Endura Pro SL Knee Warmers II

The Endura Pro SL Knee Warmers II are impressively well made, combining warmth and windproofing with useful breathability. The very effective DWR coating keeps showers off pleasingly well too, but if you've got big thighs, these may not be for you.

The Pro SLs are a step up from Endura's cheapest options in that they're shaped from several panels and use a few fabrics, instead of just one of each. The stitching is all overlocked too, to keep the seams flat and unintrusive.

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The construction generally is impressive, in fact, and the stitching and silicone grippers (both inside and out at the top, to better grip your shorts) look and feel seriously solid. The chunky retro-reflective bars on the backs are a great touch, too.

The water-repelling abilities of the front panel and lower cuff are impressive, too, with rain beading eagerly in a silvery sheen, but when they do soak through they don't get too much colder anyway. The treatment is DWR-M, a newer version that's created in an eco-friendly way and is Bluesign approved.

If you can't be bothered to stop and remove the Pro SLs when it gets a bit milder, they also stay comfortable when sweaty. I found they would heat up until my legs were damp, but never went beyond 'a bit warm' into anything unpleasant. They breathe well enough, despite being usefully windproof.

The stretchy, non-windproof panels behind your thigh surely help with this effective heat management, but at the same time the Thermoroubaix lining creates a cosy and protective feel as soon as you put them on. It's a good balance!

A word about sizing – Endura does have a chart, but the 'size guide' link on the Pro SL page doesn't take you to it. Make sure to follow the sizing link at the bottom of the site instead, and read it carefully... it can be confusing. Size S/M, for instance, can fit thighs up to 57cm or 52cm, depending on how many other sizes there are in the range.

As a consequence, I fit an S/M for the slightly more basic FS260-Pro Thermo Knee Warmers, but an M/L for these. Potentially confusing...

I say 'fit,' but while I found these perfectly sized below, around and immediately above my knee, I was never really comfortable with the top opening. It's strongly elasticated and relatively narrow, and it sits very high at probably the widest part of your thigh.

I found the elastic strong enough to do sausagey things to my legs, and it always left prints in my skin of the four lines of grippy silicone. I had a similar issue with those FS260-Pro Thermo warmers, though the broad elastic topping these SLs is even less forgiving.

Pushing the top band further down my thigh helped, but inevitably led to wrinkling and bunching around the knee. It rarely led to the warmers slipping overall, though, which only made me wonder why the elastic needs to be so fierce in the first place.

The SLs come in three sizes, so technically you could size up, but these are already very long – and otherwise fit well – so that's perhaps not the answer. I think these are just best suited to those with relatively slim thighs.

Certainly if they do suit your shape, you'll benefit from the extra coverage of those tall thigh sections, and the quality is great.

Value

The price seems fair for what you're getting, and matches the £40 Morvelo Stealth Stormshield Knee Warmers, which are also very weatherproof – but seemingly a more forgiving fit.

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You can get cheaper, though, such as with Sportful's very good NoRain Knee Warmers at £32. If you're not bothered about waterproofing, Galibier's Roubaix Knee Warmers are a serious bargain at just £16.80.

Overall

If the Pro SL IIs fit – if your legs are either very thin or muscled as hard as bulletproof glass – they're lovely. They're warm wet or dry, are lovely and soft inside, and add a sensible dollop of visibility with style. They also feel made to last.

However, if the high, narrow tops don't suit your thighs, the unforgiving elastic can really dent the overall performance. And also, now I come to think of it, your legs...

Verdict

Great performance and an excellent build, but the shaping won't suit everyone