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SEVEN DAY CYCLIST
CYCLING, BUT NOT USUALLY RACING
LATEST UPDATE: OCTOBER 26th
HOW DO WE DECIDE OUR OVERALL RATINGS FOR PRODUCTS WE REVIEW?
Sportful Matchy Gloves
24g L Black (as tested) £30
The Sportful Matchy Gloves are warm-weather fingerless mitts which claim to offer all-day comfort whatever type of cycling you like. I have found them well-made, very comfortable, and merrily minimalist, without missing any of the necessities of handlebar etiquette.
Pros: light, snug, range of colours, effective.
Cons: be careful with the sizing.
Spec/materials
Sportful, unsurprisingly, are a cycle sport orientated brand – and nothing wrong with that, even for the gentler cyclist. No surprise then theta these gloves have a light, sporty feel that will gladden the heart-rate of the speedster – and the tourer who wants to keep things light.
Materials are unremarkable: thumb Polyester, the back and the raw cut inserts are 87% Eolyamide and 13% Elastane, palm 60% Polyester and 40% Polyurethane. These are very well-put together and everything seems to be just in the right place. The thumb has a soft sweat wipe - although it may serve to wipe other things, too.
The Elastane keeps the fit snug, but is very light-weight and breathable. The palm is also breathable. It also conceals the pads. At first sight these seem quite thin and rather crudely located compared to some designs. However, this minimalist appearance is very much in keeping with the overall theme. Needless to say, first impressions are, in this case, erroneous – but more of that later.
The fourchettes (forks, finger and thumb holes are nicely stretchy, too, for keeping elegant digits as snug as more sausage-like fingers.
The Matchy Gloves come in a wide range of colours – hence the ability to match them to most colour schemes, if that is a concern to you.
Sportful offer a crash replacement programme. Check it out. As you’d expect, terms and conditions apply.
Size and fit 3.75/5
Given that these are minimalist and snug, and without the commonly used Velcro wrist closure, it is well-worth checking that you are getting the sizing right. I went for the Large size (sizes range from XS to XXL) having consulted the sizing chart and tape measure. I won’t go through the whole of the sizing chart here, but pay attention to the wrist size, in particular.
I’ve already stated that the fit is sportily snug. Let’s face it, no one wants mitts that slip. Equally, contact points can be quite personal things. Whilst these pads suit me down to the ground on all types of bars, I have found padded gloves that do not suit all occasions which other riders have found much more effective. My feeling with the Sportful Matchy is that they are genuine all-rounders and, checking them out with brief loans to others, they seem to think so, too.
Care and durability 4/5
Care is easy. Bung in the wash, put on the line, wear again in an hour and a half– given some decent weather. Of course, pads can be slower to dry, but these are light-weight fabrics. Hand-wash in the hostel sink and overnight may well see them dry – especially if there’s a drying room. Out on the bike the light fabric dries rapidly after a shower.
Whilst I have used these in context from commuting to gravel, I have avoided contact with brick work and brambles. Fundamentally, they are road gloves, but have suited me for touring and commuting, too.
Performance 3.75/5
I have used these on the flat bars of the Brompton, the ergo-bar-ends of the Jones Bars on the Surly Long Haul Tracker, and the drop bars on the Swallow Tourer (flats, drops, hoods). In all cases the padding works effectively. However, I’d not claim that the level of comfort is as great as some on long day rides as some others I use, for example the Chiba Bioexcell Mitts which I have used on long days and multi-day rides.
Equally, I have come to enjoy the simplicity these mitts offer. Pull on, pull off, no hook ‘n’ loop to snag, snug fit, light fabric. OK, so, for once, I might be letting image get in the way of pure utility; but I do not think so. Those minimalist features make these a pleasure to wear, but also have practical advantages – quick drying, easy to stow without Velcro attaching them to other garments, stretchy without loose flaps. A lot to like in that, in my opinion.
I think I’d want more padding for rough off-roading, but gentler gravel and single-track are not beyond the capability of the Matchy. Even so, their natural habitat is the hand of the roadie, where weight is at a premium.
With temperatures in the mid-twenties centigrade, my hands felt dry with no uncomfortably sweaty palms during fifty miles on the road. The back of the hands has been cooled – when a breeze has shown up. No sign of sunburn and, without hook ‘n’ loop closures no odd little tanning patterns (not that this is much of a concern).
Value 3.5/5
Thirty pounds is cheaper than the aforementioned Chiba BioXcell Air Mitts, although not massively.
The Matchy put me in mind of some Santini Micro Mesh Gel Mitts that I tested out a while back. Light and snug, a very similar model from Santini is still available at around the same price as the Matchy.
Oxford’s Echelon Road Mitts come in at around half the price of the Matchy, and whilst not as snug or as light they offer good value for money. There’s no doubt I’d prefer the Matchy for day riding, but for general use the Echelon offer a lot of bang for your buck.
Summary
Overall, I feel that the Sportful Matchy offer very decent value for money, with a like about them. You can pay more for thicker padding and more obviously ergo designs, but for your thirty pounds you get an effective, light and, if such a thing really exists, fun mitt.
Verdict: 3.75/5 Very likeable, effective mitt for summer road outings.
Steve Dyster
PUBLISHED JULY 2024
