Ana Nichoola Her Pleasure Armwarmers

Anatomically there's no hugely influential reason for female specific armwarmers, but aesthetically it's nice to be thought of. The rather cheekily named Her Pleasure Armwarmers neatly address a similar niche in the market to the likes of Sugoi with their decorative armwarmer offering, highly functional kit but with a funky twist.

The Her Pleasures aren't just a simple armwarmer though, made from a couple of different types of fabric, they are designed to fit well, allow for comfortable on-the-bike movement and above all give warmth and protection from the cold. The name (presumably) comes from the use of ribbed fabric in the rear section and in the cuff. This is designed to allow for effective stretch and a contoured fit while riding, while the cuff can be rolled up to customize the length of the warmer to allow for a good fit for longer or shorter arms. The smooth fabric at the front of the arm is a fleecy backed stretch lycra for warmth, breathability and moisture transport. The top, at the bicep, is secured with a non-silicone gripper strip. The warmers come in three different sizes, all the same length but based on different bicep diameters.

They're a good-looking armwarmer, simple but attractive. Available in four colours, there should be something to appeal to everyone, female or male!

These are certainly warm, and ideal for chillier rides. The fabric is dense and contours well to the arms, without feeling over tight and delivers good wind resistance and levels of heat retention without allowing for skin to become sweaty. The ribbed section does provide a good secure fit when riding, with little or no shifting of the warmer. The gripper strip at the bicep is very effective, but does leave the kind of indentations you'd expect. It's definitely not as comfortable to put on or remove as it is while you're actually wearing it. There's none of the skin irritation problems that some find with silicone grippers though.

My only niggle, apart from the ferocious but effective arm grippers, would be the sizing. Although I agree that the length would suit almost anyone, with adjustment available from the cuff, the bicep area could prove problematic for riders with larger arms. I'm aware of having chunkier than average biceps and therefore tested the large, but these were at the upper zone of comfort for me, so perhaps an XL might be an option to give larger ladies (or gents!) the option.

Verdict

Warm, effective and extremely comfortable but those with larger biceps might find them on the snug side.