Santini Jess Winter Gloves

The Santini Jess Winter gloves are comfortable, well made and will do the job for most of your early autumn and early spring riding, but the description is a little inaccurate – I certainly didn't find them to be "extremely warm".

• Pros: Comfy lining, not too bulky, decent palm grip
• Cons: Not warm enough for the deep winter

There are no straps or Velcro at the cuffs, they simply offer a closer fit than many gloves to keep them secure. That means it's important to make sure you get the right size. I found medium was perfect for my hands, which are on the short and stubby side.

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As the gloves are light and not too thick, they give you plenty of control on the handlebar, and operating lights and computers is a breeze. I found them really useful for my commute, which is partly on an unlit path – useful, that is, until the thermometer dropped. For gloves that are described as "extremely warm", they didn't really live up to the claims. On rides where the temperature was hovering around 4°C, my fingers got achingly cold. This was after putting them on straight from the radiator in the morning in an attempt to take maximum advantage of the thermal and windproofing properties. It was a bit disappointing considering the product description says they are "perfect for the coldest days in the saddle".

Santini's UK brand manager told me the Jess gloves are best for temperatures of around 5-10°C and recommended the Deep Double Layer glove instead for lower temps. So Santini should alter the description, really, to suggest they're better for middling temperatures. Santini is Italian, so perhaps 5-10°C constitutes deep winter there, but not on these shores!

One option is to size up and buy a merino liner to wear underneath; Santini doesn't currently offer one in its range, but they can be picked up for around £10.

> Buyer's Guide: 21 of the best winter cycling gloves

If you're looking for a glove that won't limit your control on the bike yet will keep your hands toastier, the Sportful Sotto Zero gloves recently reviewed by Dave Arthur may well fit the bill better than these for an extra tenner. Mat also got on well with the slightly cheaper Kalf Five gloves, though he reckoned they need a liner below 5°C. Or you could consider those thicker Deep Double Layer gloves from Santini, also £39.99.

Overall, I was perfectly happy with these gloves in temperatures around 10°C, and I'd recommend them for serious training in cooler climes as the grip and low weight mean you don't lose control during harder efforts. As it stands though, I'd choose a thicker glove when the temperatures dipped below around 7°C.

Verdict

Well-made and comfortable gloves, but for a winter option they fall short of what's claimed