Sugoi RS Zero glove

Let's get this clear right off the bat, despite their Arctic good looks, toasty appearance and draught-excluding cuff the Sugoi RS Zero is not really a Winter glove, in fact the closer it gets to the eponymous Zero the more they become thermally transparent, which is awkward. And they aren't much use if it's raining or there's a lazy wind either as they seem to be entirely bereft of waterproofness and extra wind-stopping abilities. Not really a glove for the usual British Winter then, maybe it's warmer in Sugoivia that time of year. A nice glove for Spring or Autumn then so as not to condemn them out of hand, or any time you might describe as fresh, a bit chilly or nippy, but not atually anywhere near cold.

The fit is somehow both snug and yet bulky. The cuff and the palm are nicely fitted and then it all goes a bit wrong around the fingers. The cuff comes well up the wrist, far enough to plug any of the usual sleeve-to-glove gap that can happen and the windward side is a windproof fabric to deflect the chill which is a lovely touch. Can all frosty season gloves have this please? And a zig-zag of elastic under the wrist holds the glove tight to the arm to keep any errant breeze at bay, nice.

In contrast to the snug wrist are the strangely sausagey fingers, we suspect this might be the seams fault. They start off by the palm aligned on the 'corners' and taper down to all meet in one central seam at the end of the digits. The resulting bunched seam inside can rub on the ends of the middle fingers and catch on the nails, and that's with this testers slightly smaller than medium hands in a medium glove. Flicking the seam with your fingernail can mindlessly pass the time on long solo training rides, or the seam's constant catching on the nail can be deeply frustrating, depending on your mood. And the bulky digits makes fumbling about in a rear pocket for a chewy-bar a strangely sensory-depravatory affair.

The palm has a wide grippy section layered over it, it isn't padded, just a thick piece of material patterned with thousands of tacky squares that's comfortable enough for road or cyclo-cross use, we even used them on a mountainbike without any discomfort. The grip also sits in squares on the ends of the first two fingers for lever stiction and it also wraps up round the thumb - into exactly the place where you want to wipe your nose. Although there isn't any absorbent towelling or fluff on these gloves to encourage any nasal wipeage, you will anyway, because you do, and then your effort-snotty or cold-dribbly nose will make contact with the rough, raggedy and sharp edge of the over-zealous palm-grip material and it will saw across your septum. This can lead to swearing.

Scrabbling about for positives these white gloves (which come with blue and red detailing as alternate colours) are at least an useful visible aid, especially when indicating. And can be used also for fencing if the sports-hall is a little chilly.

Verdict

A glove that we really wanted to like but that annoys us on too many levels to become good friends and they're a bit fey when it comes to proper cold weather. There's lots better out there.