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GripGrab Windster Gloves

8
£49.95

VERDICT:

8
10
Very well made gloves that live up to the claim of being both wind and waterproof
Weight: 
90g

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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GripGrab's Windsters are good quality, wind and water proof gloves that allow for lever grip combined with smartphone usability.

I often find that when using winter gloves that feel and grip is sacrificed for warmth. What I have been particularly impressed by with these gloves is that they manage to not only keep your hands warm and dry, but it is still relatively easy to grip and feel handlebars and levers.

The Windsters have several features that set them apart, the main one being that the fingertips work with touchscreen phones. In thinner and less hard wearing gloves, it is much easier simply because you have more control over your finger moving. Using the touch technology on these is a breeze though and allows you to use both phones and more importantly touch screen cycle computers while wearing them.

The palms have a decent helping of silicone grip in the middles which stops slipping on the bars. What I particularly like is the similar surface on the first two fingers which helps with grip on the levers, something that has been incredibly useful when using the gloves in wetter conditions.

There is also a gel pad on the lower left of the palm, which helps to absorb vibrations from the handlebars. This is an uncommon feature on cold weather gloves as many think that the extra padding of the gloves themselves is enough, but it makes a big difference to your ride, especially in harsher conditions at this time of year.

The backs of the gloves have a lot of reflective piping and logos which is useful in the dark. Much of this is subtle such as the small reflective dots and this kind of attention to detail is seen throughout the glove.

Quality is good throughout, with strong, resilient stitching, and a fit that doesn't make you feel like you are wearing oven gloves. Maintaining warmth but minimising additional padding has been made possible through the use of well thought materials, that also maintain an impressive level of breathability for a glove that can be used in freezing conditions. I particularly liked the sweat wiping surface on the thumbs, why do so many glove companies forget this on colder weather gloves?

I was very impressed with how breathable they manage to be even in slightly warmer conditions, combined with warmth in the cold. I used these gloves in conditions ranging from 1-10 ˚C and they performed well in a variety of temperatures and conditions.

I used them in torrential downpours and they lived up to their waterproof billing. I also appreciated the elasticated wrists on the gloves which created a good seal and protected my wrists from the elements. Combined with the elasticated cuff means that elements are totally kept out; after two hours of cycling in the rain, my hands stayed impressively warm and dry.

Verdict

Very well made gloves that live up to the claim of being both wind and waterproof

road.cc test report

Make and model: GripGrab Windster Glove

Size tested: Medium

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 gloves are for winter riding in both wet and cold weather. They have been designed to minimise size but maximise warmth, waterproofing and wind proofing.

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

Wind- and water resistant

Breathable materials

DoctorGel™ 4 mm padding

Silicone grip

Reflective graphics

Touch screen compatibility

Sweat wiper

Knitted cuff

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Very well made, strong stitching and well thought out materials combine for both warmth and durability.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Didn't get cold or wet hands throughout the review, despite testing in both cold and wet conditions.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Was worried about the sweat pads fraying, but so far there have been no issues. The rest of the glove seems like it would last for years.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10

Weighing in at 90g is impressive for a glove that is so durable, compared to others in the same category, they come out considerably lighter.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10

The breathability combined with the warmth make for a comfortable ride regardless of how long you are in the saddle for.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

£50 is a relatively big outlay for gloves, but you could easily pay more for a product half as good as this.

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

Performed impressively, kept my hands warm and comfortable in a variety of conditions.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The little things make this glove, like the silicone grips on the fingers and palm.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

When you first buy them, the inner label can be annoying, but if you cut them out (like you should do on most gloves in my opinion) then it's not an issue.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

Very impressive gloves that do exactly what you want at this time of year.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 27  Height: 6 ft  Weight:

I usually ride: Cannondale Supersix Evo 6  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 5-10 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Experienced

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

 

George is the host of the road.cc podcast and has been writing for road.cc since 2014. He has reviewed everything from a saddle with a shark fin through to a set of glasses with a HUD and everything in between. 

Although, ironically, spending more time writing and talking about cycling than on the bike nowadays, he still manages to do a couple of decent rides every week on his ever changing number of bikes.

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5 comments

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markfireblade | 9 years ago
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Rose Bikes are selling these at £40.29, though postage is £7.60

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MODonnell | 9 years ago
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Do you know where you can buy them from? The GripGrab website says they have no UK retailers and wiggle seem to only sell an old version.

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David Arthur @d... replied to MODonnell | 9 years ago
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MODonnell wrote:

Do you know where you can buy them from? The GripGrab website says they have no UK retailers and wiggle seem to only sell an old version.

Wiggle do GripGrab in the UK http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gripgrab/ but you're right, I can't find those gloves either, I'll drop them a line for you

Avatar
KiwiMike | 9 years ago
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These may well be a fitting replacement for my much-loved decades-old Pearl Izumi gauntlets.

Q George: when you remove them, do the liners stay attached inside? I ask as I've had several pairs that didn't - basically unusable

Avatar
markfireblade | 9 years ago
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George, how was the fit of the mediums, in relation to GripGrab's sizing guide, which puts me partway between medium and large? Very interested in these...

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