Specialized Therminal knee warmers

Specialized's Therminal Knee Warmers have a fantastic cut and are made of exceptionally lightweight fabric. They are so comfortable the only way you know you're wearing them is by their outstanding protection against cold air.

The cut of these is great; I didn't even notice I was wearing them on the bike, and lining the seams up with the knee gave me a perfect fit that didn't pull or bunch. The two-way stretch probably helps here; the fabric adapts well as you move.

> Buy these online here

> Find your nearest dealer here

These come in six sizes, but the chart linked from the product page is incorrect, so be sure to use the one linked from other products, for example here.

I'd say your height is the most appropriate guide: I'm 172cm and found the medium a good fit around the knee, though I would have preferred a slightly larger elastic gripper; there was a small amount of 'sausaging' going on, though not enough to be uncomfortable. I shouldn't have been influenced by other dimensions...

Specialized could usefully add 'thigh circumference' to their size chart, but they're not the only manufacturer guilty of ignoring it though.

The elastic in the lower seams is grippy, as it's made of tiny, ridged 'strings' of elastic, while the upper seam is a smooth, elastic band lined with silicone. Although they were both on the tight side for me, they weren't aggressive enough to create soreness (I should probably have gone for large instead of medium) and slippage wasn't an issue – even when I wore them deliberately low as a test.

Performance-wise, these are nothing short of impressive. Not only is the Lombardia fleece super soft against the skin, it's seriously warm without being overbearing or heavy. I never felt a build up of sweat or clamminess, but neither did I sense anything less them decent warmth, even well into single figure temperatures. If you want to peel them off, they roll up to fit in the smallest of pockets and weigh less than 80g.

> 20 of the best arm & leg warmers for 2021

The Therminals are not water waterproof at all, though, so it's cold and dry days only.

Durability

While I can confidently rave about performance, I have reservations about durability. There are threads of elastic already showing at the upper elastic hem – not great after a month. The function is unaffected so far, however; only time will tell whether they deteriorate further, or performance suffers. I'll update this if so.

It's worth noting that Specialized has a '30-day satisfaction guarantee' on anything bought from its online store, plus a one year warranty for Specialized-branded apparel.

Value

£30 is reasonable, assuming the pulled thread issue is simply aesthetic. Steve liked the performance of Endura's £39.99 Pro-SL Knee Warmers II and had no questions over durability, but he did say the tall, narrow-topped cut might not suit everyone. You could be forking out significantly more on, say, the Rapha Classic Thermal warmers at £45, but something like Liv's Midthermal Women's knee warmers looks great value at £22.99.

Overall

The Therminals are exceptionally comfortable and outstandingly warm, without being heavy or overbearing. They really don't add bulk to a pocket if taken off, either – so long as the elastic's performance lasts better than its looks, these are a great buy.

Verdict

Outstanding comfort and warmth, though suspect elastic could cause issues in the longterm