Altura Thunderstorm gloves

Altura says its new Thunderstorm Gloves offer waterproofing, windproofing and thermal properties, and they really are very good, keeping the elements at bay without being overly bulky.

• Pros: Warm while remaining breathable, reflective pattern makes signalling in the dark clear
• Cons: Water will eventually get through

The Thunderstorms have a three-layer construction, using Altura's Thermo and Shield fabrics to work at keeping you dry and warm while out riding in the vile winter weather.

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When it comes to windstopping they work very well indeed, with a few rides carried out in near-freezing conditions finding no issues with cold fingers even on high speed descents.

Compared with the similar Bontrager Velocis (review to come) they are surprisingly breathable too. Yes, as with any waterproof piece of clothing, if you work too hard or the temperature rises you can get a bit clammy, but the Alturas do a good job of controlling it.

Altura doesn't actually state what the waterproof rating is for the gloves, but in the real world they kept consistent light rain and heavy downpours at bay. Prolonged heavy rain would see it start to seep through after about an hour or so, but I never really noticed it until I stopped riding as my hands remained warm no matter how wet they were.

Considering their layered construction, the Thunderstorms don't feel bulky at all so you don't lose any dexterity around the fingers. Changing gear wasn't an issue, or braking, and I could easily use the touchscreen on my GPS without faff.

There isn't any padding on the palm but I never really missed it and the fabric is thick enough to deal with road buzz through the handlebar. There aren't any grip dots either, so if you have shiny handlebar tape there is a small tendency for your hands to slip.

It's good to see a long cuff that'll sit nicely under a waterproof jacket sleeve to stop water or cold draughts getting in. You can tweak the fit, too, using the Velcro strap.

I am also a fan of the reflective detailing on the back of the hands. It may not guarantee that the driver behind will definitely see your hand signal before you turn, but every little helps.

Overall quality is very good and easily justifies the £49.99 price tag. Durability is looking good so far, too – they've taken the odd knock and scuff from small spills I've had on the gravel bike.

When it comes to value, they are up against some tough opposition. Mavic's Essential Thermo gloves are pretty similar and come in at a decent budget of £39, although they offer water resistance rather than 'waterproofing'.

Madison's Avalanche gloves perform most winter duties pretty well, too, and they can be had for £32.99.

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

You can pay more: GripGrab offers its Ride Waterproof Winter gloves at £55.95, which can get a bit clammy in all but the coldest weather. And you can pay a lot more: Pearl Izumi, Mavic and Giro offerings are all higher priced, as you can see in our latest range of gloves tested.

Overall, I really like the Alturas. They are comfortable to wear and do a decent job of keeping out the elements. They're not the cheapest, but they're very good.

Verdict

Great at keeping out the elements while maintaining breathability and dexterity