Castelli Perfetto RoS Glove review

The ideal winter cycling glove will blend weather protection with comfort and dexterity – but finding such a glove can prove a complete nightmare. 

Many brands end up doubling down on bulk, packing in insulation and waterproofing to provide climatic comfort – but at the expense of actually being able to feel the handlebars, shift gears and just generally being able to use your hands properly.

For me, I also need to balance the fact that my hands can get incredibly clammy in maxed-out weather-proofed gloves with poor breathability, leading to me sweating and needing to strip them off asap. Which is partly why the Castelli Perfetto RoS gloves have become my absolute salvation.

With the release coming off the back of the new Gabba and Perfetto range of weatherproof clothing, the Perfetto RoS is the thicker of two gloves Castelli has developed using Gore-Tex's incredible new Infinium Windstopper range of fabrics.

Completely windproof and incredibly water resistant, Infinium is available in differing thicknesses and with differing functionality. For the Perfetto RoS, Castelli has opted for a thicker, fleece lined and stretchier version of Infinium, which loses a little bit of water resistance but gains far more breathability and dexterity.

A neoprene insert at the cuff helps seal the glove to even the thinnest of wrists. And for this more feature packed version Castelli has added areas of grip and padding to the palm and specific finger areas for increased ride comfort.

As the old adage goes the Perfetto RoS fit like a glove. Finger length and hand width is spot on for myself but obviously it's worth trying them on at your local bike shop. The only thing I noticed over months of use is the tight cuff can make them a little bit of a struggle to put on at times, especially if they have got a little wet but that isn't enough to put anyone off them.

Performance is nothing short of perfection for my needs, so the name rings true - Perfetto is Italian for perfect! Windchill is kept firmly at bay, the fleece lining has enough insulating properties to keep things toasty and the water resistance is more than enough to keep out hours of light rain.

When they do become saturated the thin nature means any water that gets in is trapped and warmed by your hands so your digits stay nimble. However if you are someone who suffers from cold hands you might want to look at Castelli's more insulated options.

The final benefit of the Perfetto RoS is the dexterity. Normal tasks such as shifting gear, getting something from a pocket or adjusting zips is easy with this glove and going back to a thicker winter glove leaves you feeling like you're wearing boxing gloves rather than something built for cycling.

Check out our best cycling gloves buying guide for full breakdown of all our top rated gloves