Scott Aqua GTX LF Gloves review: excellent protection from the elements with one notable flaw

The Scott Aqua GTX LF is a great example of a winter glove designed to offer high levels of protection from the elements.

It’s well-equipped to deal with heavy rain showers and nigh-on freezing temperatures, but the downside of its construction is a relative lack of finger dexterity.

That said, if you’re willing to put up with this, the Aqua GTX LF Glove is an impressive weather-beater, without the top-tier price tag of some of its competitors.

Scott Aqua GTX LF Glove details and specifications

The Scott Aqua Gore-Tex Long-finger Glove (to use its unabridged name) features a Gore-Tex membrane, with a DWR (durable water repellent) treated outer-face fabric.

This tried-and-tested combination is said to offer a waterproof barrier to the elements, while being breathable when it’s dry.

Inside, there’s a fleece lining, with some synthetic insulation sandwiched between for warmth.

The cuffs are notably long, and are closed by a waterproof zip running down the outside. There’s also an elasticated band in the wrist, which helps achieve a seal.

The palm is seamless (with the exception of the articulated thumb), with a textured rubbery fabric to promote grip in the wet.

There are a series of reflective strips on the outside of the outer two fingers, and on the inside of the index and middle fingers. It’s worth noting these don’t double up to make the gloves compatible with touchscreens.

The thumb features a nose-wipe section, made of a neoprene felt-like fabric.

Available in six sizes (XS-2XL), I found a size XL fitted me as expected, albeit with a little wiggle room in the fingers – something those with broader fingers than me may benefit from.

The gloves are only available in black.

Scott Aqua GTX LF Glove performance

The Scott Aqua GTX LF Glove is a brilliant performer when it comes to resisting rain and keeping warmth inside.

It performs as well as any winter gloves I’ve tested in wet weather, with a relatively hardshell-like version of Gore-Tex fabric on the outside, which presents a tough-feeling barrier to the elements (in tandem with the DWR treatment).

This doubles as an extremely effective windproof layer, while the fleecy interior feels very well insulated – as warm as you could reasonably expect, proving toasty down to a freezing windchill.

The gloves are decently breathable too. Only on an especially mild commute did I get notably clammy inside.

The downside, though, is a lack of dexterity – around the finger webs, there’s an excess of fabric, while I found it relatively hard to curl my fingers. Of all the gloves I’ve tested this winter, these are the hardest with which to create a balled fist, for example.

This meant I rode my bike letting my fingers hang from the bar and lever hoods more than I would usually – it’s just as well the textured palm proved grippy against bar tape and hoods – while actioning a shift calls for a deliberate action.

When I quickly flicked my finger to call for a shift (I’ll usually do this with my third finger), I often found I didn't get the force I needed to overcome the gloves' resistance and the click point of my Shimano levers, and sometimes caught on the brake lever instead.

It’s something I grew used to and ‘worked around’, but if maximum dexterity is a priority for you, there are many better options, such as the Castelli Espresso 2 (£110 / $99.99 / €99.95) and Gore Gore-Tex Insulated Gloves (£89.99 / $100 / €89.95).

Both of those gloves are more expensive, though, and if it's ultimate protection you value most, the Scott Aqua gloves represent reasonable value.

That said, the Altura Nightvision Unisex Waterproof Insulated Cycling Gloves (£45 / €55) are cheaper if you can do without the same level of waterproofing.

The cuffs are also very long, improving the coverage over the wrist and jacket sleeves, while the lightly elasticated zone at the joint helps create an automatic seal.

This felt locked down when the zip closures were engaged, although their positioning on the outside of the gloves was a little tricky to work (having to turn my arm over to access them).

Leaving them open helps with airflow around the wrist to a limited extent, but the elasticated section is doing much of the heavy lifting to create a seal.

I also appreciated the extended nose-wipe zone on the backs of the thumbs – a quick wipe was relatively kind to my skin, beaten only by gloves with a towel-like fabric.

Scott Aqua GTX LF Glove bottom line

The Scott Aqua GTX LF Glove is a great winter-weather glove, and should be near the top of your shortlist if protection against wet and cold weather is what you value most.

It’s also worth noting that it’s not overly expensive versus its key competitors.

You’ll need to put up with somewhat compromised dexterity, though, more so than with many winter gloves designed for similar conditions.

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