Review: Castelli Tempesta Gloves Laugh at the Rain

When Castelli makes new cycling gear, they don’t mess around. For foul-weather protection, there are a handful of standout materials and OutDry is one of them. With OutDry, the Castelli Tempesta Gloves crush the competition with their extreme weather protection while maintaining a high level of dexterity.

Castelli Tempesta Gloves Features:

• 4-way stretch water-resistant Nylon 66/Elastane 95/5% DWR
• Waterproof OutDry® technology membrane
• Dry Zone lining for 1-way moisture management
• Neoprene cuff for a secure fit and easy on/off
• Microsuede thumb panel
• Reflective details
• MSRP: $89.95

Tempesta must mean “thin, but warm and dry” in Italian

There is no question that Castelli has a leg-up on the competition when it comes to foul weather cycling gear. Their legendary Gabba jersey and NanoFlex bib knickers remain best-in-class in my testing. When I know the weather calls for rain and cool temperatures, that’s what I grab.

That said, the new Tempesta Gloves don’t stray from that award-winning pedigree. It’s no wonder that Castelli’s US headquarters are in Portland, OR because these are the most impenetrable gloves I’ve tested to date. No doubt the Portland-based team rides year-round and the Tempesta is a natural product of the Pacific Northwest. And, OutDry is the best waterproof laminate for gloves because it is a seamless membrane that’s bonded to the outer layer of fabric for unmatched waterproofing and dexterity (learn more in this video).

In a nutshell, great choice in going with OutDry, but the rest of the glove also follows suit in its awesomeness for wet, cold weather.

The Tempesta Gloves are instantly comfortable in a way that escapes many foul-weather cycling gloves on the market today. Again, tops on that list is dexterity and these are astounding in that department. Tactility is maintained with great brake/shifting feel and excellent bar grip in the drops, hoods and tops. I will say that the palm material does lose some of its grippyness when wet as the palm material tends to soak up water.

With a nice, neoprene cuff, the Tempesta’s provide an excellent weather seal in concert with every jacket/jersey combo I’ve tried. Keeping things within the family, the sleeve/cuff interface with the Castelli Alpha Jacket is as good as it gets. Not once did I get the dreaded wrist gap and the natural flex of the material allowed me to move naturally on every ride.

Since I only experienced light rain in my ride tests, I had to artificially test the waterproofing. I did so by submerging the glove for several minutes in ice-cold water. Not only were my hands completely dry, but the uppers just laughed at water as it dripped right off when removed. The palms, on the other hand, did soak up the water and, as mentioned, lost some of their grippyness. The microfiber thumb material did the same thing, but that’s to be expected.

While these are not heavily-insulated, they do maintain warmth really well. Riding well into the lower-40’s, I was comfortable. Breathability is fantastic as these gloves never felt soggy. I could easily remove them and put them back on again during mid-ride breaks. That simple activity can be tricky with other gloves as the liner can separate from the shell — particularly when laden with sweat.

I will say that on long rides, I did feel myself wanting a little bit of palm padding to take the edge off. So, keep that in mind if your hands and wrists are especially sensitive.

The Good

• OutDry is impenetrable
• Uppers shed water with aplomb
• Dexterity and tactility are superb
• Excellent moisture management
• Flexible neoprene cuff

The Bad

• Palms lose grip when wet
• Lack of palm padding caused pain on rough terrain

The Bottom Line: Castelli Tempesta Gloves

For wet-weather riding in cool to cold conditions, the Tempesta Gloves are hard to beat and will hold a heralded place in Castelli’s award-winning lineup of cycling gear.

Buy Now: Available at CompetitiveCyclist.com