Overview:
Lizard Skins produces high performance accessories for all types of cycling. In this review, I’m testing the Lizard Blizzard Gloves for their effectiveness and usability in a daily bicycle commute.
Disclaimer:
As a product reviewer for Commute By Bike, I am providing my unbiased opinion of any products provided to us by any company. I do not posses any type of relationship with the products company or parent companies. I am not compensated in any way by companies that send in their goods to be reviewed.
Testing Grounds:
Columbus, Georgia – a mid sized city, just under 300,000 population (SMA). My roads vary from concrete with expansion cracks every 16 feet, to asphalt smooth as glass. My route crosses more than one construction area on most days. Traffic can be light, heavy, fast, slow, or grid locked. Columbusites are not the most cycle friendly motorists in the country. My commute runs about 12 miles total, covering various roads from the quiet suburbs, to major roads with high speed traffic, to full fledged urban cycling and all that entails. All testing was done aboard my Giant Cypress LX hybrid bicycle.
About Me:
I've been commuting by bike for one year now, and I commute 5 days a week, all weather. My commute puts about 60 miles a week on my bike, and I usually ride another 30-60 miles a week recreationally.
Product Tested:
Lizard Skins "Lizard Blizzard Gloves".
First Impressions and Comments:
My immediate impression of the gloves was based solely on looks, which I really liked. The knuckles are covered with silver leather padding, the tactile pattern on the palms and fingers looks great, and the excellent fit and finish gave the gloves a great look overall.
The gloves are lighter than they look, but they seemed a bit thick, so I tried them on. I was surprised at how compliant the fabric was considering there are three layers in the gloves according to the AeroTex information card that was attached.
Features:
- Molded neoprene over the knuckles and on the wrist provides comfort, protection, and flexibility.
- The fingertips feature plenty of silicone rubber for maximum grip.
- The cuff is lined and keeps out cold, water and wind.
- A water resistant and breathable liner makes this the perfect fit for your cold, wet winter riding.
The Review
I was able to use the gloves on several of my commutes. All in all my test covered about 22 miles in near freezing weather (32-34 ° F) and 30 miles in milder temperatures (40-50 ° F). Six miles of the test were in cold rain.(about 40 ° F)
Mild Temperatures: The Lizard Blizzards easily kept my hands toasty on the mild days. I thought they would be overkill for 40-50 ° F temps, but surprisingly, my hands were very comfortable. At the end of my rides, I removed my gloves and my hands were bone dry. No sweat. I had expected sweat because of my experience with lesser gloves that don’t have the good breathability of this AeroTex liner.
Colder Temperatures: In the freezing to near freezing temps, it was true glove love. I LOVE these gloves! Inside the gloves, I could feel no difference at all from the warmer days. They give my hands an incredible dry warmth. On previous rides without these gloves, I’ve experienced how easy it is to become distracted while riding when your hands ache with pain from the cold, then go numb. Not with these puppies. Not only were my hands warm, but I felt better all over. Why? Other than looking good, there is a logical reason as well. When you have constant loss of heat in your hands, that heat has to constantly be replaced by your circulating blood and from the heat in your lower arms. Since my hands weren’t losing heat, I stayed warmer all over! I need an entire suit made like these gloves!
Rain: One 40 ° morning I was blessed with a light rain for my commute to work. Again, my hands stayed totally dry and warm. They simply work. There is a test recommended on the product tag – It says to fill the glove with hot water, you’ll see steam escaping the glove but no water. I tried it – it’s true. Check the steam oozing out of the breathable gloves.
Overall: Other than keeping hands dry and warm, there are several other functions that a glove should perform. Aiding in comfort and protection are a given and expected from any glove. Another function could be to make the cyclist more visible on the road.
The Lizard Blizzard Gloves excelled in comfort. The padding is in all the right places. The cuff is the best, most accommodating cuff of any glove I’ve worn. I have had good gloves that annoyed me with a cuff that was too small, or didn’t want to coexist with my watch or Livestrong bracelet. The Lizard Blizzard Gloves have a cuff that is just right. Plenty of velcro to hold tight; fits large or small wrists, and it fits just right to allow my watch to remain comfortable and uncrowded by the glove.
Concerning protection, I don’t regret that I am unable to tell you by experience whether or not these gloves will protect your hands during a fall. I will say however, that the padding is excellent, and looks like it would offer superior protection compared to any glove I’ve worn in the past.
As far as visibility, there are no reflective materials used on the glove. It would have been icing on the cake if just the molded neoprene over the knuckles was reflective. Some gloves have reflective fingers too, see the picture below as an example. (a friends gloves reflecting the camera flash)
Finally, the gloves were flexible enough that I could do everything with them on, except reach in my pocket. Turning my light on, fastening my helmet, brakes, gears, whatever – none of these activities required me to remove the gloves. My combination lock was a challenge, but it too was workable in the gloves.
Strengths:
- WARM and DRY! (from rain or sweat)
- Comfortable
- Well made – not a flaw on the test pair
- Grippy
- Flexible
- Good protection
- Looks good. (looks are important!)
Weaknesses:
- No reflective material
Summary:
Without hesitation I highly recommend these gloves to anyone looking for good, solid, everyday use gloves that will keep your hands warm and dry.
Retail Price at Lizard Skins website – $34.99
Be sure to check the photo album of this review as well for a full look, inside and out of these gloves!
On a scale of 1-5, the gloves easily rate a 5.
John LaPierre
www.bigfatgeek.net