime but show it some light and it reflects it really well. The placement is exactly where you want it, so that headlights will light you up from behind, with the movement of your legs helping to accentuate this.

There are also two reflective Q36.5 logos on either side of the main reflective areas. Rather than blending into the fabric, these are chunky and look like they're stuck down, but they're actually stitched. That's a minor thing, and once you're wearing the leg warmers the fabric hugs the contours of your leg well, so you don't notice them.

2022 Q36 5 Woolf Leg Warmer Blue Navy - ankle.jpg

The Woolf leg warmer also features a DWR – Durable Water-Repellent – material that is designed to withstand light rain and road spray, which is across the entirety of the material.

Q36.5 says these leg warmers are 'guaranteed above 8°C', which I'd say is fairly accurate if you're being safe – I wore them in temperatures down to 5°C and my legs still felt pretty comfortable. There's some wind-proofing too, which helps to keep the chill at bay and while Q36.5 rates these leg warmers as 2/5 for breathability, I'd give them at least 3/5.

2022 Q36 5 Woolf Leg Warmer Blue Navy - ankle detail.jpg

In terms of comfort, the regular internal seams are quite substantial. Personally, I didn't notice them rubbing on the inside when I was riding, although I did find the merino a little on the scratchy side when first putting them on. After about five minutes of riding, I wasn't aware of it.

Overall, the fit is really good. I tested the M-L (it also comes in XS-S and XL-XXL) and found they were long enough to just about cover my very long legs; the size is probably better for those with a slightly slimmer leg. The elasticated ankle section is definitely on the tighter side, which is great for my skinny ankles, though I did find it a bit of a stretch getting them over my feet.

2022 Q36 5 Woolf Leg Warmer Blue Navy - thigh cuff.jpg

There's a little bit of compression – just enough to keep things in place, but far from tight. The pre-shaped fit ensures there's no bunching, and while the top silicone grippers aren't the grippiest, they did keep things in place.

Value and rivals

The 7Mesh Colorado Leg Warmers are a close competitor, with a DWR treatment, similar thin and light material, and they're also pretty expensive. When Stu reviewed them, they were £70, but they've since gone up to £80. The 7Mesh leg warmers have a slight advantage of having an adjustable leg length.

At the other end of the scale, Lara reviewed the dhb Regulate Thermal Leg Warmers, which are only £24. She rated their warmth and lightweight feel, although they are slightly heavier than the 7Mesh or Q36.5 rivals, and they also came up a bit short.

Conclusion

As I said earlier, it's very hard to justify the £86 price tag when there are so many much cheaper alternatives out there, but overall the Q36.5 Woolf Leg Warmers do everything very well indeed, so I'm still happy to recommend them – provided price isn't your number one priority. They're light, warm, the fit is great, and they'll fend off rain and road grime. The material's a little uncomfortable when you first put them on, however, which is probably my main gripe. And you might find them a little tight around the ankles.

Verdict

High-performance leg warmers that offer more warmth than you'd expect – but they come with a mighty price tag

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: Q36.5 Woolf Leg Warmer Blue Navy

Size tested: M-L

Tell us what the product is for

Q36.5 says: "For cool rides that might warm up later, or for anyone who prefers wearing leg warmers instead of full tights, the Woolf Leg Warmers pair perfectly with our Wolf 2.0 Bib Shorts. Made using our proprietary UF Active merino-blend fabric, these leg warmers have the technology to keep your legs warm and dry on winter rides."

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

Materials

44% polyamide

28% wool

28% elastane

100% made in Italy

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Made in Italy, and clearly made to a high standard.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Plenty of warmth despite its low bulk, with good breathability and a DWR coating too. The cut is great and there's no bunching when you ride.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Too early to say, but so far so good.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

Some compression, but not tight. There's loads of stretch to accommodate a range of leg sizes, but these are definitely aimed more at slimmer legs.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Great length and a good fit in M-L for long, slim legs. They were a little tight around the ankles.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

Very light.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
6/10

The merino feels a little scratchy to begin with, but you don't notice it after a few minutes. The regular seams are surprisingly not a bother, and I didn't notice them, but it's something to consider.

Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

There's a lot to love here, and it's hard to ignore the 'made in Italy' cachet – but there's no getting away from the fact that these are very expensive.

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

Pretty standard, and no issues here.

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

Designed to keep your legs warm above 8°C, but I'd say these were comfortable down to around 5°C degrees or so, probably topping out at around 12°C.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The overall fit and finish.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The initial slightly scratchy feel of the merino material on the inside.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

A similar price and performance to the 7 Mesh Colorado Leg Warmers. If you can afford a pair of high-end leg warmers, you might be swayed to the 7Mesh option due to the lack of merino wool, or down to the adjustable leg length. Otherwise there's not much in it. The DHB Regulate Thermal Leg Warmers lack some of the nice features of the expensive leg warmers, and they aren't the longest, but they're a fraction of the price.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? No

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Maybe

Use this box to explain your overall score

Great performance and great fit – with a not-so-great price.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 39  Height: 6'4  Weight: 175lbs

I usually ride: Condor Italia RC custom build  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, mtb,

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