The Spatz Burnr 4 Season arm warmers live up to their name, and the seamless construction also makes them very comfortable even on long rides. They offer decent protection from the chilly winds but aren't waterproof or even water resistant so are best kept for cold, dry days. They do come up long, too, so take this into account if you have short arms.
> Buy now: Spatz Burnr 4 Season arm warmers for £39.99 from Spatzwear.com
Spatz says the Burnr 4 Season arm warmers have been manufactured with seamless technology and that each section has been engineered for a specific function. 'Each 'panel' has a specific weave, texture and thickness to offer qualities such as warmth, support, articulation, moisture transport or aerodynamics.'
The result is a very comfortable set of arm warmers; often, in my pursuit of (very) marginal aero gains I end up choosing items of clothing with more compression to avoid any potential flapping or loose fitment, and with arm warmers I often wear a mark of where the seam was for a few hours after a long ride. The Burnr warmers' seamless construction results in no pressure points and they contour to the arms well without excess fabric, both with straight and bent arms.
I had the size medium warmers on test, but they also come in small and large. Admittedly, with 27cm circumference biceps, I'm right at the bottom of the size medium scale but at just over 6ft and with average length arms for my height, I was surprised at how long the Burnr warmers are.
I certainly wouldn't want the arm warmers to be any longer as they were beginning to encroach on my armpit area. This does, of course, mean they cover as much arm as possible, but if you have shorter arms you should be wary.
The warmers provide adequate compression without feeling restrictive or uncomfortable even on long rides, and the grippers keep them in place nicely with no need to readjust them while out on the road.
Now, these aren't in any way dubbed as waterproof or even water-resistant arm warmers – Spatz makes the 'Armz' for that – so I can't really be too harsh that any meaningful road spray will ingress. What I will say is that this does limit their use and I still found myself reaching for my Castelli Nanoflex DWR arm warmers on days when showers were forecast.
That aside, the Burnr 4 Seasons are incredibly comfortable, warm, and fast drying, with the added advantage of a sculpted weave which claims to offer an aerodynamic advantage.
At £39.99 they're the same price as the latest Castelli Nanoflex 3Gs (£40) which I would say are more versatile but not as warm in dry conditions.
Of course, many arm warmers can be had for less: the Orro arm warmers are what I would call average price at £30, though currently reduced to £14.99 (John reviewed these in September and found them a big snug), while the Van Rysel Merino arm warmers that Stu tested last year are a bit of a bargain at £19.99 (or were – they're currently out of stock) and share a seamless design.
Overall, the Spatz Burnr arm warmers are an excellent choice for cold dry days, providing excellent coverage, comfort and warmth, but are at the premium end of the market. And the length won't suit all.
Verdict
Warm, comfortable and well-designed seamless arm warmers
Make and model: Spatz Burnr 4 Season arm warmers
Tell us what the product is for
Spatz says that the 'Burnr' arm warmers are "a fresh take on what arm warmers should be. Nobody before has created an arm warmer with such a detailed design and with so much consideration into what makes the perfect arm warmer." These are certainly very warm and comfortable to wear.
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
From Spatz:
Made in Portugal
Unisex
Sided to left/right arm
Small (Under 27cm relaxed bicep)
Medium (27-33cm relaxed bicep)
Large (33cm+ relaxed bicep)
Rate the product for quality of construction:
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
8/10
Excellent fit but could come up long on shorter armed riders
Rate the product for sizing:
8/10
No issues with sizing, the correct amount of compression
Rate the product for weight:
7/10
Arm warmers tend to offer more warmth as they get heavier and thicker; these offer impressive warmth for their weight but are towards the bulkier end of the spectrum. This means that they're better suited to colder conditions.
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Seamless construction results in no pressure points.
Rate the product for value:
5/10
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
No problems. I've stuck them in the washing machine and air-dried with no negative effects.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well, they're warm and comfortable.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Warmth - in dry conditions these are some of the warmest arm warmers I've used.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
The length; I don't think they need to be so long, especially for riders who have short arms or would rather wear a short-sleeved baselayer than sleeveless.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
As mentioned in the review, these are towards the top end of the market. They're an identical price to the Castelli Nanoflex which are slightly more versatile thanks to DWR water resistance, but the Burnr arm warmers are impressively warm and comfortable, which goes a long way towards justifying their price.
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 overall score
Very warm arm warmers best kept for dry days. They are well made, have an excellent fit, are comfortable and do exactly what they say they will. The lack of water resistance makes them slightly less versatile than others at this price, but they are very good.
Age: 23 Height: 6ft Weight: 74kg
I usually ride: Specialized venge pro 2019 My best bike is:
I've been riding for: Under 5 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,
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