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review
Arm & leg warmers
Alé Seamless Arm Warmer Alé Seamless Arm Warmer
Ale Seamless Arm Warmer

Alé Seamless Arm Warmer

7
by Mat Brett
UPDATED Wed, Sep 21, 2016 15:46

First Published Sep 21, 2016

0
£30.00

VERDICT:

7
10
Insulating arm warmers that are comfortable, fast-drying, and very easy to get on and off
Weight: 
53g
Contact: 
www.paligap.cc
How we test

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Alé's Seamless Arm Warmers are comfortable, they stay put, and they do their job by keeping your arms feeling snug when the temperature drops.

First off, though, I'd like to clear something up. There is a seam. It's a very flat seam, granted, but that's one more seam than you might expect on something described as 'seamless'. The seam in question runs top to bottom, like it does on most other arm warmers out there, and to be fair you can't feel it at all so there's zero chance of it causing discomfort.

> Find your nearest dealer here

> Buy these online here

The arm warmers are made from Dryarn which is mainly polypropylene with some polyamide (nylon) and elastane thrown into the mix. It's a very stretchy fibre so the arm warmers are easy to get on and off on-the-fly – even over the top of mitts – and it shifts sweat away from your skin very well. If you get caught in the rain, it dries out fast.

Alé has added a bit of ergonomic shaping at the elbow that reduces creasing just a touch when you bend your arms, and there's ribbing all over the place to make sure you get a close but not too tight fit.

> Read our buyer's guide to arm (and leg) warmers

There's no silicone or anything else inside the top to keep the arm warmers from slipping, but I found that they stayed in place fine whether worn underneath or over the top (it was just an experiment, okay?) of jersey sleeves.

Ale Seamless Arm Warmer - cuff.jpg

These provide a decent amount of insulation – easily enough to keep you feeling comfortable when the temperature drops a few degrees on an evening ride and you're still 20 miles from home – and they roll up small for easy storage when not in use. They're not the cheapest, but worth it for their ease of use.

Verdict

Insulating arm warmers that are comfortable, fast-drying, and very easy to get on and off

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: Ale Seamless Arm Warmer

Size tested: One Size

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?

Alé says: "Tubular arm warmer for an efficient thermoregulation."

Succinct.

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

The arm warmers are made from polypropylene Dryarn fabric.

It's 70% polypropylene, 25% polyamide and 5% elastane.

Dryarn is described as, "An innovative yarn designed for garments that are practical and comfortable to wear. Lightweight, insulating, breathable: Dryarn is the athlete's best performance enhancer."

Polypropylene shifts moisture well without absorbing it. An open/textured weave like you get here helps moisture evaporate quickly.

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

The ribbed structure helps you get a comfortable fit without tightness or creasing.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
6/10

These are one size. The huge amount of stretch means that won't be a problem for the vast majority of people.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

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

Wash them in the machine at 40°C with the rest of your cycling kit and they come out just fine. There are no lingering smells after washing.

You're not supposed to put these in the tumble dryer.

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

They do a good job of keeping your arms warm, they stay in place and they're easy to get on and off. That's about all you need them to do.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The stretchiness makes them super-easy to get on and off, even over the top of gloves which can be a problem with some other arm warmers.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing.

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

£30 is a little higher than average for a pair of arm warmers but these are a bit easier to get on and off than most – that's especially useful if you don't want to stop. The Dryarn fabric is also very good at shifting sweat and drying fast to keep you feeling comfortable.

Overall rating: 7/10

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

Alé Seamless Arm Warmer 2016
Alé Seamless Arm Warmer
Ale 2016
Alé
Mat Brett

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. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. 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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