Halvarssons Butorp Gloves review | A great balance of warmth and control feel

You may not have heard of the Halvarsson brand, and if you haven’t, you’re missing a trick. Based in Sweden, the home of popular favourites such as Abba and Ikea, they have been in existence for over 80 years. They make great quality riding kit, that’s comfortable, practical and works, (and unlike Ikea, they don’t come flat packed, and you must build them yourself!).

I’ve worn Halvarsson kit for many years and these gloves are as good as I’d expect. They have been my go-to glove winter gloves for the last few months, have kept hands both warm and dry, in all weather conditions, plus they are comfortable, and the fit is perfect.

How comfortable are the Halvarssons Butorp gloves?

I’ve had the pleasure, said in the loosest of terms, to ride through some horrific wet and windy, winter weather, including Storms Babet, and the gloves have worked well. While the Dryway+ membrane has kept hands dry, there’s also a special Outlast liner, which helps regulate temperature.

They are not the thickest of glove and the combination of textile fingers with goat leather palm won’t keep the coldest temperatures at bay. That said, I’ve worn them through some cooler winter weather and into the spring, which in all honesty hasn’t really sprung this year yet, and they have kept my fingers warm enough.

These are lady specific fit and come in a full range of sizes. I have long fingers and wear a large glove; these are true to size and fit well.

With the gloves not being overly bulky, the feel for controls is good, I’ve worn them riding a mix of bikes including the Suzuki GSX-S1000GX and my Yamaha X-Max, so quite different genres of bikes.

A slight criticism could be the length of the cuff, and that really is me scraping the barrel to find a complaint. When tucking in the sleeve of a jacket, it could be a fraction longer, to make sure it stays in place as best as possible. If you prefer to wear your sleeve tucked in the glove, again, because it’s a little shorter than it could be, jacket and glove often part company.

One of my favourite features must be the Skinfit XTR technology, something that I’d never heard of but means that the lining doesn’t shift when taking the gloves off. This can be a nightmare in some gloves, and I bet I’m not the only one to have deployed a knitting needle to get the liner back in place!

Do the Butorp gloves look good?

They are subtle and understated, being a black winter glove, it’s not about looks for me, it’s more about practicality and features. These touring gloves do the job they are designed to do, and there’s not much to say about a black, winter glove, where style is concerned, it’s more about the substance than the style.

Are they good quality?

If these are like the other Halvarsson products I’ve worn, they will last for years. So far, they show no signs of wear and tear, even though they’ve been used in some deluges. Velcro wrist and cuff fasteners are as good today, as they were on the first wear. Touchscreen fingertip, on the right index finger, works and little touches like the special Skinfit TXR liner, to keep the lining in place, is a great feature.

What level of protection do the Butorp gloves provide?

Not that I want to put it to the test, but I feel the protection would hold up well if I were to have a spill. CE level 1, hard knuckle protection fits in place, without digging in, and there’s protection on the palm and scaphoid. 

Are the Halvarssons Butorp gloves good value?

They come with a one-year warranty, which feels fair for gloves, and they feel like they will last much longer than that. If they last as long as other Halvarrson products, I’ll be wearing them for the next four to five years, without any significant signs of wear and tear.

In the words of Swedish pop quartet, Abba, now what about Money Money Money, at £124.99 these aren’t the cheapest glove on the market, they compare to similar gloves from competitors such as the Alpinestars Stella Andes, Five Ladies WFX Skin and Held Ladies Satu. All of which are a textile and leather mix glove, designed with touring in mind.

So what’s the verdict?

If you are in the market for a pair of touring gloves, that offer warmth without bulk, a decent level of protection and are a fair price, these could be the ones for you.

Investigate Halvarrson, if you haven’t before, I can guarantee you will be impressed by the quality of the products they offer.

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