An old pro once said, ‘If it’s cold enough for sleeves, it’s cold enough for knees,’ and it’s a sentiment we wholeheartedly agree with here at Cyclist. Both arm and knee warmers are a simple way to cope with cooler days or changeable conditions, as they’re easily removed or added, and take up little pocket space. The market is busy with lots of different types, too. From the ultra-thin UV protection type to thick Roubaix-style ones. Given the time of year, this test focuses on thermal and water-repellent varieties.
Before we kick off though, it’s worth stressing that getting the correct size for both arm and knee warmers is vital. Those patches of skin on the back of your knees and inside of your elbow are incredibly sensitive and an awkward fold can feel like torture on a long ride – which is only exaggerated in wet conditions. Also consider seams. Yes, they help with fit and structure but can also restrict movement and irritate joints. Arm and knee warmers – more complex than they look!
Giro Chrono
Measuring a smaller diameter than the rest of our test items and with a distinctly different look to them, Giro has stepped away from the norm with its Chrono offering. With a 10% elastane content, Chrono is ideal if your skin is intolerant to silicone grippers as the material means there’s no need for them – the fabric’s high elasticity means that the whole garment acts to softly grip your limb. While the arm warmers have a gently tapering cut, the knees are heavily sculpted and both fitted us well with minimal gathering.
Constructed with a more open weave than some, the Chrono is best suited to slightly warmer days, for those riders who run hot or on rides where you’re putting in more effort. An additional benefit is that they effectively move moisture away from the skin.
Soft touch and plenty of stretch endows Giro’s Chrono warmers with a quality feel that makes them especially suitable if you find regular warmers don’t fit or you have sensitive skin.
Verdict: The material used in these is grippier and good at wicking moisture away. Good for warmer days - 8/10
Arms £29.99, knees £24.99 - zyrofisher.co.uk
Pearl Izumi Elite Thermal
Another brand that looks to fine-tune the fit of both warmers by offering a carefully sculpted anatomic fit is American brand Pearl Izumi. Its arm warmer, for example, has a four-panel construction on the inner arm that’s cut slightly shorter to give a square finish at the wrist when the elbow is bent. Both sets of warmers have a pronounced seam just past the joint to aid articulation, as well as a wide elastic gripper backed with a broad silicone stripe to keep them in place.
Surprisingly few brands opt to have a gripper below the knee, yet the Elite Thermal does which helps secure them in place. On the thigh, the broad gripper works a treat, while on the upper arm it feels a little bulky which is surprising, given how comfy the fabric is.
Elite offers excellent fit, a wide selection of sizes (five in total) with good warmth. Overall, an impressive package at a fair price.
Verdict: Thoughtful design that’s intended to optimise movement while keeping the warmers in place - 8/10
Arms £24.99, knees £34.99 - madison.co.uk
dhb Aeron Rain Defence
Constructed from Miti Thermal fabric on the rear and Windtex Storm Shield on the exposed forward-facing areas, dhb’s first attempt at water-resisting warmers makes a good fist of it through excellent design. Using Miti Thermal at the rear gives ample warmth and the fabric works hard with its high level of flexibility to get a workable contour with the surprisingly restrictive Windtex membrane.
While there is a certain amount of creasing at the joints, it didn’t irritate and thanks to the top and bottom grippers, they stayed where they were placed. Sold as shower protection, the treatment causes water to bead and lasted about 20 minutes before being overcome just like others here – perhaps even a little longer on the arms as the seams are tucked underneath. Dhb’s Aeron combination are truly excellent, offering a good fit on the arms and the knees.
Verdict: The water resistance is a useful bonus. These are a superb combo, especially given the price - 9/10
Arms £22, knees £26 - wiggle.co.uk
Endura Windchill
Taking the award for most panels is the home-grown talent of Endura, with five in the arm warmers and six in the knee. Not limiting themselves to panels alone, the top of both sets of warmers feature a wide elastic gripper with silicone beads around the inside; the thigh has them on the outside, too. Constructed from Thermolite fabric, its hollow fibres are designed to trap air for warmth and keep you toasty even when wet. Both items have been treated with Repel Teflon fabric protector, which keeps rain water at bay for around 15 minutes, although the seams are more vulnerable to leakage. We struggled with Endura’s sizing finding that L/XL was loose while S/M was restrictive yet still gathered around joints. If the Windchill garments fit you, then they offer a good and cost-effective way to keep warm in changeable seasons but as far as sizing is concerned, our advice is to definitely try before you buy.
Verdict: A great brand and a good-value product but sizing could potentially present problems for some riders - 7/10
Arms £22.99, knees £24.99 - endurasport.com
Nalini Nanodry
While we requested all of the warmers for this test to be in a size large to provide a baseline for comparisons, it’s worth noting that Nalini Nanodry comes in five sizes from small to XXL – an exceptionally wide range.
Lifted from the Black Line, Nalini’s professional range, these use Moa Cold fabric that’s designed to offer moderate breathability, allowing moisture out yet keeping warmth in. Riding into rain is rarely a joyful experience yet watching the drops beading on your garments certainly lifts one’s spirits. With the Nalini warmers, though, while it’s obvious that the main fabric works we found that the rain doesn’t bead on the seams, which is where leaks tend to happen first. And frustratingly with these, the seams are in key positions on the top of your forearms and thighs. The fit is good and sizing top notch, while the Nanodry will keep the rain out for about 20 minutes.
Verdict: These will do a decent job in light autumn or spring showers. The range of sizes available is also impressive - 7/10
Arms £33.99, knees £37.99 - chickencyclekit.co.uk
Rapha Arm & Knee warmers
Compared to some here, this duo from Rapha might look like they’re lacking in obvious thrills, but the fabric the British company has used – Italian-made Roubaix cloth – has a noticeably softer touch both inside and out than most of the others on test. On the knee is a white accent that’s designed to go at the front, and they’ve even written ‘ON THE FRONT’ on the inside to remind you how to wear them – which is particularly helpful of them!
The contrast between the arms and knees is frustrating. Where the Roubaix fabric gives a luxurious and comfortable feel on the arm, we found it was more of a hindrance when it came to the knee warmer, with them often riding up to form a soft over-abundance of material behind the knee. A lower grip might possibly help resolve this. That said, Rapha’s arm warmers are an absolute delight. The single seam and fabric gives a superb fit.
Verdict: The fabric is great, and the arm warmers are first class but the leg warmers could do with a going on a diet - 7/10
Arms £30, knees £40 - rapha.cc
Castelli Nanoflex+
Updated for 2017, Nanoflex has been a huge seller for Castelli in the UK and with good reason. The fabric and applied treatment repels rain and road spray brilliantly, never giving it a chance to soak in. Criticism of the older version of these products focused on their tendency to pucker around the joints. To resolve this, Castelli has updated Nanoflex+ so that it now uses a thinner, less fleecy pile on the back and a contoured shape to minimise excess fabric.
With no seams on the front surfaces of either the arm or knee warmers, the performance of both in the wet was outstanding. Fit, while not perfect, is also a step up from the previous incarnation, with both arm and knee warmers staying put beautifully. We love the use of silicone grippers on the inside and out of the top of both sets, too. Three sizes and excellent cool weather performance completes the picture.
Verdict: A significant improvement on an already good product, Castelli’s Nanoflex+ is as good as it gets - 10/10
Arms £35, knees £40 - saddleback.co.uk