Assos Ultraz Winter Gloves Review
I’ve said it many times and I’m saying it again, I am always cold on the bike. Each winter I look for the warmest clothing I can find and hope that this time I’ve got the problem solved. It’s no surprise then to say that I liked the Assos Ultraz Winter Gloves. It’s the warmest glove that Assos makes.
In many ways the Assos Ultraz Winter gloves are like the Sportful Fiandre Gloves that I reviewed last winter. The news here is that while they are similar Assos has addressed every little detail. I liked the Sportful product enough to share it with you but Assos has done a better job. As with most Assos products it’s the details that set it apart.
The Ultraz Winter Gloves have about the same rain handling abilities as a good softshell jacket. It’s very good but technically they aren’t rain gloves.
The Assos Ultraz Winter Glove isn’t meant to be a rain glove. Don’t let that dissuade you from using them in the rain. On the back of the glove is an hydrophobic airblock textile. Like most softshell materials it will soak through with enough time but there’s not much that would be better. You’d have to use a completely sealed hardshell material or a neoprene option such as the Assos rainglove_evo7.
Rain handling abilities aside, what the Assos Ultraz Winter Glove excels in is cold. Assos refers to the construction of the gloves as twindeck. The outside has the previously mentioned rain and wind blocking properties while on the inside there is an extra layer. This extra layer is what sets the Ultraz glove apart from the standard Winter Glove. The additional layer on the Ultraz is very soft and provides lots of loft. The loft allows for extra trapped air and more warmth.
It’s the thoughtful details that help the Assos gloves stand out from the competition.
So far none of this is groundbreaking stuff. It’s the details that makes these gloves great. Like other gloves out there the Assos Ultraz Winter Gloves have a neoprene cuff. The cuff is long enough to do a good job sealing to a jacket arm. The cuff is also how you will pull the gloves on. My Sportful gloves have started to fall apart from the force required but Assos has thought this through.
Extra details in the cuff help you pull on the Ultraz Winter Gloves without damaging them.
Over the stitching on the bottom of the wrist cuff there is an extra layer of bonded fabric. No doubt this helps waterproofing but it also adds extra durability. At the base of the cuff there is another pull tab as well. The tab uses the same, durable, microfiber as the palm it’s position makes pulling the gloves on a much easier task. Those thoughtful reinforcements are some of my favorite details on the Ultraz Winter Gloves.
There are a few other details around as well. On the outside of the pinky you’ll find a bit of reflective fabric. On the index finger there is a nose wipe spot, and the palms include a bit of padding. The small details weren’t spared from the same thoughtfulness either. All the stitching is of high quality and the use of three textiles and five panels has created a curved structure to avoid wrinkles.
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