Northwave Evolution Short Finger Glove

Northwave's new Evolution Short Finger Gloves pretty much cover everything you need from a performance and comfort point of view.

• Pros: Variable padding depths, mesh back keeps you cool
• Cons: Velcro tab can be a little scratchy, sweat wipe could be thicker

For me, padding is key when it comes to gloves of any kind. It needs to offer some form of shock absorbance without being bulky, at all. I hate feeling too much material between me and the handlebar, especially if it takes away some of the ride feel from the bike.

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Northwave has got it pretty spot on in that respect, as each of the pads is as minimal as can be while still being able to just take the edge off any road vibration.

For the base of the palm and under the thumb, you get gel pad sections which are split into two to ensure dexterity isn't affected. At just a few millimetres each they barely feel as if they are there, and certainly don't feel as though they add to the thickness of your handlebar.

Running underneath the fingers is the smallest pad, and it does just enough to stop any pain here unless you are on a bike that is super-stiff. There's no bulk or bunching whatsoever, whether you have your fingers wrapped around the top of the bar or on the hoods.

The back of the glove is made of a stretchy Lycra fabric, with a large mesh central section running from fingers to cuff which lets the heat escape and also aids a snug fit.

On the thumb you get a sweat/snot wipe which works okay, but if it's a warm day it'll get overwhelmed pretty quickly so I'd like to see something a little thicker to absorb stuff.

The cuffs are quite short, which is good for comfort at the bend of the wrist, and my only real criticism is that the upper tab has the Velcro material running right the way across it, so if you only have half of it touching the lower tab what's left over can irritate the skin, especially when it gets hot and sweaty.

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At £34.99 (for all colours except Black/Green, which are £29.99), the Northwaves are a bit pricey compared with a lot of others we've tested in the past.

Altura's Sportive 97 mitts scored an excellent 9/10 and cost a mere £19.99. Alé's Arias and the Bodyfit Pros from Sportful, both pretty similarly specced gloves, are both 30 quid. Not only that, but the Northwaves aren't the best finished mitts I've ever seen; there is a lot of rough stitching left at the fingers, making it look like they've just been hacked off with a pair of scissors.

They are very comfortable, though, and offer a good fit. I'd say they just need a bit of refinement to justify the price.

Verdict

Very comfortable for those who like minimal padding, if a little pricey