Vistella Firefly Plus

When you are commuting in the dark of winter, or early in the morning, visibility is everything. The Vistella Firefly Plus gloves are clearly designed with this in mind, aiming to make you as noticeable as possible to other road users, especially when you are signaling to turn.

Design

The standout feature here is the use of high-visibility, fluoro-coloured fabric on both sides of the glove.

This is a genuinely great idea for safety. When you put your hand out to indicate, you are effectively using a bright beacon to warn traffic behind you, which helps put your mind at ease on busy, darker rides.

If you prioritise being seen above all else, these are a very strong contender.

Warmth and fit

These are undeniably warm gloves. In my testing, I found them a bit too toasty for anything above 6°C, but they definitely do the job when the temperature drops further. They fit true to size, so you do not need to worry about guessing if you are a medium or a large.

The palm area is quite thick, which adds to the warmth and vibration damping, though it is a bit bulkier than what I usually prefer. It is not necessarily a bad thing, but you do lose a bit of that ‘bare hand’ feeling.

That said, I still found I had enough dexterity through the gloves to operate my gears safely, and brake properly, which is always the primary concern with bulkier winter gear.

The trade-offs

There are a few design choices that keep these from being perfect. The most notable is the short cuff. It stops at the wrist, meaning you cannot tuck it underneath the sleeve of your jacket. This leaves a small gap where the cold air can get in if your jacket sleeves ride up while you are on the drops.

To secure them, there is a simple Velcro strap at the wrist, which works well enough to keep the glove firmly in place. For me personally, I would rather have a longer, elasticated cuff than this.

Weight is another factor to consider. At 102g, these are fairly heavy for a pair of gloves, which isn’t super noticeable, but it means they’re also quite bulky and that makes them harder to stow away in your pockets should the temperature rise.

I also found that I wasn’t able to use any touchscreens at all whilst I had these on, including my bike computer, which wasn’t totally ideal.

Value and conclusion

At £39.99, these aren’t a bargain, and there is some stiff competition around the same price.

If you want something on the thinner side, then the 100% Brisker Xtreme gloves could be an option at £41.99. They still offer some level of visibility, but Michael didn’t think they were the best if temperatures got too low.

At £75, the Gorewear Thermo Split gloves are a more expensive and more heavy duty option. They were great in the super cold, and great to live with, but a little less dextrous with the claw design. They’re a solid option if you suffer from cold hands and can find them reduced.

The DexShell Thermfit 3.0 gloves are a little cheaper at £35. Emma thoroughly enjoyed them, and found them to be great for dexterity. They aren’t the most insulated option, and so you could feel the cold, but they were otherwise great.

> Keep your digits toasty on the bike: the best winter cycling gloves for riding through the colder months

The Vistella Firefly Plus gloves are a good option for winter commuters who want to stay safe and warm. While the short cuff and bulkier feel might not be for everyone, the added security of having bright fluoro material on both sides of the hand for signaling is a huge benefit.

If your main priority is getting through a dark, cold winter commute, or an all night adventure, while maximising your presence on the road, these are a good bit of kit. If you’re looking for something a little more lightweight, or a bit less chunky, then you probably won’t enjoy them.