GripGrab AquaRepel 2 Water-Resistant Arm Warmers

The GripGrab AquaRepel 2 Water-Resistant Arm Warmers are described as providing 'next-level weather protection', and I will agree that they are very good. The fit is great thanks to their shaping and stretchy materials, they keep water out well, and they do well on the environmental front too. The only thing to offset all of that good work is the price, though they're not alone in that respect.

The key thing for me when it comes to any warmer, be that leg, knee or arm, is that the fit has to be spot on, and I'm not just talking sizing. The materials have to be stretchy enough to move with you, and the grippers at the top and bottom need to stop anything sliding down without providing so much grip that they feel tight and restrictive. On all this, these GripGrabs score highly.

The front panels – those that are going to be facing the elements – have a three-layer construction, one of which is a waterproof membrane. Membranes don't necessarily provide a flexible fit because of their construction, but the bend on these at the elbow certainly helps with comfort as you get no rucking or wrinkling of the material.

The rear panels of the warmers use a fleece-lined Lycra, often known as Roubaix, and thanks to the stretch and give in this material you get a full range of movement without them feeling restrictive.

On top of that, the silicone grippers do a good job of keeping them in position. There are three sizes available which relate to bicep circumference and arm length, just so you can get things dialled in. I certainly found the overall fit very good.

I was equally impressed from a performance point of view.

The fabric on the front panel keeps the rain out, and it's the same elsewhere thanks to waterproof seams and the fact that everything has had a durable water repellent (DWR) coating. The DWR is PFC free, so no nasty chemicals, plus 85% of the material used in the GripGrabs' construction is recycled.

You aren't going to keep absolutely bone dry as water will creep in around the cuffs in prolonged heavy rain, but these are very impressive at resisting the elements.

There are also some reflective details which are positioned far enough away from the wrist that they aren't going to be hidden by the cuff of your gloves.

So, all good then.

Fifty quid, though...

That's a lot of money for two tubes of fabric, although if you take a look back through our recently reviewed arm warmers they aren't on their own. The overall quality is impressive too. These are very well made and should last many years.

The Kostüme Unisex arm warmers, for instance, are £45 and they lack the waterproofing of the GripGrabs.

Pactimo's Alpine RT Thermal warmers are £49 (down £4 since our review in 2022), but if you want water resistance you'll need the Storm+, which are £53.

> Buyer’s Guide: Best arm and leg warmers

If you aren't worried about having loads of waterproofing then you can spend a lot less on arm warmers: Galibier's Regale has a DWR coating for some water resistance and they cost just £18.22. Galibier kit often scores very highly in our reviews.

Conclusion

Overall, from a performance point of view – well, actually from every point of view – the GripGrabs are really good. I think the fit is great and their weatherproofing is top notch. The price, while a bit hard to swallow, is at least in line with others on the market, and a lot of those don't come with the level of waterproofing on offer here.

Verdict

Expensive, but impressive weatherproofing and a great fit