Spatz Burnr 4 Season arm warmers

The Spatz Burnr 4 Season arm warmers live up to their name, and the seamless construction also makes them very comfortable even on long rides. They offer decent protection from the chilly winds but aren't waterproof or even water resistant so are best kept for cold, dry days. They do come up long, too, so take this into account if you have short arms.

> Buy now: Spatz Burnr 4 Season arm warmers for £39.99 from Spatzwear.com

Spatz says the Burnr 4 Season arm warmers have been manufactured with seamless technology and that each section has been engineered for a specific function. 'Each 'panel' has a specific weave, texture and thickness to offer qualities such as warmth, support, articulation, moisture transport or aerodynamics.'

The result is a very comfortable set of arm warmers; often, in my pursuit of (very) marginal aero gains I end up choosing items of clothing with more compression to avoid any potential flapping or loose fitment, and with arm warmers I often wear a mark of where the seam was for a few hours after a long ride. The Burnr warmers' seamless construction results in no pressure points and they contour to the arms well without excess fabric, both with straight and bent arms.

I had the size medium warmers on test, but they also come in small and large. Admittedly, with 27cm circumference biceps, I'm right at the bottom of the size medium scale but at just over 6ft and with average length arms for my height, I was surprised at how long the Burnr warmers are.

I certainly wouldn't want the arm warmers to be any longer as they were beginning to encroach on my armpit area. This does, of course, mean they cover as much arm as possible, but if you have shorter arms you should be wary.

The warmers provide adequate compression without feeling restrictive or uncomfortable even on long rides, and the grippers keep them in place nicely with no need to readjust them while out on the road.

Now, these aren't in any way dubbed as waterproof or even water-resistant arm warmers – Spatz makes the 'Armz' for that – so I can't really be too harsh that any meaningful road spray will ingress. What I will say is that this does limit their use and I still found myself reaching for my Castelli Nanoflex DWR arm warmers on days when showers were forecast.

That aside, the Burnr 4 Seasons are incredibly comfortable, warm, and fast drying, with the added advantage of a sculpted weave which claims to offer an aerodynamic advantage.

At £39.99 they're the same price as the latest Castelli Nanoflex 3Gs (£40) which I would say are more versatile but not as warm in dry conditions.

Of course, many arm warmers can be had for less: the Orro arm warmers are what I would call average price at £30, though currently reduced to £14.99 (John reviewed these in September and found them a big snug), while the Van Rysel Merino arm warmers that Stu tested last year are a bit of a bargain at £19.99 (or were – they're currently out of stock) and share a seamless design.

Overall, the Spatz Burnr arm warmers are an excellent choice for cold dry days, providing excellent coverage, comfort and warmth, but are at the premium end of the market. And the length won't suit all.

Verdict

Warm, comfortable and well-designed seamless arm warmers