Chapeau Men's Arm Warmers

The Chapeau Men's Arm Warmers are simplistic in their design, but they do exactly what you want them to, fit snugly and keep you warm. They are very well made too.

Arm warmers are tubes of material, so to be honest you can't really go wrong – so long as you get a few basics right.

First of all, they need to keep your arms warm. Yes, really! Chapeau's do that very well indeed. The fleece-backed thermal fabric traps a bit of body heat without being bulky, and feels soft and smooth against the skin.

For the last four or five days of this test, the temperature was barely above 3°C, and as low as -1°C. These arm warmers kept me warm while moving, even on sections into the north-easterly wind.

Obviously, we all react differently to the temperature so going that cold might not suit everyone, but I'd say they comfortably cover between 5°C and 15°C.

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Secondly, they must not slip down you arm. Chapeau has dealt with this with silicone grippers at the top, and not just for the inside to latch onto your skin – it's also on the outside to grip your jersey. The wrist end just relies on the stretch of the fabric.

It works a treat, and I never once had to adjust them mid-ride. To cover various arm lengths and diameters, Chapeau offers two sizes. Also, if this 'Deep Ocean' colour is simply too bright for you, there's a black version too.

Lastly, arm warmers need to avoid irritating seams. Some brands knit their arm warmers as a tube so there are no seams at all, but while Chapeau has joined two edges with stitching, the seam is barely noticeable and I certainly got no irritation from it.

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If you position the reflective logo on the top of your wrist, the seam runs along the inside of your arm without issue.

Value

The £20 to £30 range is pretty common for quality arm warmers, and these fit right in. In all of the Chapeau products I've worn and tested over the years, the finish has always been very impressive, as has the durability.

The only real negative is that, unlike many warmers around £30, these have no form of water repellence. The Sportful NoRain Arm Warmers (£27) or the Lusso Repel Corsa Arm Warmers at £29.99 do, and it can be useful.

That said, the likes of the Assos Armwarmer_evo7 lack water resistance too, and are still more expensive than the Chapeaus at £35.

Overall

Yes, you can get similar performance for less elsewhere, but the Chapeau Men's Arm Warmers work very well, offer plenty of comfort and are made to a high standard.

Verdict

Comfortable, high-quality arm warmers that keep the heat in well