Castelli Perfetto Max gloves review

The Castello Perfetto Max gloves are a thicker take on the classic winter cycling glove and are more bulky than the brand's Perfetto RoS model.

While The Permetto Max gloves are expensive, their performance is compellingly good on the road – if you don’t mind missing a little dexterity.

They do a good job of repelling water and keeping your hands warm, although their form makes touchscreen operation tricky and the price is relatively high.

Castelli Perfetto Max gloves specs and details

Just like the Perfetto RoS, the Perfetto Max gloves come from Castelli’s premium Rosso Corsa range.

Like the lighter RoS gloves, these use the softshell Gore-Tex Infinium outer fabric.

Unlike the RoS, it’s a heavier-weight design that outwardly looks like Castelli’s original neoprene wet-weather gloves.

The Infinium is lined with a deep, plush, highly brushed fleece, intended to offer improved warmth and comfort.

The fit is excellent, with the shape having a sight pre-formed curve and a small elasticated dart that stretches to enable the close-fitting cuff to stretch over your hands.

The palm also uses the heavyweight Infinium fabric and grip is taken care of by bonded-on panels of silicone patterned dots. The palm heel gets Castelli’s comfort-enhancing CDS gel pad.

The Perfetto Max is available in sizes from XS through to XXL. I tested a size XL, which was form-fitting but true to size.

Castelli Perfetto Max gloves performance

As with all Gore Infinium fabrics, the MAX gets a DWR coating to resist water.

That said, because the material is of a heavier weight, the MAX’s water resistance is much more impressive than both its stablemate Perfetto RoS and the Shimano Infinium PrimaLoft gloves.

In practice, they were warm thanks to the plush lining, and highly water resistant, proving more than competent for my wetter rides.

The grip is ample for the road, but perhaps a little lacking for grimy gravel riding.

The material adds a bit of bulk to the fingers, however.

While I could swipe through bike computer screens and slide the bar on my phone to answer a call, anything more dextrous involved stopping and removing a glove.

Inside, Castelli has included labels that can be written on should you end up mixing up your kit with fellow riders, but like much of Castelli’s range, they have myriad care labels tagged inside.

Don’t leave these in place – take a note of any care instructions and cut them out because they’ll do nothing but irritate you when riding.

Castelli Perfetto Max gloves bottom line

The Castelli Perfetto Max are warm and highly water-resistant gloves that are lower in bulk than full-on winter cycling gloves such as the Sportful Sottozero.

They offer impressive warmth and ample water resistance on long all-day rides. You sacrifice a little dexterity, but not so much as to be fumbling around for the simplest of tasks.

For fast, cold, wet and extended rides on the road, there are very few serious rivals to the Perfetto Max’s performance.