Assos Assosoires Winter Gloves

The Assos Assosoires Winter Gloves are windproof and water-resistant outer, and I've found them perfect for the majority of chillier UK riding, including freezing frosty mornings. The overall quality and fit of the gloves is excellent, they're exceptionally warm for the dexterity they offer, and the touchscreen fingers actually work. Yes, they're expensive, but they're definitely something I'd go and spend my own money on.

I hate wearing gloves, especially winter ones that are so thick you can no longer find things in your pockets nor undo a zip, and make changing gear a struggle. I was therefore rather pleased when the Assos gloves arrived for testing to find they aren't packed out with layer upon layer of insulation. But this did raise the question of whether they were going to be warm enough for 'winter', or whether they were better suited to milder rides like their mid-weight physique suggested...

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I didn't have to wait long to find out as later that week the temperature dropped off a cliff and I found myself commuting in a thick frost. Quite simply, the Assos gloves are brilliant. They've kept my cold fingers toasty in temperatures right down to freezing and frankly, that's incredible considering the lack of bulk.

There are still going to be a few days of the year when something thicker is going to be required, but those are few and far between, and these have been first out of the drawer on every ride requiring gloves since October.

On damp rides the water-repellent fabric used on the back of the hand keeps road spray and drizzle out, but in a downpour water will begin to creep in the palms. But fully waterproof gloves, such as those from Velotoze, can feel far clammier as the lack of breathability leads to sweaty hands. The Assos gloves do a good job of regulating hand heat and I found them suitable up to 12°C, at which point I was fine without gloves.

I've also been very impressed with the fit, but of course all hands are different. I have average length fingers and always wear a large size glove; these size large ones fit perfectly. Assos makes the gloves in six sizes so you should be able to find a good fit.

On my hands there's hardly any excess material, as you can find with some gloves, and the use of fleece-backed fabric rather than a separate liner means nothing pulls out annoyingly when you take them off, plus your fingers actually reach somewhere near the end of the gloves, which aids dexterity.

This impressive dexterity combined with the fact that all of the fingers (and palm) are touchscreen-compatible means that using your phone with the gloves on is no issue, and in this respect they're the best I've used. Normally I get fed up before I've even managed to type in my passcode but with the Assos I was happily checking maps and even composing the odd message.

The cuffs are a decent length to prevent any wrist chilling, and they're also fitted, so I found they worked best under jacket sleeves. They do have a fair amount of stretch, though, so can just as easily go over the top of a thin, long sleeve jersey.

Usually, I opt for gloves with no padding, on the road at least. These, however, do have some on the palm: a strip across the base of the fingers and a pad on the ball of the thumb. It's so subtle that I forgot it was there and didn't find any pressure points on either drop or flat bars. Having completed several four-hour rides in the gloves, I found them perfectly comfortable, and the microfiber palm is grippy even in the wet.

The overall quality of the gloves is very high. The blue stitching is nicely finished, they feel robust, and a sharp tug on the fingers reveals no worrying sounds.

There are some sizeable labels to cut out, though, which I forgot to do before my first ride, and there's no dedicated nose-wipe section. I'd also like to see that logo on the back being reflective.

Value

Assos products tend to represent a sizeable investment, but you do get a two-year warranty on any manufacturing defects, and there's a 30-day crash replacement policy.

That helps soften the £70 rrp... a bit. This is not a cheap pair of gloves. However, I've found them the perfect warmth for the majority of my late autumn rides that require gloves, which means they've seen plenty of use, and for many people will be worth the cost.

It's not like the competition is cheap either: the Sportful WS Essential 2 gloves are now £55 and very similar in their build and weight, but I'd personally choose the Assos despite the higher price, for the lack of Velcro and better touchscreen fingers.

The Spatz Glovz offer a similar amount of protection, but go about it in a different way with a pull-out windshell but cost nearly as much at £65.

Stolen Goat's Conquer 4 Season Gloves do offer phenomenal value for money at £35, but having tried the über-premium Assos Winter Gloves, I can't see myself going back.

> Buyer’s Guide: 25 of the best winter cycling gloves

Overall, they've been excellent. They're warm enough for all but the very very coldest of UK days, the fit is excellent, the quality is excellent, the touchscreen fingers actually work, and with a few minor alterations they could very easily score a 10. I'm not usually a big fan of recommending people spend a fortune on kit, but in the case of these gloves, I'd say it's a case of buy well, buy once.

Verdict

Great fitting, top quality, three-season gloves for all but the very coldest of days