DexShell Ultralite Gloves

DexShell's Ultralite Gloves are a curious concoction. They look like old-school woollen gloves, but they certainly don't perform like them: they're waterproof and work with your phone. Good off the bike, they're not as breathable or comfortable as you might hope for long rides.

When I say DexShell's Ultralite gloves look, on first viewing, like 'old school' woollen gloves, I mean that quite literally. Aesthetically, they're very much the sort of things you probably wore in the playground once the mittens-on-strings thing started to look a bit stupid.

Actually, they're not so much gloves as gauntlets – the cuffs venture a fair way up your forearms. However, they also have some special details you won't find on most: finger sections that can be used with touchscreens and grippy (I presume silicone) patterning on the palm and fingers.

That long cuff is very effective at stopping the breeze sneaking up your sleeve. In fact, there's nothing to complain about when it comes to weatherproofing at all: these are warm and – strangely for a knitted product – fantastically waterproof.

If a waterproof knitted garment is a surprise, be ready for another less welcome discovery. Logically, the Ultralites should be breathable, but despite that and the Coolmax liner, spirited autumn rides lead to clamminess and sweat.

Padding

Another thing the Ultralites are distinctly short on is cushioning. I don't normally hanker after palm padding – I've been using the pad-free Endura Hummvee Lite Icon gloves more and more this year and thoroughly enjoying them – but for some reason I find the Ultralites a little tiring to wear.

I don't really have an answer to why. You'd think with that chunky knitted build, there'd be some residual cushioning even without dedicated padding, but I just didn't feel it. Also, while they offer good traction, if you've got particularly gnarly flat bar grips they can pinch the yarn off, leaving wispy trails like the remnants of an unshorn sheep on barbed wire.

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Those touchscreen finger ends work, though they sometimes require a bit of forceful prodding. Also, for gloves obviously designed for the dark, dreary months, it's a shame there are no reflective or high-viz elements.

Value and conclusion

We haven't tested a whole lot of knitted gloves, but among more typical fare, Decathlon's Triban 900 Winter gloves offer excellent performance at just £24.99. Galibier's Barrier Deep Winter gloves are £24.85 and also superb in the cold, but they lack touchscreen compatibility.

So the DexShell Ultralites are a bit of a contradiction. If you're looking for pure warmth and weatherproofing, you'll be very happy. But for cycling, I find them a little disappointing. Better off the bike than on it, I'd say.

Verdict

Warm and weatherproof knitted gloves, but clammy and not super comfy for riding