With temperatures dropping once again in many parts of the world, many commuters will be reaching for their thickest and warmest gloves. That's why we were interested to see what Bristol-based firm Alago were offering - they claim to have a different way of dealing with keeping your hands warm in freezing temperatures.
Alago have spent the last few years developing a range of chemically heated gloves for various different applications. Starting out with a heated glove concept for Rugby players, the company have had their fair share of ups and downs - even appearing with an unsuccesful pitch on the BBC programme Dragons' Den.
Today Alago stands with an eight model range of gloves for various sports and leisure activites from goalkeeping to gardening but it's their heated commuter gloves that got our attention. Their new design features a built in chemical based heating pack. Simply heat the gloves for 15 seconds in a microwave and enjoy the new found warmth, which Alago claim will last for one hour.
The heated section concentrates mostly on the back of the hand and reaches partly along each finger yet does not reach the finger tips. Alago were keen to point out that heating the finger tips would remove comfort from the glove. They believe that the thin section of the skin on the back of the hand is heated to an extent that finger warmth is more than adequate.
Other notable features are fingers with stretch panels to accommodate different hand sizes and positions, gel padding on the palm, reflective detailing and a sweat wicking liner. Keeping things up to date, Alago have also included fingers that work with touch screen devices.
Stretch panels are fitted to accommodate different hand sizes and positions
We also learned that Alago are nearing completion of a new and potentially exciting product: a custom printed neoprene glove with an electric heat source integrated into the fabric's construction.
The Alago Commuter gloves retail at £36.99 ($58) and are currently available to pre-order from the Alago website. Meanwhile we'll be putting a test sample through its paces so keep your eyes pealed for a BikeRadar review in the near future.
