Dissent 133 Ultimate Cycling Glove Pack

I own the wind proof and the waterproof outers.

I already had a pair of defeet woolly gloves, which is exactly what the mid layer glove is.

I didn’t buy the liners as I have always used meraklon liners, which are about a fiver a pair and superb.

What I have found is that the windproof outers are very thin and they have actually worn through on the inside of the thumb where you hold the hoods constantly. They will not be repairable, but still work with the worn through hole. That after two winters of occasional use.

The waterproof outers have been much better. I use them with either one or two pairs of meraklon liner gloves which keeps my hands warm enough down to just about freezing. They do a good job of keeping the rain out, as long as you put rain jacket sleeves over the glove wrists. My hands still get wet from sweat though, which is the same for me whatever gloves I wear.

I don’t tend to use the defeet mid layer gloves in combination as I find the fingers of the defeet gloves just a bit too long, so I have about 1cm of overhang on the fingertips. That is fine on cold, dry days with no outer, but causes a bit of bunching at my fingertips, which is really annoying, under an outer layer glove. I also find the mid layer glove quite tight around the fingers, which is guaranteed to make your fingers get cold if circulation is restricted. They are just about ok without liners, or outer layers, but not in combination for me.

So, I would buy the waterproof outers again, but not the windproof outers (which dissent sent to me free due to delays with the waterproof outers when I ordered them).

I wouldn’t buy the liners or defeet mid gloves as there are cheaper options which do exactly the same thing, and in the case of the defeet mid layer gloves they are actually exactly the same product.

PP

I probably wouldn't purchase these again:

I like the liners.  Really.  I wear these in spring/autumn when it's dry and they work well.

However, when combined with the outers I find them overly restrictive.  The outers themselves are a bit of a mixed bag:  as long as the temperature doesn't drop below freezing and it doesn't rain too hard they're ok.  However, torrential rain WILL get through and I agree with those who wrote that the gloves simply aren't warm enough (potentially yes when combined with the liner but then they feel too restrictive).  Certainly at the fingers where they're stitched together the cold will quickly start to bite.  So a bit of a mixed bag.

Had these gloves for a year now, and to be honest they haven't really seen much use until a couple of weeks ago when I left my trustworthy old pair of random Shimano-winter-gloves-I-bought-without-forethought-one-coldish-evening on a train. Mostly because they're more trouble than they're worth in my opinion.

I kind of liked the idea at first- the customisability, for want of a better word. Tailoring the glove combination for the weather. But the reality was that after a couple of weeks I got sick of spending time having to get my gloves on in the morning. I'm perennially just on time, so I tend to arrive at the station with just about enough time to lock the bike up and jump on the train. And I kinda think having to factor in time to put multiple gloves on is a bit ridiculous. It's also a faff when you're setting off again after the cafe stop and everyone is waiting for you to put your gloves on.

Like a few other people I really don't see the point in the middle layer, the wool one. I get that you have a choice of Liner+Outer, Mid+Outer, or Liner+Mid+Outer...but in all honesty is anyone that much of a Goldilocks that they need THAT much customisation? To me it would've made more sense to combine the Mid+Outer into a single glove, and then have the liner as an option. The Velcro on the outer is a pain too.

My main complaint with these gloves though is that they're just not that warm. My aforementioned old Shimano gloves were purchased from an LBS which isn't known for its knockdown prices, but they still only cost me £40. When it dropped below freezing they weren't really up to the job, so I bought the Dissent set. While the Liner+Mid+Outer was better than the Shimanos, it still wasn't great. After a while I tended to just use the Dissent Liners with the Shimano gloves for a snug but warm fit. So really I feel like I've shelled out £60 for a set of glove liners.

It's an OK idea that no doubt has massive appeal in today's market where having specific kit for literally every tiny variable in weather, type of ride, etc. is expected, but for me they're just too much faff for not that much benefit.

"The Velcro is also very abrasive and catches on everything. Not only does it catch on the liner and thermal layers, but it's also great at ripping into baselayers and other stuff in the wash. Yes, I could remember to close the tab"

Anything with velcro should be washed in a net bag to prevent this!

