The Spatz Burnr 4 Season leg warmers are incredibly warm in dry conditions and superbly comfortable thanks to a seamless construction and lack of zips. They stay exactly where they should without feeling restrictive, but do have limited wet-weather performance, and price-wise they're towards the top end of the market.
For more options, check out our guide to the best arm and leg warmers for cycling.
Buy now: Spatz Burnr 4 Season leg warmers for £49.99 from Spatz
As the weather improves, many of us will be ditching the winter longs in favour of cooler clothing. However, as I've found to my discomfort, there are a good few months that are too warm for winter longs yet still too chilly for summer bib shorts – and that's where leg warmers come in.
Spatz reckons that, as the name suggests, the Burnr 4 Season leg warmers are suitable for year-round use, and I have certainly got plenty of use out of them since last summer. During the autumn (and now spring) I've been using them on rides between about 5-15°C; during the winter I wore them in a zero-degree garage to turbo; and on warmer days I've been wearing them for race warm-ups and then ditching them on the start line.
During the rather extensive review period (sorry Spatz), several things have become apparent, but primarily that they're super warm, stretchy and easy to get on and off. Although I would nearly always opt for a set of dedicated thermal bib longs during the deepest depths of winter, these are, in the dry, quite possibly the warmest leg warmers I've ever used.
The warmth clearly comes from the seamless waffled fabric, which is thicker than most leg warmers. This means that, for me, these are not an item of clothing I would choose to remove mid-ride, as I'd struggle to fit them into even a large jersey pocket.
The good news is that comfort is exceptional – the material is super stretchy and doesn't feel in any way restrictive like some leg warmers I've used. As the size guide recommended, I went for a medium but I think I could happily get away with a small given the degree of stretch. And despite the high elasticity these didn't create that weird thigh muffin top that super tight knee and leg warmers can. The subtle silicone grippers top and bottom keep everything in place.
Spatz says it has engineered "each 'panel' to perform its specific function without the need for any seams between. Each 'panel' has a specific weave, texture and thickness to offer qualities such as warmth, support, articulation, moisture transport or aerodynamics". The result is a leg warmer that doesn't leave red marks or pressure points when removed, feels natural on the legs while keeping them warm, and is very easy to forget about while riding along.
Temperature management is very good, and for dry conditions these are ideal. In wet weather they're... okay. They do help to keep you warm even when sopping wet, and they also dry surprisingly quickly; they're absolutely fine for getting caught out on a wet road every once in a while. If you're regularly riding in drizzly conditions, though, or find yourself eating road spray more often than not, you might be better off with a pair with a DWR coating.
For example, I've been using a set of Castelli Nanoflex 3G leg warmers, which do an exceptional job of keeping you warm and slightly drier on miserable days (George tested the Nanoflex 3G knee warmers in January), but they are also more expensive and not without their faults, with a tightness around the thighs and uncomfortable zippers.
One other point to mention before I get on to value – Spatz claims that these have the "added advantage of a sculpted weave which seeks out any aerodynamic advantage". Unfortunately, we do not possess a wind tunnel here at road.cc so that one is going to have to go unvalidated. I would recommend taking the claim with a pinch of salt until such time as Spatz provides some aero data to back this up; and I wouldn't mind betting that the 'advantage' is minimal.
Value
So... how does the price compare with others for what you get? There are certainly cheaper leg warmers on the market – dhb's Regulate Thermals, for example, as tested by Lara, are £24, and the Nopinz Endurance leg warmers Ben tested were £29.99 and are now just £19.99, and certainly impressed.
But there are also more expensive ones: the Castelli Nanoflex 3Gs mentioned earlier are £75, for example, and the 7mesh Colorado Leg Warmers that Stu reviewed in February are £70.
The Burnr 4 Season leg warmers certainly justify their premium price tag thanks to excellent comfort and seriously impressive dry-weather warmth. They're a safe bet for cold, dry days, providing excellent coverage, comfort and warmth.
Verdict
Super warm and comfortable leg warmers that are ideal for cooler dry rides
Make and model: Spatz Burnr 4 Season leg warmers
Tell us what the product is for
Spatz says: "The brand new 'Burnr' leg warmers are a fresh take on what leg warmers should be. Nobody before has created a leg warmer with such a detailed design and with so much consideration into what makes the perfect leg warmer."
I agree that these are exceptionally warm and comfortable, and they fit well, though they're quite long (short-legged riders beware).
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Spatz:
Made in Portugal
Unisex
Sided to left/right leg
Small (Under 55cm top of thigh)
Medium (55-60cm top of thigh)
Large (60cm+ top of thigh)
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
7/10
No issues for me, but quite long in the leg.
Rate the product for sizing:
8/10
No issues with sizing, the correct amount of compression, but you could consider sizing down if you have smaller thighs.
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
Leg warmers tend to offer more warmth as they get heavier and thicker; these offer impressive warmth for their weight but are towards the bulkier end of the spectrum. This means they're better suited to colder conditions.
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Seamless construction results in no pressure points and no zips to dig into ankles.
Rate the product for value:
5/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
No problems. I've stuck them in the washing machine and air-dried them with no negative effects.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well, they're warm and comfortable.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Dry weather warmth.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Road spray does quickly make its way through.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
As mentioned in the review – these are towards the top end of the market. I would argue that these are warmer and more comfortable than cheaper leg warmers I've used such as the dhb Regulate Thermals. They're less expensive than the likes of the Castelli Nanoflex 3G (£75) and 7Mesh Colorado (£70). They justify their price.
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
These are very good leg warmers; they do command a premium price tag and are slightly less versatile than leg warmers with water-repellent treatments, but they're worth it.
Age: 23 Height: 6ft Weight: 74kg
I usually ride: Specialized venge pro 2019 My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Under 5 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,
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