Santini Brisk Race Mitt

Santini's Brisk Race Mitts are a very comfortable set of low-bulk mitts that give a natural feel of the handlebar while providing just enough cushioning. The back is highly breathable and the price beats many for value.

• Pros: Minimal padding gives very good feel from the bar, simple design, well made
• Cons: Being picky, I'd remove the wrist pull tab

Finding a good pair of race mitts isn't that easy. Everyone seems to like a different amount of padding and I fall into the group that prefers as little as possible. Mitts also need to be breathable to prevent overly sweaty hands and protect the palms in the event of a crash.

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Santini's latest pair are really well thought out. The design is very simple and the fit is spot on. A mesh back is well stitched to a palm that has a little bit of gel under a grippy surface. And personally, I'm glad Santini has chosen to use some small pull tabs instead of a Velcro strap to aid getting the mitts on and off.

The mesh back is made from 'Spider Micromesh'. This hasn't made my hands too hot and it dries very quickly. In fact, these gloves have been perfect for the hot summer months, allowing the air to quickly dry the sweat wicked by the Spider-Mesh. The fabric is also soft and has stayed that way through many washes.

The hem is closed very simply, with Santini just folding the material over internally and stitching it down. I think that this both looks good and functions well, with very little to catch on things, which should also improve durability.

The palm is perforated for a little added breathability. Usually, I'm not a fan of gel padding; it mostly comes in bulky patches that dull the feeling from the bars. But Santini has done very well, keeping this padding thin and unobtrusive. All it does is take a little sting out of poor road surfaces.

Getting these gloves on and off is pretty easy despite the lack of a Velcro opening. I'm not a fan of Velcro closures anyway, I find they tend to irritate. Seeing as the fit is great – nice and close with no tight spots – I'm glad to have the two tabs between the fingers, but I think they could have done without the wrist tab. You can easily cut this off, though.

Size-wise, the large fitted me comfortably, although my 9cm-wide palm could squeeze into the medium for a closer fit. Sizes range from S-XL, with classic colour options of black and white alongside some brighter numbers like this flashy orange. The colour has remained vibrant and there are no stains on them.

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At £23, these are better value than a lot of other good options. Giro's Zero CS Mitts, with a similarly minimal pad and no Velcro, are well reviewed but a little more expensive at £29.99, and even Lizard Skin's unpadded-but-Velcro-fastened Aramus Elites are £25.

Verdict

Comfortable, well made, good fit and a great palm – and also pretty good value