Gore Universal Windstopper Mid Gloves review

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.