Ana Nichoola Naked-Hand Fingerless Glove

Styled as gloves for people who don't like gloves, the Naked Hand Fingerless Gloves from women's equipment specialists Ana Nichoola are minimalism at its best. Taking a lot of inspiration from the pared down racing mitts worn by pros, but with their own spin, these are extremely lightweight (just 28g for the pair) and breathable.

With a simple pull on design, the backs of these mitts are made from a light, airy stretch mesh fabric, while the palms are Amara synthetic leather with 1.5mm padding in high wear areas and silicone grip dots for extra traction on the bars. Both thumbs sport a nose wipe and there are pull tags on two of the fingers to aid with easy glove removal. They are available in a stunning purple and also white.

Those of you who have read a few of my reviews will anticipate how impressed I am with the fact that these come in purple. And for those who haven't, I am VERY impressed. Even the palms are a contrasting shade of purple. On both colour options. That crucial detail aside, these gloves are pleasing to the eye in a low key, modern way, with little in the way of girly frills but distinctly feminine appeal. There will be jealous men out there, too, I'm sure.

In use, protection of the hands is really quite minimal. Those who suffer in this area may not find these offer sufficient extra padding. However, for those who don't have too much trouble, these are a great option for adding just that little bit more comfort than bare hands. I suffer off and on from sore hands and occasional nerve tingling and numbness, but even on a 50 mile road ride these did the job very well indeed. They weren't as comfortably cushiony as some more padded gloves out there, but they were incredibly breathable and light, and felt less intrusive. The silicone dots on the (purple) palms meant they were particularly good on the drops, adhering nicely to the bar tape. The hoods were a little less comfortable, given the small amount of padding, but still fine. There was no numbness or tingling at all. They're light, and really only suited to summer or warm spring or autumn use, unless you always have over-warm hands.

In addition to being good for road riders looking for a pared down race mitt, these also do a great job as a casual about town riding glove, for those wanting just a little something to help stop soreness. Think 1980's fingerless glove chic. Or perhaps not.

The only slight problem with them, is something I've encountered with most of Ana Nichoola's gloves (apart from the Sorbets) - the sizing. I normally take a size medium in mitts, but I needed a small in these and there was still some room in them. If in doubt, go smaller.

At £24.99 they are very good value for money, with good quality materials and a really smart design.

Verdict

Excellent super lightweight, barely there summer riding mitts - just watch out for the sizing.