Polaris Dry Grip gloves

On paper the Dry Grip glove from Polaris promises the last word in winter comfort and there's no doubting their worth when tearing up the trail in the freezing cold.

Black goes with everything, hides accumulated dirt and mercifully, these are machine washable. However, consistently mild weather resulted in persistently damp, clammy and mildly uncomfortable liners. Rather than laminated outers, Polaris have opted for a TPU lining and neoprene cuffs to keep digits warm, dry and relatively nimble when fully saturated while, wind/shower repellent backs theoretically allow the steady dispersion of rider generated heat...

Amara palms forgo the obligatory ergonomic stuff, such as ulnar pads and the like in favour of some old school cushioning and to be frank, this consistent profile offered excellent insulation from road and trail shock with no hint of discomfort after four hours continuous riding.

There's plenty of sticky silicone detailing along the digits for dependable grip come hell or high water on all manner of handlebar coverings, although it seemed particularly suited to glossy wraps and the notoriously slippery electroplate tape common to reproduction track bars.

Polaris'MTB heritage is clearly evident in the cut- which is particularly suited to flat bar STI and 'cross type bar ends but had a tendency to muffle the sprightly canter of contemporary mid range road controls in the dry. That said, the supple fabrics and sticky silicone won't impede puncture repair or pannier rummaging and the former come alive in the wet, giving enough dexterity to leave braking/shifting late whether demon descending or snaking through lines of stationary Friday afternoon traffic.

To further test their mettle, I immersed ours to the cuffs in salt water. Quickly racing through the permeable outers, the North Sea lapped frustrated at the TPU lining, giving a sensation similar to washing up in marigolds. It took 15 miles before they'd reached a touch dry state but there's no doubt the materials had done their stuff. Sadly climate control is nowhere near so good in temperatures between six and ten degrees, resulting in consistent dampness within minutes of pulling them on.

Verdict

Very good extreme weather gloves for town or trail but moisture but things can get sweaty in milder temperatures.