Gore M Gore Windstopper Gloves

'Tis the season for gloves, and these Gore M Gore Windstopper gloves are a lightweight option with 100 per cent protection against the wind and just enough insulation to keep the chill at bay without compromising dexterity and comfort.

• Pros: Great fit, comfortable, bright, durable, good warmth, breathability
• Cons: Milder autumn and winter rides only

As the name suggests, the gloves are made from Gore's Windstopper fabric, which, as well as offering complete protection against the wind, is also water resistant so it'll keep a bit of drizzle at bay. The insulation is good for current weather conditions, staving off that early morning chill before the sun breaks through, and breathability is sufficient to prevent clammy hands.

> Find your nearest dealer here

Gore gives a temperature window of 5-15°C. I mostly found the gloves to be excellent in the upper half of that range. On a couple of early morning rides, with a bit of damp fog smothering the lanes, I found the insulation a little lacking at the lower end. I should caveat this by pointing out that I suffer from really quite bad circulation.

They are good for when it's not cold enough for deep winter gloves (like the Gore Thermos) but too cold for no gloves, with ample breathability for when it warms up. On those days when you're wearing knee and arm warmers, these are a good choice in my opinion.

I'm a stickler for glove fit and I found these to be perfect, as if Gore had measured my fingers and made a pair of gloves just for me. There's no excess fabric around the fingertips and the fit around the palm and wrist is excellent. The shaped fingers really help too. You can easily change gear and operate a cycling computer as easily as you can without gloves.

The cuff is a simple design, no Velcro or adjustment, but as the fit is so good it's not needed. The cuff is also long enough to provide a good overlap with arm warmers or jersey sleeves.

Construction is first class, as I've come to expect from Gore products, with some good attention to detail. Small silicone strips on the fingers provide extra grip on the handlebar, and the tip of each index finger works with smartphones so no cold fingers when you want to Instagram a sunrise.

The thumb is covered with a material that is soft on the skin for snotty nose wiping. A reflective Gore graphic boosts visibility, as does this bright yellow colour option when riding in murky light.

There's no padding – fine by me, that's my personal preference for gloves (I have small hands and like a good clasp of the handlebar), and I didn't feel any discomfort on longer rides.

Durability has been excellent during testing, and they've stood up to lots of off-road riding, both mountain biking and cyclo-cross, as well as road rides. The stitching seems strong and they haven't shown any signs of weakness. They've been through the wash several times and come out looking as good as new.

> Buyer's Guide: 21 of the best winter cycling gloves

They're also really versatile. The 'M' in the name presumably stands for Multi-sport, because as well as cycling, the Gore website lists running and hiking as activities these gloves are suited to. (I'd add dog walking to that.)

They're available in yellow or black and six sizes from XS to 3XL.

Although £43 is a fair amount for a pair of gloves, they are a little cheaper than the Ashmei Windproof Gloves and although those also offer good wind and rain resistance, the bright yellow and the nose-wipe give the Gore gloves the edge for me. You can go cheaper, and one pair with claimed lower temperature insulation are the Lusso Windtex Gloves, but they are let down a little by their fit and lack of touchscreen compatibility, plus they are handwash only.

Verdict

Excellent mild weather autumn and winter gloves with great fit and comfort