Gore Universal Windstopper Mid Gloves review

We've tested these Gore gloves which are a great choice for when the weather's not too cold, but mitts are not an option

The Gores are windproof and carry plenty of reflexives
Cycling Weekly Verdict

A quality glove for cooler weather conditions, well fitted and insulated, without so much bulk that you lose bar feel

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Good fit

  • +

    Quality materials

  • +

    Not too bulky but still warm

  • +

  • +

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Not adjustable

  • -

    Palms wet out

When it’s a bit cold for mitts but full-on winter gloves are too warm, so that your hands either end up frozen or sweaty, the Gore Universal Mid gloves are exactly the in-between weight which is comfortable.

The gloves are made with windstopper fabric on their backs and a synthetic leather palm. The windstopper backs give plenty of protection from cold winds when holding the bars, without being bulky.

>>> Best winter cycling gloves

The palms carry plenty of padding and there are grips on the fingers

The palms carry plenty of padding and there are grippers on the fingers

The thin but sturdy palms mean that there’s plenty of bar feel and they incorporate gel pads in the base of the palms and reinforced sections where the balls of the palms rest on the bars. These help keep things comfortable on long rides, adding a bit of extra protection from vibration. There are also silicone grippers built into the finger ends, so that you can maintain a firm grasp on the brake levers even when descending in the wet.

>>> Best summer cycling mitts

The gloves’ cuffs come quite high up the arm so that there’s no gap between them and your jacket, which helps keep out draughts. The elastic section at the wrist also helps gather the fabric and keep warmth in although there’s no adjustment, whereas in some other gloves there will be Velcro cuffs built in.

>>> How to survive cycling in the rain

If you wear a watch, the long cuffs can get a bit rucked up, although it’s not uncomfortable and doesn’t impact the gloves’ effectiveness. The palms also tend to wet out quite quickly when riding in the wet, getting a bit cold, although the backs stay drier and warm.

There is reflective lettering on the backs of the gloves and the three middle digits incorporate reflective tape sections towards their ends, which also aids safety.

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Paul Norman

Paul started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2015, covering cycling tech, new bikes and product testing. Since then, he’s reviewed hundreds of bikes and thousands of other pieces of cycling equipment for the magazine and the Cycling Weekly website.

He’s been cycling for a lot longer than that though and his travels by bike have taken him all around Europe and to California. He’s been riding gravel since before gravel bikes existed too, riding a cyclocross bike through the Chilterns and along the South Downs.