I've been using mine most of the winter.  In general, I'm pretty happy.  I love them for Fall/Spring riding and the occasional mild winter weather streak we see here in Salt Lake City.  I've found they really aren't warm enough for me down below -2 or -3 C.  Anything above 0c and the system is great.  I love being able to actually feel my handlebars!  I might have to look into the Hiporalite layer.  

I also concur with the velcro closure.  If they had even just done the velcro the other way around so the smooth side was on the glove body and the hook side on the flap, that would eliminate most of my complaints.  As is, if you don't have them all the way tight/covered, it just snags on everything.  

As others have mentioned, the gripper material on my windproof layer lasted all of maybe a week before it starting peeling off.  It's all gone now.  Kind of a bummer.  

Other than that, I really like it.  Much easier to pack for commuting when we see pretty drastic temperature swings from moring to evening.  Nice to not have to pack 2 bulky pairs of gloves, but just stash these in a pocket.  

Hi to the guys who have left feedback below the article. From all of us here at Dissent 133 | The Rider Firm, we wanted to thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback and honest criticisms of elements of the gloves that you didn't get on with. Without listening to how riders get on (or don't) with our gloves, then we simply can't improve them - which is something we are of course always seeking to do. 

Christopher TR1 - with some of your comments specifically pertaining to the thermal mid-layer, we have actually updated this glove since launching and so I suspect the current glove will be much more to your liking. Do you mind getting in touch with your order number so that we can get a pair sent out to you? It would be great to hear if you find them to be an improvement - we all like them a lot more here.

Many thanks once again,

Ollie (Dissent 133)

I have used these for almost a year I think (pretty much everyday use).

Liner gloves have developed holes in the palm area but still functional. I will probably buy another pair of just the liners as they are great and cant find anything that thin elsewhere. Glad they have increased the cuff length it was a little short. I found the little finger and ring finger are way too long. I know everyone has different size fingers but they are weirdly longer than needed. This is also true of the defeet thermal layer in these two fingers. The rest of the fit is great.

I use the thermal defeet layer on its own or with the liner quite a lot and it is great for the mornings when it is cold but on the commute home in the evening I can lose the liner. I wouldnt use them below 8degrees. They looked pretty shabby when they arrived but have held up very well. No holes etc. I do find the seam annoying at the end against my fingertip. They do become baggy after use and therefore dont give you the greatest of feel on the bars. The grib stays and your hand moves in the gloves is probably the best way I can say it.

The showerpass layer is totally useless really. Fingers are wet in 5mins through the three layers and it doesnt offer any real benifit over the outdry layer.

The outdry layer I have found to be fully waterproof (~hour in the rain) and does a good job against the wind however with the 3 gloves on I get frozen fingertips with temps below 3degrees after about 20mins (rest of the hand is fine). Its like the seam at the end is letting in wind but yet it is waterproof. I just dont understand why glove makes will not add an extra layer like a cap on the end of gloves. Yes you lose feel but so to do you when they have gone numb. Plus lose the touchscreen stuff. Its freezing, you are on a bike dont use your phone.

The box it comes in is nice to have but not needed and there are no bands to hold the gloves against the sides of the box. They are just in there in a heap. The hangers are also nice to have but I have never used them. I would say if they got rid of them and the box and just made the whole system cheaper people would be happier (people = me)

I see they now sell something called "HIPORALITE WATERPROOF GLOVES" which are meant to work down to -5. Totally needed but at £55 I am torn between spending that on them or just buying some deep winter lobsters instead.

"The woollen gloves certainly do add insulation. They are the main warmth layer. My hands would be useless if they didn't work. And I can operate 11-speed shifters without a problem. Certainly they are way, way better then lobsters - basic physics says that, just look at the differenc ein thixkness!"

