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Endura Strike waterproof gloves

7
£29.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Good benchmark do-it-all winter gloves
Weight: 
0g
Contact: 
www.endura.co.uk

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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A winter all rounder, Endura’s Strike are equally suited to winter road and cross duties thanks to their blend of high quality waterproof construction, breathable membrane and classic understated detailing.

Fit is very snug, although doesn’t merit going a size larger than usual. Compared with many the waterproof materials doesn’t leave it feeling overbuilt. The moderate padding means dexterity’s not on a par with some, requiring their removal when performing roadside adjustments, jotting something down or taking photographs. Double stitched palms feature the seemingly obligatory thick gel padding and are pretty effective when used with either drops or flats but I’d still recommend a gel tape – especially for long hauls – and the strips failed to prevent bruised palms after a couple of hours spent atop pursuit bars.

Rescuing a water bottle from a river at high tide, I’m pleased to confirm they’re genuinely watertight – at least up to the neoprene cuff – and gel serrations on the index and second fingers offer excellent control in the rain. Unusually long Terry strips are a definite plus for taming snot.

The thrills of green lanes and sweeping singletrack have made little impression upon the backs and I’m confident the odd spill won’t ruin the palms either. Much to my surprise, testing through mild, mid summer climes has left my hands feeling warm but never pooled in sweat, testament to the tactile fleece lining’s moisture wicking prowess.

Subtle yet extremely effective Scotchlite logos ensure clearly visible hand signals, especially around dawn and dusk. Care couldn’t be simpler, just machine wash at moderate temperatures with a periodic shot of technical fabric proofing to keep them happy. Ultimately, there are technically more awe inspiring designs out there but the Strikes are versatile winter gloves.

Verdict

Good benchmark do-it-all winter gloves

road.cc test report

Make and model: Endura Strike waterproof gloves

Size tested: L

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?

The strike are Endura's best selling glove, looking at the Endura website you'd be forgiven for thinking they were primarily for mountain biking – Endura assure us  they're not. In fact they are good all-round winter gloves which thanks to a blend of sensible construction, high quality materials and good detailing is why they are a top seller.

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

A waterproof nylon/polyester mix, double stitched with exta long terry thumb wipe. Then there's the seemingly standard gel padding to protect the ulnar nerves coupled with gel finger detailing for better grip in wet weather. All this together makes for a very competent, reliable, generic winter glove.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Generally very well made.

Rate the product for performance:
 
7/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

160g Large

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
7/10

Not completely sold on the positioning of the gel padding.

Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

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

Overall the strike have been to Endura's usual standard and perform very well in most conditions and it's nice to find a waterproof glove that doesn't feel like the proverbial cardboard box. However, I'm not completely sold on the gel palm padding's effectiveness-especially over longer periods on drop and pursuit type bars.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Rugged, understated looks, nice detailing, good dexterity and being genuinely waterproof is a real bonus.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing particularly, I'm just not completely sold on the padding.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Possibly

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, in the main

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 35  Height: 1m 81  Weight: 70 kilos

I usually ride: Rough Stuff Tourer Based around 4130 Univega mtb Frameset  My best bike is: 1955 Holdsworth Road Path and several others including cross & traditional road

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo cross, commuting, touring, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,

Shaun Audane is a freelance writer/product tester with over twenty-eight years riding experience, the last twelve (120,000 miles) spent putting bikes and kit through their paces for a variety of publications. Previous generations of his family worked at manufacturing's sharp end, thus Shaun can weld, has a sound understanding of frame building practice and a preference for steel or titanium framesets.
Citing Richard Ballantine and an Au pair as his earliest cycling influences, he is presently writing a cycling book with particular focus upon women, families and disabled audiences (Having been a registered care manager and coached children at Herne Hill Velodrome in earlier careers)

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1 comments

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amazon22 | 14 years ago
0 likes

Tried a pair and sent them back - they leaked like a sieve. After an hour and half ride in steady rain, these were totally sodden, inside and out, and not from sweat either. There didn't appear to be any DWR coating on the outside, as advertised, and so they soaked up the water and I suspect the pressure of hand on bar was forcing water through the membrane. Further, when I came to take them off, the closing strap split apart as a section of stitching was missing, held only by double sided tape. As if all that wasn't bad enough, the thumbs were curiously short!

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