Mavic Vision Thermo gloves

Mavic’s new Vision range aims to increase visibility on dark rides. It’s a line of clothing that includes a gilet, overshoes, a cap, arm, knee and leg warmers as well as two weights of gloves, of which the Vision Thermo is the heavier. The garments are designed for warmth as well as visibility.

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As well as Mavic’s trademark yellow flash, the Vision Thermo gloves have reflective bands on three of the four fingers and a reflective dart built into the back of the hand. They increase road presence, particularly for following vehicles if you are making hand signals.

The gloves’ outers have an in-built waterproof membrane and are DWR treated to repel water. There’s a separate liner that’s pretty thick and so gives a good amount of insulation. It does result in a bit of bulk between the fingers and makes using the controls a bit tricky – although this is true of the majority of winter gloves, not just Mavic’s. Not being connected to the outer, the liner can slip around too. There’s a risk of turning it inside-out when taking the gloves off, although I found that it soon settled down in the outer after a bit of use.

There’s an extra-long cuff to the gloves, which can be tightened with a Velcro strap. There’s also some elastic gathering. Together they provide plenty of weather protection at the wrist.

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The underside of the gloves, including the fingers, is made of a synthetic leather with padding across the top and the bottom of the palm for a bit of cushioning from the bars. There’s reinforcement in the high-wear area between the thumb and the index finger. I did find the palm material a bit slippery on the bars and found I needed to exercise care, particularly when using the brakes, to make sure my fingers didn’t slip.

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So the Mavic Vision Thermo gloves are a good bet for wet, cold dark rides, although they do impede use of the shifters and brakes a little. They come in six sizes. Although they’re a useful addition to your winter kit, they’re quite expensive.