Share

Reviews

Altura Podium Elite Mitts – review

Excellent mitts for summer riding - lightweight, breathable and with an excellent fit

The Altura Podium Elite Mitts are strong performers thanks to a good level of breathability, strategically-placed pads and a comfortable fit helped by a smart material choice.

These mitts come from Altura’s top-end Podium range, which also includes bib shorts, a short sleeve jersey, jacket and gilet, among other bits and pieces.

The first place to start when looking at mitts is the palm, which is where the contact is made and hence the most important area. Here Altura have used a number of pads, one on either side of the palm, one across the bottom of the fingers, another a few millimetres below and two on the thumb.

The Podium Elite mitts are from Altura’s top-end collection

It’s a combination which works very well, providing padding in all the right areas, and they’re also of a variable thickness and density to allow them to take most of the impact of bumps, without losing handlebar feel.

The palm itself is made from three sections of a hard-wearing leather-like material coated in silicone print. The aim of this is to increase grip on the handlebar or hoods and in this respect it once again works really well. I certainly didn’t notice my hands slipping at all when using the gloves.

  • Specification

  • Price: £27.99
  • Sizes: S-XL
  • Size tested: M
  • Website: Altura
  • UK distributor: Zyro

At the centre of the palm you’ll also find a section of mesh to help keep your hand cool through the course of a ride. This, combined with the material choices and perforations at the base of the fingers, means overall breathability and ventilation is good.

The upper parts of the mitts use a technology called Altura Dry, which is meant to further enhance breathability and wicking. I can’t say I noticed a significant improvement over other gloves I have used, but that being said these are certainly a breathable option for warm days and I never found my hands became overheated or unduly sweaty.

The fit is also excellent, and the close cut avoids any creases in the fabric, while also preventing any tight spots which may cause discomfort.

Well-placed padding provides enough comfort without impacting unduly on handlebar feel

Other elements include the microfibre sweat wipes on the outside of the thumbs, which are good for both wiping sweat off the forehead and clearing your glasses. The pull tabs on the ends of the fingers make the mitts easy to remove even a long sweaty ride, while the stitching is strong and flat locked across the gloves, meaning there’s no irritation while riding and no immediate concerns about longevity.

Conclusion

If you’re after a well-priced set of high-end mitts then these are well worth considering, with an excellent level of attention to detail – the fabric choices, pull tabs and silicone print are evidence of that. All in all, the Altura Podium Elite mitts are lightweight and breathable, with an excellent fit and padding in all the right places, making them a smart option for summer rides.

Pros

  • Excellent fit
  • Well-placed padding
  • Good levels of breathability for summer riding
  • Attention to detail (fabric choice, silicone print, pull tabs)

Cons

  • Not much

Share

Newsletter Terms & Conditions

Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.

Read our full Privacy Policy as well as Terms & Conditions.

production