Sportful Sottozero gloves review

The Sportful Sottozeros are deep-winter gloves, but unlike plenty of rivals designed for the harshest conditions, they prioritise a good fit and dexterity.

Sottozero translates as 'below zero' and these gloves live up to their moniker.

Performance in cold conditions is impressive, to the point where they might be too warm for use all-winter long, while they’re well-equipped for most wet weather too.

Sportful Sottozero gloves specs and details

The main body of the Sportful Sottozero gloves uses a DWR (durable water repellent) treated softshell outer fabric for water resistance.

This is combined with a lightly fleeced liner, sandwiching PrimaLoft Silver insulation on the back of the hand. Sportful says the gloves are rated for use in conditions as cold as -5ºC.

The palm is made from highly flexible ‘Clarino’ artificial leather that’s completely covered with a grid pattern of silicone to aid handlebar grip.

The back of the thumb has a microfibre panel nose wipe, and the thumb and forefinger both have touchscreen-compatible tips.

The fit is spot on, with a generous finger length and 2.5in cuff that’s secured via a large Velcro closure on top of the wrist.

The size and shape of my XL test pair were perfect (I normally go for a size XL), but they’re also available in one size bigger for those with very large hands, right down to a size XS.

Sportful Sottozero gloves performance

The Sportful Sottozero gloves are impressively flexible, conforming well to my hand. On the bike, I never felt like I was trying to operate controls with oven mitts.

The palms are lightly padded and I could operate my Garmin bike computer without problem.

I could also feel out the differences between my bike’s Shimano Di2 buttons easily.

The gloves perform superbly in the cold – they felt warm without making my hands clammy, thanks to the light breathability of the softshell fabric and insulation.

On wetter rides, they eventually start to hold water, but even when damp, my hands didn’t get cold.

If you want waterproofing above all else, there are stronger options, such as the Endura Deluge. For seriously cold rides, though, these are a top choice.

The large reflective Sportful logos on the backs of the hands are a welcome detail for low-light winter riding.

The masses of silicone throughout the palms also means the Sottozero gloves deliver great grip.

I’ve found these a great choice for winter gravel riding use, where choppy surfaces mean you need a secure grip on your bars.

Sportful Sottozero gloves bottom line

The Sottozeros are among the best winter gloves you can buy, a brilliant choice for the very coldest days, while they cope well with all but the heaviest rain too.

If your riding temperatures in the winter often dip below 0ºC, these are a great choice; if your winters are milder, they may feel like overkill.