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review
Gloves - full finger
Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves
2020 Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves

Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves

7
by Lara Dunn
Tue, Nov 17, 2020 19:45
1
£29.99

VERDICT:

7
10
Good gloves for enhanced visibility in chilly rather than cold conditions
Lightweight
Breathable
Highly visible
Stretchy
Silicone on the palms not as grippy in the wet as some
Weight: 
47g
Contact: 
www.polaris-bikewear.co.uk
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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The Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves are lightweight, stretchy and highly visible, with insulation and breathability better suited to the shoulder seasons than full-on winter.

The gloves are made from a lightweight, stretchy fabric with a brushed inner finish for warmth. Designed for low light conditions, their superpower is the fact that the backs are covered in reflective dots, while between the fingers is highlighted in high-vis yellow.

2020 Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves - reflective.jpg

The unisex medium was a good fit for me, which suggests they come up a bit small – I usually take a women's medium or men's small. They were comfortable and fitted well at the wrists and at the main part of the hands, with just a little extra space in the fingers.

The fleece-backed fabric is warm enough for riding in upper single digit temperatures, particularly rides that require a bit of effort , but they did struggle a bit on some prolonged descents, with my hands chilling off quite quickly because of the lightweight nature of the fabric and minimal windproofing.

On the plus side, they breathe well enough that my hands didn't get chilled through sweating.

> How to dress for cycling in autumn

The silicone pattern on the palms gives reasonable grip, but isn't quite as confidence-inspiring in the wet as some.

2020 Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves - palm.jpg

For commuting in colder conditions I'd be tempted to pop these on over another pair of gloves, to maximise visibility – those reflective dots do a nice job of adding just that bit extra safety to after-dark riding – while keeping levels of warmth a little higher and adding in a bit of padding, which these don't have.

Price-wise, these are a little more expensive than the dhb Aeron XC Full Finger Gloves at £25, which offer similar levels of warmth but without the reflectivity of the Polaris gloves, but significantly cheaper than the Gore C3 Infinium Stretch gloves at £49.99, though they do have more effective windproofing.

> Buyer’s Guide: 25 of the best gloves for cycling in winter

Specialized's Grail Long Finger Gloves are also a little more expensive at £35, but do have gel padding and touchscreen-friendly fingers, though not the reflectivity of the Polaris gloves.

Conclusion

All in all, these are a good choice for low-light rides during the cool-but-not-cold shoulder seasons, and could be a useful addition for commuting even in the coldest months if bought big enough to go over other gloves for extra warmth.

Verdict

Good gloves for enhanced visibility in chilly rather than cold conditions

road.cc test report

Make and model: Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves

Size tested: Medium

Tell us what the product is for

Lightweight thermal glove for extra visibility after dark.

Polaris says, 'The Polaris Bikewear RBS reflect glove is a lightweight thermal glove, developed to keep you seen and stylish in low light or fully dark situations / commutes. Featuring a fully reflective dot matrix on the back of the glove which gives all round visibility without compromising on flexibility!. This full reflect panel coupled with the silicon grip on the fingers make the RBS reflect the go to solution and riders choice for the early morning or late night commute.'

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Polaris lists:

Fully reflective back of glove

Fluorescent highlights

Anti slip Silicon Print

Elasticated cuff

Palm 100% polyamide

Back 78% polyester, 12% elastane, 8% glass, 2% PU

Washable at 30

Available in unisex sizes S-XXL

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10

Well made and nice materials.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Performed extremely well for their intended purpose. Visible and warm enough for a dark commute home.

Rate the product for durability:
 
7/10

Lightweight and stretchy, but should last fine.

Rate the product for fit:
 
7/10

Well shaped and a good non-baggy fit.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
5/10

Sizing is a touch on the small side, but it's worth considering going up a size anyway to give the option of layering up if extra warmth is needed. They are sufficiently stretchy that this could work well.

Rate the product for weight:
 
10/10

Very light for their warmth.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
8/10

Very comfortable, but lack of padding in palm could be a problem for longer rides.

Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

They are a little more expensive than some – the dhb Aeron XC Full Finger Gloves, for example, are £25 – but cheaper than others, such as the Gore C3 Gore-Tex Infinium Stretch Mid Gloves at £49.99 and Specialized Grail Long Finger Gloves at £35. They're a tenner less than Altura's Firestorms, but those are more effective at keeping out chill winds.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Washed fine.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Warm, comfortable and effective without being bulky. Additional grip and some padding would be nice but not crucial.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Low weight and bulk, breathability, visibility, stretch.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

On the thin side for really cold weather unless used as an outer layer over other gloves.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

They are a little more expensive than the dhb Aeron XC Full Finger Gloves at £25, which offer similar levels of warmth but not the additional reflectivity; they're significantly cheaper than the Gore C3 Gore-Tex Infinium Stretch Mid Gloves at £49.99 which do have extra windproofing, and a fiver less than the Specialized Grail Long Finger Gloves at £35, which have gel padding and touchscreen-friendly fingers. The Polaris may not have some of the features of the more expensive options, but they do have the edge when it comes to reflectivity.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Probably, particularly for urban commutes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes, especially urban commuters.

Use this box to explain your overall score

These are good gloves, and make a useful addition to an after-dark riding kit box. They give good levels of warmth and comfort for chilly conditions. For colder days they could be used as an outer layer over other gloves if purchased in the right size.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 77kg

I usually ride: Liv Invite  My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves 2020
Polaris Bikewear RBS Reflect Gloves
Polaris 2020
Polaris
Lara Dunn

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

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1 comments

Avatar
Mery Alex | 3 years ago
0 likes

This is really helpful at this time and looks great. Keep warm, it looks similar to another half-finger type one from Souke. Also looks nice, hope I can get this type to keep warm when cycling in winter. Thanks a lot.

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