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Santini Eureka Leg Warmers

8
£41.50

VERDICT:

8
10
Fleecy leg warmers with good water repellency and enough insulation for cold rides
Weight: 
121g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Santini's Eureka leg warmers provide enough insulation for cool and even cold rides, and a water repellent treatment means that road spray and even showers don't get through.

The leg warmers are made from a Roubaix-style nylon/elastane fabric, the brushed back providing plenty of warmth and comfort.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy these online here

The BeHot yarn – which has been a feature of Santini's range for the past couple of years – is interesting in that it is said to generate heat as you pedal.

'When functional BeHot stretches, it generates heat by decreasing the entropy (disorder or randomness of molecules),' according to Sitip, the company behind the fabric.

Santini BeHot Leg Warmers - BeHot logo.jpg

Rather than a treatment, the heat generation is said to be a function of the yarn and the textile construction so it's there for life. The extent to which BeHot generates heat is difficult to assess but it's only ever going to be marginal. Sitip claims a difference of up to 1°C compared with standard fabrics, measured by a temperature sensor between the fabric and the knee.

Without the same product, in the same weight, made from a different yarn, I couldn't tell you whether the claims made for BeHot stand up to scrutiny, but the important factor is whether these keep your legs warm, and they do. We've had some chilly mornings around here recently and I've been wearing these comfortably down to about 7°C. I reckon they're good for a couple of degrees cooler than that too.

Santini BeHot Leg Warmers - inside material.jpg

At the upper end of the spectrum, I've worn these at 13°C, although I felt a bit overdressed at that point and would rather have been in knee warmers. If you do start to overheat, it's easy enough to get them off over your shoes, although not as easy as with zipped leg warmers. Still, the lack of a zip makes them a little less bulky to carry in a jersey pocket.

The BeHot fabric has an Acqua Zero DWR (durable water repellent) treatment to help keep water out. Road spray beads up and rolls off the surface, although heavy rain will get through. Several washes in and this DWR is lasting well although, as with any other, the performance will eventually diminish and you'll need to reapply.

> Check out our guide to the best arm and leg warmers

The fabric's technical features aside, these leg warmers come with silicone inside the elasticated gripper that holds them in place comfortably against your skin, and they're slightly articulated thanks to a two-panel back section. You just need to position the seam carefully to avoid any rubbing behind your knee. Reflective tabs add a small amount of night-time visibility.

Santini BeHot Leg Warmers - reflective tab.jpg

If you're quick you can buy these for £30 – or as a package with Santini's Eureka bib shorts which I tested alongside the warmers, made from the same BeHot yarn, for £125 (rather than the RRP of £167) – from independent bike dealers before the end of October 2016.

Verdict

Fleecy leg warmers with good water repellency and enough insulation for cold rides

road.cc test report

Make and model: Santini Eureka Leg Warmers

Size tested: XL

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

These are general purpose leg warmers made from nylon/elastane. The difference from usual is in the BeHot fabric that's designed to generate heat. The fabric has an Acqua Zero water repellent coating.

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

According to Sitip, the company behind the fabric, "[The leg warmers are] made with BeHot functional yarn developed with Sitip Heat Generating Technology and with a special textile construction.

"BeHot contributes to generate heat more than 1°C by stretch."

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

The seams aren't the flattest ever. You have to position the rear seam so as not to rub behind the knee, but that's easy enough.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
7/10

If I'm picking fault, they could have been slightly tighter around the knee.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

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

Simple. They go into the machine at 30°C.

The Acqua Zero water repellent treatment is lasting better than most.

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

These are very good leg warmers that provide lots of insulation with no fuss.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The level of warmth.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The rear seam can rub behind your knee if you don't position it correctly.

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 score

These are very good leg warmers for cool and even cold weather. They're towards the higher end of the spectrum in terms of price, although they are on offer at the time of writing. They're a clear 8/10.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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