DexShell Thermfit NEO Waterproof Gloves review

These are waterproof knitted gloves with a brushed merino interior for a cosy feel. Having previously tested some similar gloves from ShowersPass, I knew that by some miracle of fabric technology it should be possible for something to be both knitted and waterproof. The DexShell Thermfit NEO gloves come with the added promise of warmth thanks to a merino lining, so I set out to test them over winter.

As well as the warmth and waterproofing, these promised conductive fingers so you can use your phone. To my surprise, these actually work – I’ve not always found that to be the case. These Thermfit gloves sit in the middle of the DexShell glove range, with a thermal rating of Three. There is also an Ultralite knitted waterproof glove with a thermal rating of One, and the Ultra Weather Thermal Outdoor Gloves which are more substantial insulated ski glove style beasts with a thermal rating of Five.

The lack of any thick insulation on these DexShell Thermfits means you still get a reasonably good feel for the bars and brakes when riding, and silicone grip on the palms and fingers help you stay in control when things are really wet and slippery – although there’s no grip on the conductive tips. I’ve tested the Medium and while I wouldn’t want them any shorter in the fingers, I could go a snugger fit across the hand for even better bar feel. 

I found the DexShell Thermfits to be warmer than the Showers Pass ones I tested previously, and quite useful even down to freezing temperatures if I was pedalling enough to be generating some heat. They’re not however so cosy that they’ll give you that instant warmth you crave if you’ve got chilled fingers after faffing gloveless with keys, bike light fittings and so on before setting off, so if you suffer with chilled digits you might need something bulkier on the colder days.

In the wet however the DexShell Thermfits are effective. The trick is to keep them on – a task made easier by the conductive index finger and thumb. The long cuffs extend up your wrists, and fit snugly against them, making it easy to make sure your waterproof jacket cuff goes over the glove, and drips water onto and not into them. With a wider ski or gaiter type cuff, this is much trickier, and can lead to water being funnelled into your gloves. Eew. If you do have cause to take these gloves off, putting them back on is an altogether cooler affair – it becomes apparent that your hands had got a little clammy in there, and you’re probably also tracking a bit of the outer moisture into the merino inner. When this happened to me, I’d find my hands felt a lot colder than they had before I’d removed them for whatever it was I needed to to.

As with many things knitted, these are rather attractive to Velcro, and there are some fuzzy pull marks where they’ve stuck to Velcro on the pannier bags on my cargo bike. So far that’s more of an annoyance than anything, but I suppose over time it might reduce the lifespan of the gloves – and removing the gloves to avoid the Velcro means I’ve compromised the warmth and comfort of the gloves. If you do get them wet, remember to dry both inside and out when you get back from a ride – you’ll need to turn them inside out as you would waterproof socks to be sure to get them dry.

Overall

These are a useful addition to my wet weather riding gear. They’re not warm enough to stave off extreme cold conditions, but the merino inner adds a reasonable degree of warmth without being too sweaty. Make the most of the long cuffs and conductive fingers to keep the gloves on and the damp out, and I think some other part of your body will be complaining about the conditions before your hands give you grief.