GripGrab Raptor Gloves

GripGrab Raptor gloves are lightweight, full finger winter gloves that have served me well. I’ve used them for commuting, training and racing and found them to be pretty much perfect for UK winter riding.

Global warming means it’s rare that the temperature dips below zero degrees nowadays – ok maybe Denmark’s GripGrab guys would have something to say about that – but for my winter riding, they are perfect.

GripGrab describe the Raptor as a windproof racing glove that feels like a second skin; I’d go along with that. It’s thin enough not to overheat and keep the cold at bay, while riding hard.

The back of the glove is made from a thin fabric with a fleecy inner. This keeps you warm without creating loads of sweat. Normally, putting thick winter gloves on after a cafe stop makes you realise how sweaty your hands get; not with the GripGrab Raptors. There’s just the right amount of insulation to keep me warm, while still allowing any sweat to escape.

And it’s not just the back of the GripGrab Raptors that’s thin. The palm is made from AX Suede that allows you to feel the bars, root around in your back pocket for a snack and play with any touch screens. The Raptors also have GripGrab’s InsideGrip™ Technology and Silicone enhanced grip. InsideGrip™ uses silicone dots on the inside of the glove to increase the friction between your hand and the glove. This combined with silicone dots on the outside of the glove, help increase the feel between the bars and your hands.

How does this feel on the bike? Well you don’t get any of that sloppy feel you can get with thick winter gloves. Nor do you have any “where’s the shifter?” moments you can get with thick, padded fingers. This is especially nice when doing any early spring races when the weather can be a little, brisk.

The raptors would make great race gloves for cyclo-cross, but it never got cold enough to need them. They were good for the warm-up laps, but by the time it came to race I switched to their SuperGel XC gloves instead.

The GripGrab Raptors have some water resistance built in, not enough to keep a full deluge at bay, but good enough to deal with a bit of drizzle. Of course all this is personal. My hands never get that cold on the bike, so I’ve never enjoyed wearing thick gloves. So for me The GripGrab Raptors are perfect winter gloves.

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