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review
Gloves - mitts
dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt
2021 dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt White

dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt

7
by Lara Dunn
Thu, Jul 22, 2021 15:45
3
£35.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Very well made and comfortable race-oriented mitts with effective, minimalist padding
Super lightweight

Stretchy ventilated fabric
Low key padding
Grippy
On the expensive side
Long cuff may be an acquired taste
Weight: 
29g
Contact: 
www.wiggle.co.uk
How we test

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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The high-tech, high performance dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt is designed to deliver race-day comfort with that extra performance edge. It works well but is a little on the expensive side.

Developed alongside British team Canyon dhb SunGod, these mitts are very light and stretchy (think jersey-type fabric) and made by Italian fabric manufacturers Miti Spa to be extra aerodynamic.

2021 dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt White - back.jpg

The palms are a soft synthetic suede, with a single padded section designed to protect the ulnar nerve. A longer than usual cuff with a pull tab and a soft nose wipe complete the picture.

2021 dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt White - palm.jpg

They're extremely comfortable, with a barely-there feel both from the minimalist backs and the low profile palms. The padding is well-placed for using drops or aero bars, and the palms are grippy where you need them to be. The fabric on the backs wicks moisture effectively, keeping hands pleasingly dry, while the palms also keep the worst of the sweat at bay.

2021 dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt White - stitching detail.jpg

The low-key padding is inevitably less supportive on long rides than typical gloves, but even then I found the only real impediment was the longer cuff – and even that was purely down to the looks.

> 11 of the best summer cycling gloves — track mitts to keep your hands comfy and stylish

For me these are comfortable enough to do the job, but just don't look right outside of a race environment.

Value

At the full £35 list price these look expensive, but dhb kit is like a DFS sofa – you'd genuinely struggle to pay full price. At the time of writing these were £25, for instance, and in reality they're unlikely to ever be significantly more.

However, even then they're not the cheapest – the lightweight Santini Brisk Race Mitt comes in at £23, for instance, while the race-focused Van Rysel RoadR 900 gloves are £19.99

Overall

These are very technical gloves and use very high-performance materials, but perhaps more importantly they're very comfortable and secure, too – if not for those who like lots of padding or very long rides. Did they make me faster? Well... they made me feel more like a pro. Does that count?

Verdict

Very well made and comfortable race-oriented mitts with effective, minimalist padding

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: dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

dhb says: "Created to give you a race-day advantage, dhb have called on expert insight from elite road racers Canyon dhb SunGod to create their second generation Aeron Lab Aero Mitt. Advanced fabrics and an ergonomic fit ensure these are fine-tuned for speed."

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

Aerodynamic fabric by Miti Spa

Minimal padding

Nose wipe

Silicone print for grip

Mesh finger inserts

Long wrist cuff

Pull tabs

Machine washable at 30

Available in unisex sizes XS-XXL

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very nicely finished with high end fabrics and components.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Comfortable, grippy, padded in just the right places, and cool and dry.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

White fabric inevitably discolours quite rapidly, but there are black versions which will look smart for longer.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

A good snug fit and a good range of sizes available.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

Accurate to the size chart.

Rate the product for weight:
 
9/10

These are incredibly light.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

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

Wash very well, but these white version soon discoloured from sun cream, sweat and road dust.

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

Very well indeed.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Light and stretchy ventilated fabric, low-key padding, grippy panels, plenty of sizes.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

A little expensive, and the long cuff is an acquired taste.

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

At the full £35 list price these look expensive, but dhb kit is like a DFS sofa – you'd genuinely struggle to pay full price. At the time of writing these were £25, for instance, and in reality they're unlikely to ever be significantly more. However, even then they're not the cheapest – the lightweight Santini Brisk Race Mitt comes in at £23, for instance, while the race-focused Van Rysel RoadR 900 gloves are £19.99.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Probably not

Would you recommend the product to a friend? One who wants all the gear, yes...

Use this box to explain your overall score

These are very technical gloves and use very high-performance materials, but perhaps more importantly they're very comfortable and secure – if not for those who like lots of padding or very long rides. Even discounted they're at the expensive side of things though.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 77kg

I usually ride: Liv Invite  My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite

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

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt 2021
dhb Aeron Lab Aero Mitt
dhb 2021
dhb
Lara Dunn

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

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