Let me say up front that I’m a cold-weather wimp. Although I’ve spent my impressive years in New York City, where winters can get pretty chilly, I now live most of my life in the sunny SoCal climate. I also suffer Raynaud’s phenomenonwhich makes my fingers very susceptible to the cold. When our mock winter rolls around, I have to break out cold-weather gloves like the iXS Vail 3.0 ST women’s glove so that I don’t miss any driving time.
When I slip into the iXS Vail 3.0 gloves – part of the Tour LT line from iXS – my hands are immediately happy. The fit is right – snug, but not so much that I can’t add glove lining if needed – and I can bend my fingers comfortably.
With a combination of kid leather, fleece and polyester, the Vail 3.0 is functionally designed for the respective task. What is important is that it is a gauntlet style that immediately prevents cold air from flowing through my jacket sleeve.
The Vail 3.0 is slightly elastic on the wrist and the fit is further personalized by the adjustable Velcro on the underside of the wrist. The upper part of the cuff is adjustable with an elastic cord, which you can use to cling the upper part to your jacket sleeve. The band has a plastic pull at the end that is easy to grasp with a gloved hand and can be tightened.
Not only does this keep your body heat in when you ride in adverse conditions, but it also prevents water from dripping into your gloves.
Although iXS doesn’t advertise the Vail 3.0 gloves as waterproof, they are. I dipped my gloved hand in cold water for two full minutes without feeling any moisture – even though my fingers had cooled. If the gloves can withstand at least two minutes of immersion, they can withstand anything a storm can dish out that you can ride in.
When you want to take the Vail off, simply push the spring-loaded cable lock to release it.
The palm and the underside of the fingers of the glove are made of durable goatskin and provide traction on the handles and levers. The back of the hand and fingers are mainly made of textile, with a leather part over the foam-padded knuckles offering a certain level of impact protection.
Embossed neoprene along the side walls of the fingers provides the necessary stretch for your fingers to move comfortably. Goatskin is also used on the last upper joints of all fingers with the exception of the index finger – the function is unclear – and this transition of material is delimited by reflective piping.
The index finger has a full length reflective graphic and a larger reflective graphic sits high over the top of the wrist and cuffs. These elements not only give the all-black Vail 3.0 ST a bit of visual style, but I also appreciate the visual safety factor when driving after sunset or on a dark day.
The additional padding, which is covered with amara (a microfiber suede) on the palm of your hand, provides some impact protection in case you reach out your hand to cushion a fall. A double layer of synthetic leather also shows up between the thumb and forefinger and protects the soft fabric, which is constantly being abused by the friction with the handles.
The iXS Vail 3.0 gloves have a three-layer inner lining that keeps water and wind out and is still breathable. The latter point is important as you don’t want your hands to sweat, especially when it’s cold. The layer on the skin is an inviting brushed fleece, and the warmth comes from the thin insulating layer of synthetic fiber on the palm and back of the hand.
Two details that I like: the 2.5-inch wiper on the left index finger (yes, this comes in handy when you’re driving in heavy fog and need to remove your face shield) and the handy snap tab on top of the glove for holding the gloves around Paired not use.
Overall, the iXS Vail 3.0 ST women’s gloves do a lot to reduce the cold and still offer enough dexterity to operate the levers on your bike. For my sissies, I had to add glove leashes when temperatures dropped to the low 50s, even when driving around town. I consider myself an outlier, however, as my fingers are known to turn yellow in the grocery store’s ice cream parlor during the summer.
iXS Vail 3.0 ST women’s gloves Brief facts
- Sizes: S-5XL
- Colors: black
- Certification: CE Level 1
iXS Vail 3.0 ST women’s gloves Price: $ 69 MSRP
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