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GripGrab SuperGel Padded Short Finger Summer Gloves

9
£42.95

VERDICT:

9
10
Get sore hands on rough rides? These mitts really help to add comfort and reduce fatigue
Improved comfort & less handlebar fatigue
Breathable
Reflective details
Adjustable closure
Sweat/snot wipe
Weight: 
47g
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This product has been selected to feature in road.cc recommends. That means it's not just scored well, but we think it stands out as special. Go to road.cc recommends

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The GripGrab SuperGel Padded Short Finger Summer Gloves are a relatively cost-effective way of improving comfort on the bike, feature a useful sweat wiper, and are breathable enough for even really warm days.

Not a fan of gel padding? Check out our guide to the best summer cycling gloves for more options.

On long off-road rides I suffer from the dreaded palm pains – eventually the bumps and vibration irritate the lumpy bit between my thumb and forefinger. Good quality handlebar tape helps, as do wide tyres and low pressures. I've considered upgrading to a short travel suspension fork too, but for significantly less cash than, say, a £650 RockShox Rudy Ultimate XPLR, GripGrab's 'most shock-absorbing gloves' could do the trick.

2023 GripGrab SuperGel Padded Short Finger Summer Gloves - palm padding.jpg

For starters, they feature a whopping 6mm of DoctorGel padding on each palm, covering an area about 6cm long by 4cm at its widest point. The bulk of the padding is supplemented by a cushioned pad located between thumb and forefinger, as well as padding along the area below the fingers. The material on the palm has a soft, hardwearing, suede-like feel to it, and is certainly grippy enough.

2023 GripGrab SuperGel Padded Short Finger Summer Gloves - palm.jpg

Although the padding feels almost comically big, it's fair to say it does the job, and it doesn't interfere with feel at the bar. I recently rode an 80-mile route around Kielder Forest, and after about 50 miles, where my hands would normally start to get a bit uncomfortable, they still felt fairly fresh. At the end of the ride they were still a little sore, but it was a significant improvement over no gloves.

Given the gloves are designed for use in the summer, as well as being fingerless they also feature perforations on the palm side along the finger slots. Around the top the material is thin and breathable, and they certainly kept my hands cool despite the late summer heatwave temperatures.

In case you get a bit hot, an area of fabric along the thumb side can be used to wipe away brow sweat... yeah, okay, snot from a runny nose.

There are also reflective details on the top side, in case you get caught out late in the day.

2023 GripGrab SuperGel Padded Short Finger Summer Gloves - strap.jpg

An adjustable Velcro closure allows you to get a snug fit at the wrist, and pull-off tabs make it a bit easier to remove the gloves when they're glued to your hands after a long ride.

2023 GripGrab SuperGel Padded Short Finger Summer Gloves - strap velcro.jpg

The gloves also feature clever magnets on the palm side cuff, meaning you can connect the gloves together when they're not in use. It's not an essential feature, but nice to have.

2023 GripGrab SuperGel Padded Short Finger Summer Gloves - cuff tab.jpg

The gloves come in four colour schemes, including all black, black and white, black and red, and black and blue. They're available in five sizes, S, M, L, XL, and XXL. I'm normally an XL or XXL in regular gloves because I have long fingers, but the Large I had on test were a perfect fit for my slightly more slender hands (where finger length isn't an issue).

Value

Given the increased comfort on offer, I'd be inclined to say that the £42.95 asking price is a bit of a bargain – it's certainly cheaper than any cushioning mod you could do to your bike, other than getting super thick bar tape (which I am not a fan of).

Still, they're a little pricier than most other mitts out there – if a little cheaper than the most premium gloves we've reviewed on road.cc.

The heavy-duty padding might not be for everyone, so if you're looking for something a little lighter, GripGrab's own ProGel mitts feature thinner 4mm padding, with much the same design, for slightly less at around £35. George tested a pair in 2018 and found them 'supremely comfortable'.

If you want something more minimal, check out the Galibier Zephyr All Surface Mitts, which come in at £28.90 and are designed to give you a bit more comfort on rough roads.

Conclusion

 GripGrab's most extreme fingerless gloves are a great option for improving bar comfort. The gel pad is very thick but it doesn't interfere with your grip. They're a great option for warm gravel rides.

Verdict

Get sore hands on rough rides? These mitts really help to add comfort and reduce fatigue

road.cc test report

Make and model: GripGrab SuperGel Padded Short Finger Summer Gloves

Size tested: Large

Tell us what the product is for

GribGrab says, "Made from high-end materials, there are the most shock-absorbing gloves thanks to the maximum DoctorGel® padding"

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

GribGrab lists:

* Sweat wiper

* Pull-off tabs

* DoctorGel® Padding 6mm

* gMagnets™ – to keep gloves paired during storage

* Reflective details

* Hook-and-loop closure

* 70% Polyamide, 10% Polyurethane, 10% Polyester, 10% Elastane

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10

Nicely made.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

The heavy-duty padding really reduces pressure on the palm, and the gloves offer plenty of grip.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Material is very hardwearing, and still looks good after several long gravel rides.

Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10

Snug and comfortable.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
9/10

Just the right size for my big, but slender hands.

Rate the product for weight:
 
7/10

Slightly heavier than less padded gloves, but marginally so.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
10/10

Very comfortable.

Rate the product for value:
 
4/10

Not the cheapest option.

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

In the machine at 30 degrees, came out looking like new again.

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

A great option for enhancing comfort and reducing fatigue.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The sweat/snot wipe is very useful when things get rowdy.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

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

Slightly more expensive than other similar gloves, but then you do get a lot more padding in these and some useful extras such as the magnetic connectors. GripGrab's slightly less padded version, the ProGel Black Mitts, are cheaper at £35, while the Galibier Zephyr All Surface Mitts have minimal padding and cost £28.

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

Slightly pricier than similar fingerless gloves, but the improved comfort is well worth it, and there are lots of neat touches that mean these gloves are highly recommended if you suffer from pain in your hands on rough roads. They're ecxellent.

Overall rating: 9/10

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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2 comments

Avatar
Global Nomad | 1 year ago
0 likes

does anyone make long finger gloves with padding...for a long time i've worn my summer padded mitts under a thinner glove to keep the comfort there in autumn/winter...odd that a marketing opportunity gets missed in the bike world...or maybe padding is only needed in summer..

Avatar
Rendel Harris replied to Global Nomad | 1 year ago
0 likes
Global Nomad wrote:

does anyone make long finger gloves with padding...for a long time i've worn my summer padded mitts under a thinner glove to keep the comfort there in autumn/winter...odd that a marketing opportunity gets missed in the bike world...or maybe padding is only needed in summer..

There are loads, Specialized Body Geometry, Castelli Arenberg, Endura Windchill, GripGrab Shark...that's just off the top of my head. I'm using Decathlon's Triban 500s on the cold mornings at the moment and they're nice and warm and have gel padded palms, excellent value at £14.99, especially if you're an habitual glove loser like me.

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