Pactimo Alpine Thermal RT Knee Warmers

The Pactimo's Alpine Thermal RT Knee Warmers work well in changing temperatures and the fit is good, though it's worth noting they're a little shorter than many. They've worked well for me during the test period and prove a good match for the arm warmers, but I do think they are expensive for what they are.

These are made from a high-stretch fabric called ThermaGuard, with a seam on either side. ThermaGuard is apparently a 'high-performance winter-weight technical fabric that... [fastforward some blah] ...ultra-soft with a slight interior loft, this... [fastforward again] ...is ideal for athletic wear in 40-70°F conditions.' That's 4.5° to 21°C, if you prefer.

It has a mid-level compressive feel to it, which for me complements the feel of a decent set of bib shorts nicely.

> Buy now:Alpine Thermal RT Knee Warmers from Pactimo for £38

There are silicone grippers at both ends. At the bottom it's a 10mm strip that goes all the way around, while at the top it's a 20mm wide band of big-ish silicone dots inside an inch wide elastic strap.

There is no silicone on the outside at the thigh opening, but it seems it's not needed as I haven't noticed any slipping-down issues (one of the most annoying habits of any warmers). Their shaping means they're sided, with a small 'L' and 'R' tag inside to tell you which is which.

There is a reflective logo on the back of the calf as well as a band of reflective material all the way around.

They are at their best on days with temperatures from single digits and into the twenties and beyond, but for me they're not quite warm enough for that first early hour when it's really quite cold – for me they come into their own from about seven degrees upwards. I do find myself typically wearing a bit more than most, though, so you may find they work into the low singles.

Either way, the trade-off is that they do pack down nice and small in a jersey pocket - think the size of one of those silly, kid-size bananas (the size for kids, not the size of kids. That would be weird).

The fit

The fit of these is slightly shorter than some other knee warmers I've tried. The Castelli Nanoflexes for example comfortably go down to about mid-calf, so with mid-length socks pretty much all of your leg is covered. These, meanwhile, tend to sit above the calf muscle. In the picture on the model they sit a little lower than they do on my legs; my calf is more pronounced and, if I position them as in the picture, they end up bunched up higher anyway.

Instead I found these worked a little higher at around mid-thigh, where they don't ride up at the knee end and give plenty of overlap with whatever shorts you're wearing.

Sizing

Pactimo's sizing chart is sparse; they simply recommend buying knee warmers in the same size as your shorts or bib tights. As I've reviewed a number of items in Pactimo's legwear range – including the Summit Stratos, Storm Thermal and Alpine Thermal bibs – I know their size medium works for me. So that's what I'm reviewing here.

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The result works well and the fit is as expected. However, it wouldn't hurt to have a little more detail in a sizing chart; a thigh/calf circumference range and an overall length would be quite helpful, especially as these are not the cheapest things.

Value

Pactimo's Alpine RT Thermal Knee Warmers are expensive at £53. Castelli's Pro Seamless Knee Warmers cost considerably less at £30, while even the Assos Spring Fall Knee Warmers Evo are only £40.

Okay, you can spend more, such as on the Rapha Pro Team knee warmers at £60, but then they have extra features – they're windproof and waterproof on the front, which the Pactimos aren't.

Decent basic knee warmers are quite easy to find for much less; Van Rysel's Cool Weather Cycling Leg Warmers (note they're actually knee warmers) are £14.99, and they are water resistant to boot.

Overall

These work really well on those long rides with a cold start (or end) and a warm middle. They are comfortable and have a nice compressive feel, and while they sit a bit higher on the calf than other knee warmers I've tried, that does mean less material and easy packing.

Bottom line, however, is that they're very expensive for what they are, and there's plenty of equally good competition that will cost you less.

Verdict

Great, compressive fit with a small pack size and weight, but very expensive for what they are