Pearl Izumi Elite Softshell gloves review

The Pearl Izumi Elite Softshell gloves are a feature-packed piece of kit that will keep your fingers warm as the mercury drops. The gloves feature a similar Softshell fabric as found in the likes of the very warm Pro Softshell 180 jacket and Elite Softshell overshoes which does an excellent job of keeping frigid northerly winds at bay and also provides basic protection against showers.

>>>Best winter cycling gloves

The outer layer is backed up by Primaloft One insulation which traps warmth to keep your hands warm even as the temperature struggles to get above freezing, although this comes at the expense of extra bulk on the fingers compared to the likes of the Mavic Inferno Extreme gloves, which can make changing gear a little tricky.

A neat extra feature that we've also seen on the likes of the Specialized Element 1.5 gloves is the conductive synthetic leather on the thumb and index finger which works with touchscreens to allow you to send texts without having to expose your hands to the cold. The rest of the palm is constructed from standard synthetic leather which is impressively durable, with gel pads inserted to improve comfort.

>>>Best winter cycling gear

The RRP of £49.99 is certainly at the upper end of what we’d want to be paying for a pair of deep winter gloves, but the Pearl Izumi Elite Softshell gloves definitely offer the performance to back up the price tag.

For more details visit the Pearl Izumi website.