The Lusso Max Repel Leg Warmers use fibre treatment to resist water while keeping you warm, and they stay put too. Made in the UK, they're a great option for cool rides.
Manchester-based Lusso has once again come up with a product that's hard to fault – simple in both design and execution, with performance fabrics that work out on the road and look good doing it.
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The 'Repel' bit in the name refers to Lusso's treatment of the fabric yarns before being woven into the Roubaix fabric itself. This treatment holds up under persistent water, the drops beading and falling off with no wetting out. While they aren't claimed to be 'waterproof', it would be a strong, persistent shower that managed to soak these through, and even then you have the brushed Roubaix fabric to keep things warm.
Unlike many leg warmers there's no ankle zip – keeping things simple with one less feature to fail as the years progress.
They come up quite high on the leg for me, the medium measuring 65cm long and sitting past mid-thigh. Grip strips are located on both the inside and out of the laser-cut upper cuff, to hang onto legs and bib shorts alike. The stitching is angled at the back of the knee to impart a tad of pre-bend into the garment, without ever feeling bunched – over 40 miles they stayed put top, knee and bottom.
Branding-wise there's only a small Lusso roundel on the front just above the ankle so no, these are not the highly-reflective commuter leggings you're looking for. That said, the minimalist approach pairs well with any shorts, in particular the excellent-value Lusso 2-Zero Thermal Bib Short. Given their position, leg warmers pick up the lion's share of road filth, but these washed out like new time after time.
> Buyer's Guide: The best arm and leg warmers for chilly days
Of course the acid test of a pair of leg warmers is, do the legs remain warm? With moderately rubbish circulation, minimal body fat and a penchant for Raynaud's disease in the upper limbs at least, I'm a great test case. Over the Christmas month I ventured out in temperatures ranging from 3-10 degrees, sometimes in winds approaching 40 or 50mph including showers. At no stage did my legs or – even worse, but intricately related, my feet – feel cold. If the shins are the radiators of the feet, and the blood cools on its way down, your feet will never feel warm. The Lusso Max Repel warmers did their job admirably.
Verdict
Well shaped and featured, made of warm, water-repellent fabric and made in the UK – a great choice
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Make and model: Lusso Max Repel Leg Warmers
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?
It's for people who want to ride in the cold and wet.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
* Repels Water
* High Insulation
* 4 way stretch
* Made in the UK
* Machine washable
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Rate the product for durability:
9/10
Rate the product for fit:
9/10
Rate the product for sizing:
9/10
Rate the product for weight:
6/10
Rate the product for comfort:
8/10
Rate the product for value:
10/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Washes out like new.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Excellently.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The warmth. So warm. Lusso has the best warmth. They make legs feel great again.
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
It's hard to think how these could be improved, unless you are of the view you need a zip to get your feet through. The price is mid-range for leg warmers, the performance is high-end.
Age: 43 Height: 183cm Weight: 72kg
I usually ride: Merida Ride 5000 Disc My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: A few times a week I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo-cross, club rides, general fitness riding, mountain biking, Dutch bike pootling
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