Velocio only offers two types of full-finger glove and the Zero is the one designed for the coldest conditions, albeit without a specific temperature range being specified. The Zero gloves are made from a softshell fabric that Velocio claims is waterproof and says is packed with Primaloft insulation.
It’s a simple yet substantial design that provides good protection from temperatures as low as 0°C and from rain showers. The claimed touchscreen-friendly fingertips didn’t allow me to navigate my phone but otherwise the gloves performed as promised.
Velocio Zero gloves design and features
The Velocio Zero gloves are significantly padded, enough so that they take a little force to pull on. This padding is Primaloft Insulation which is very widely and effectively used in winter cycling kit.
Velocio says the outer soft shell is weatherproof. This is supplemented by the design of the palm which is stuffed with a windblocking microfleece. The label indicates that this element is made by chamois expert Elastic Interface.
The fabric used on the back of the thumb panel feels like suede but is actually a blend of polyester and elastane. Presumably this is there for those unavoidable nose wipes required in cold weather.
There’s a miniscule reflective Velocio logo on the knuckle and small touchscreen pads on the thumb and forefinger, while the wrist is secured by a broad Velcro panel.
Velocio Zero gloves performance
Wearing the Zero gloves down to 0° in dry conditions was when they performed at their best. This was cold enough for the insulation to be effective without any real need for breathability, trapping heat being the sole aim. And that insulation really is effective. It creates a cosy environment even when the wind chill factor drops the ‘feels like’ temperature down to below the freezing mark.
Once it started raining, the Zero gloves protected me from the wet for a considerable amount of time. In fact, since my commute is never more than 30 minutes, I could more or less guarantee my hands would remain dry whatever the conditions. On longer rides, after extensive periods of rain, I could eventually detect some ingress, but I was happy with their waterproofing overall.
They are substantially padded, so my hands did get too warm on more temperate days and dexterity was not the best. I was still able to use my (non-touch) Wahoo and collect things from my jersey pockets, but not with much precision. As mentioned, using my phone wasn’t possible. Occasionally I was able to unlock the screen, but I couldn’t operate the touchscreen reliably. This led to me removing the gloves while riding which did require a bit of yanking with my teeth to get them fully pulled on again. Trying to use zips and any kind of poppers or buttons generally required removing the gloves.
The material on the palms and fingers is covered in textured silicone detailing, which really improved my grip on the bars and other smooth items such as bidons and pumps. The fake suede patch on the back of the thumb did indeed come in useful for the regrettable necessity of nose-wiping mid-ride. Its slightly thicker material works well for that purpose.
The Zero gloves come only in black and in five different sizes, and I found a Large was the perfect size for me, which chimes with my normal sizing.
Velocio Zero gloves review verdict
The Velocio Zero gloves have provided great protection during the scattering of sub-zero days we’ve had around the turn of the year. There is no need to wear a glove liner as the insulation is more than sufficient. Breathability isn’t the best, so I did get too warm once the cold subsided but they provide protection from certain amounts of rain too.
It’s a shame that I couldn’t get the touchscreen element to work, and dexterity isn’t great, but insulation is the main aim for the Zero gloves and they get full marks in that department. At £93 they are somewhere in the mid-range of the deep winter gloves we’ve tested and offer excellent insulation, so represent good value too.
