The upper itself is made up of three panels, which helps achieve that snug fit, and there’s also a microfibre patch on the thumb, good for either wiping snot or sweat, and it can also be used to clean glasses (perhaps not after you’ve used it to wipe away snot or sweat…).

On the other side there’s a series of pads across the palm and thumb. These pads are pretty firm, with only a little give in them, but work well on the bike by protecting your hands without dampening the feel of the handlebar.

In terms of other features, the tabs at the top of the two first fingers, along with the pull tab on the bottom of the palm, are particularly useful for pulling the mitts on or off – something which is often overlooked but which really makes the different, especially at the end of a long ride and given the close fit. The cuff is also elasticated – so there’s no velcro to catch on the edge of a jersey or arm warmers – and this also helps getting the gloves on.

If you want to add a little more colour, the mitts are also available in red or white, as well as the black option tested. Oh, and they’re available in five sizes, from XL to XL.

Conclusion

Hoy Vulpine’s Sportive Mitts are comfortable to wear and have a close fit while remaining easy to put on and take off. They’re breathable enough for summer use on long ride and the pads, while firm, mould well to your hands to strike a balance between protection and feel. At £39, these mitts are certainly towards the more expensive end of the spectrum, but they perform well enough to help justify the outlay.

Pros

• Breathable fabric on both the upper and palm
• Lightweight
• Easy to put on and take off
• Padding strikes a balance between protection and feel

Cons

• Top-end performance comes at a cost