The Madison Trail Full Finger XC gloves are a no-fuss, no-frills design that offers what’s needed and nothing else. We were pleasantly surprised by the fit and quality, considering their low price.
The plain design appealed to many, and the stretchy back fabric struck a good balance between breathability and warmth. An impressively large snot wipe covers the whole thumb area.
A few riders reported that the fingers came up a little short for them, forcing their fingertips against the hard seam at the end and making the gloves a bit uncomfortable – ones to try before you buy then. Otherwise they performed well.
Padding covers the whole palm and is thick enough to isolate you slightly from trail buzz but without losing all sense of feel through the bar – although these are certainly not the greatest gloves to choose if bar and control feel is paramount to you. But if you want a sense of insulation, they’re ideal.
The control fingers could have done with more in the way of silicone print but considering the price these are good all-round gloves and great value – but ones you should try first if you have particularly long fingers.