I agree that they add insulation - it's what I said in my comment. But it's not much use if you can't move your fingers anymore! They are certainly not way better better than lobster claws: Operating SRAM E-tap (best bike, freezing but dry conditions) or my single speeder (of course) is no problem. Yet, all layered-up, the Dissent gloves are so tight that just the act of having fingers clenched around the bar becomes uncomfortable very quickly.

"If water got under the cuff, that's not the fabric's fault. You need a better, longer-armed jacket that comes down to the wrist. Long gloves look silly if-when you ride with a normal jersey."

Ha ha, yes it would certainly look silly, especially in torrential rain in the depths of winter (of course I was wearing long sleeves)! According to the review the design has been modified for the inner layers but I think the outer layers could do with more length too, or perhaps just a better seal with the wrist would sort it out.

I'm not saying the gloves are terrible but, for the price, unconvincing. For this tester, at least.

Got a pair of these for Christmas. This review pretty much perfectly sums up my niggles - the closure system is pretty rubbish at least when it comes to putting the gloves on, although the relase is very easy, the velcro snags on eeeeverything and the grippers on the fingertips are disappointingly already peeling off after only a few rides. Also agreed that more reflective detail would be nice.

They're good gloves and very comfortable but there's definitely some room for improvement.

Oh good, I'm glad to have the chance to add my thoughts about these gloves.

I got them when they first came out and I feel I fell for the advertising hook, line and sinker. I was really convinced that they would be the gloves to end all glove problems. I was disappointed.

The good:

• The liner gloves are good and I wear them under my Sealskinz lobster claws when it's colder than minus 3 degrees or so.
• The wind resistant outers are good enough but bulkier and not much warmer than long fingered mitts.
• The water proof outers are quite water proof (but...).

The bad:

• Yes, that velcro and the closure system in general is a pain.
• The woolen gloves are totaly useless. No grip, no warmth, no wind or water resistance. Yes, I can see that they should provide good insulation when worn under the outer gloves (because they would trap a layer of air) but, in practice they are too bulky and limit dexterity to the point that I would rather just wear my lobster claws.
• As mentioned, the water proof outers do have good waterproofing, but not perfect. I have still managed to have wet hands after a prolonged ride in the rain. I suspect the water has entered at the wrist, due to the fairly short cuff and less-than-ideal closure system.
• The fingers are much too long on the water proof outers. The sizing of the other gloves seems correct, but these ones are too long and, while this helps keep my fingers warm, it makes pressing buttons and producing a crack-shot snot-rocket nigh-on impossible.
• As mentioned, when it gets really cold, I still have to use my lobster claws.
• It's all very well having a mix and match system, but it is very inconvenient to have to have valuable pocket space stuffed with gloves and then have to stop to switch to another glove combo (personally I would struggle to do it without stopping).

So, my search for the perfect glove goes on. My Sealskins will not last another winter!

I've been wearing these for a year. They're awesome.

Prior to these I had a literal drift of gloves, ranging from lightweight to full-on Sealskinz lobster mitts. Maybe a dozen pairs, that I chose from, often wrongly. Either too hot, too cold, too bulky etc.

The Dissent133 system just works. I have all four on the go, varying the mix for temperature, wind, speed/duration of ride, and raininess.

My circulation is awful. Proper white fingers-numb awful. The three layer setup here suited me for 3hr sub-zero blatting about snow-covered gravel roads in the mist and wind. Any worse and I'd not be out. The ability to pop a layer in a pocket before or during a ride is great, and the velcro closure works just fine. With the liner and wool underneath the velcro's at its minimum use for me, but this of course will vary depending on your wrist width, and whether you have any layers extending under the cuff. I have a baselayer with thumb loops, and usually tuck jackets under the cuff unless it's pissing down in which case they go over. 

Yes, they cost. You'll be glad you spent the £££ for years. And you can buy individual pairs should you wear one out or rip it. 

I think these guys are really onto something. I’m amazed that the big brands don’t make their gloves work together or offer a set at a discount. We all need gloves for different periods of the year. 

Personally I don’t think the styling works for me. They look loose and flabby. No gel padding and few reflectives.