Stolen Goat Climb & Conquer 4 Seasons Gloves

Stolen Goat's Climb & Conquer 4 Seasons gloves look like a middling, not-that-cold-out affair – but don't be fooled. They are a properly capable design for riding fast in near-freezing temperatures, but are still comfy as things warm up.

Any gloves branded as '4 Seasons' and sold in the UK better come to the party with impressive performance – and the Stolen Goats do so, with quite a bit of style. The orange-on-black logo looks quite natty, and the long stretchy cuffs are capable of going under or over any jersey or jacket combo to seal out the weather.

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On the box the gloves were labelled 'Deep Winter', further upping expectations of performance. The feel on the gloves once on is that of a mid-weight glove you'd expect to wear an outer barrier glove or mitten over, and I was rather sceptical as I rolled out on my first ride into about 2°C degrees and a biting wind. I'd packed a few pairs of backup gloves, knowing my tendency for frozen paws and the neighbourhood's propensity for random snow/sleet any time between the months of August and May inclusive.

The first ten minutes or so, the feeling was that these would need something over the top soon – but that moment never came. Over the next three hours, with the temperature climbing to a balmy 5 or 6°C, my hands were quite happy. The dexterity was fine, and I was able to shift and operate my computer's buttons with no issues.

On rides into the low teens there was no sensation of overheating. Again, I usually run cold hands-wise, but this was an impressively comfortable 10 degrees swing from shaded, windy near-zero into sunny, still 12 or 13°C.

Despite Stolen Goat's promise of 'touch screen fingertips', the silvered thread on the tips of thumb and forefinger just did not work for me, at any stage of a ride or moistness. Ironically, they did work if I picked the gloves up and used the tip like a stylus – but then my fingers were holding the outside of the thread, so maybe the conductivity issue is between the inside and out. Regardless, for me it was a non-starter, but then I've never really found a pair of 'touchscreen' gloves that worked reliably for long in the dry, or at all in the wet.

Something else you'll notice is the lack of a snot/sweat patch on the thumb. Yes, you can use the gloves as is, but it's not an enjoyable experience.

The palms and fingers are covered in hundreds of grippy silicone stripes and there is no way your hands are slipping off the bar or hoods, even under atrocious conditions.

Removing the gloves is an easy affair, the insides not separating and being easy to turn back out the right way. The inner lining is a fine loop material that does a good job of remaining comfortable next to the skin even with a fair bit of sweat accumulated. Washing and then leaving inside out, they were dry the next day, and soft as ever.

I've been a huge fan of the £95 Dissent 133 glove system for years, but the Stolen Goats have pushed that combo to the back of the shelf. For much of autumn-winter-spring I'd traditionally have worn the Dissent mid glove and the waterproof outer, but I found the Stolen Goats better. That's quite some praise.

> Spring cycling clothing guide: how to choose and use the best gear to ride through the most unpredictable season

All in all, for £35 I highly rate the Climb & Conquer gloves. I was sceptical at first, but a month or so's rides in a range of pre-spring temperatures has me thinking these will remain close to the front of the gloves shelf for some time to come. As a confirmed glove aficionado, I speak with some authority on what's hot and what's not – and these are quite the business. Yes, the lack of wipe patches or phone control is a niggle, but their main purpose is to keep hands happy, which they do brilliantly.

Verdict

Excellent gloves for very cold rides, bar the feature niggles