Nathan Sports SpeedShift Running Glove Review

Nathan Sports Speedshift

First Impression of Nathan Sports SpeedShift Glove:

Despite the current “shift” in the winter temps here in Denver, Colorado the Nathan Sports SpeedShift Running Glove came in handy for those cold, dark runs in December. I’m sure they will also come in handy in the coming months as the Colorado winters can sometimes last until what the rest of the country calls Spring.  This high-tech running accessory not only keeps your hands warm during winter runs, but the LightWave™ LED lights keep you visible. A great aid to keep you in sight of cyclists, fellow runners, and cars while going on early morning or night time training runs during the shorter days of winter.

Nathan Sports SpeedShift Glove Technology and Features:

• Comfortable fit
• Warmth
• Reflectivity and visibility
• LightWave™ active visibility red LED lights provide up to 1300 feet of visibility
• Stretch fabric with a brushed fleece lining for dexterity and warmth
• Weather-resistant DWR finish
• 3M reflective trims for greater visibility
• Nose wipe chamois thumb
• Conductive TruTouch technology on “texting” finger allows smart phone operation with gloves on
• LIGHTWAVE™ LED lights are USB rechargeable
• Easy on/off LED’s offer 3 modes: fast flash, slow flash & consistent light

These are by far the most technical and “performing” gloves I have ever had the opportunity to take out for a run.  The Nathan Sports SpeedShift Glove not only keep your hands warm for however short or long your runs may be, but they also provide a sense of safety with their reflective trim and LightWave LED rechargeable lights.

Stretch fabric with a brushed fleece lining

When I look at buying gloves, fabric and warmth are definitely on the top of my list.  Looking at these gloves from the outside you don’t realize how warm they actually are and this comes from the fabric.  Initially the fabric appears thin however the brushed fleece lining is quite deceiving and really adds an extra layer of warmth which is helpful especially if running on a windy night.

In addition to the warmth and comfort of the Nathan Sports SpeedShift Glove, they have a weather-resistant finish which helps keep your hands warm and dry to combat the ever changing winter weather elements.

Conductive TruTouch technology

The technology of the Nathan Sports SpeedShift Running Glove is the “meat” of the product.  Gloves these days need to give us runners the ability to text and answer our smartphones without having to remove gloves. These definitely do not disappoint. Most of my running gloves only have one finger or thumb that has the ability to text. The Nathan Sports SpeedShift Glove gives you the ability to operate your smartphone with BOTH index fingers AND thumbs making it extremely easy to answer your phone, reply to a text, and operate any apps you might use to track your mileage and GPS without having to remove your gloves!

Chamois nose wipe

Running in cold weather does lend itself to the “runny nose” from time to time and these gloves have thought of everything!  The back of the thumb on these gloves is made from chamois – a winter fleece microfiber fabric that is soft, smooth and doesn’t pill allowing you to wipe that runny nose without having to bring tissues or a handkerchief on your runs.

USB rechargeable battery

The LightWave LED light feature of these gloves comes equipped with a USB rechargeable battery pack that slides nicely into the wrist of the glove in it’s own pocket.  The battery is small and flat and does not move around at all while you have the gloves on and you can’t feel the battery at all.  The battery charges completely in 2 hours and gives you 2.5 hours of battery life.  When I first charged the battery I found it somewhat difficult to push the USB cord into the battery, but with time and future charges it became much easier.  A slight knock is that the cover of the battery doesn’t really stay covered very well though. The battery fits completely into the  pocket and doesn’t really cause any rubbing or irritation on your wrist.

Cord Cover for Battery Cord when gloves are used during the daylight hours.

These Nathan Speedshift Gloves are not ONLY for night runs but can be used during the day as well which makes them even more versatile for cold weather runs.  My weekend runs can be as long as 4+ hours when I am training for a marathon, so in the winter gloves are necessary, especially at the start of my long runs.  These gloves have the ability to transform into daytime running gloves by just removing the battery pack and replacing the cord with a cover and tucking it back into the battery pocket without losing any comfort or warmth.

Performance of the Nathan Sports SpeedShift Glove:

Most of my weekday evening or early morning runs during the colder months are in the city.  Safety is always an issue when running in the dark and having the right gear can make running in the dark much more enjoyable.  Reflective gear is always preferable but having gear that also has LED lights is a bonus.  When I first went out for a run with the Nathan SpeedShift Gloves I was under the impression that the LED lights would provide illumination along the sidewalks.  However, after running for about 20 minutes I quickly realized these lights are more specifically used so that ongoing traffic, whether it is walkers, fellow runners, cyclists or cars, can see you coming.

The gloves come with three settings to the LightWave LED Red Lights, they illuminate at a medium, bright setting, or can blink.  I found the blinking setting to be the best for my needs during night runs to feel like I was the most visible.  The LightWave LED lights provide 1300 feet of visibility. The medium and bright settings allow you to turn the lights on your Nathan Sports SpeedShift gloves during dusk, and then increase the setting when it gets completely dark should your runs take you a little longer than expected.

LightWave™ active visibility red LED lights illuminating after an evening winter run

Details:

• Stretch fabric glove for lightweight comfort and accurate fit
• Shell: 100% Polyester
• Nose wipe: 100% Polyester
• Palm: 82% Nylon, 18% Spandex
• Easy to care for with removable battery box, offers easy hand-washability
• Available colors: Yellow/Black, Pink/Black
• Sizing:

Note: Chart measurements are approximate, based on the sizing of an unstretched glove

Length: Measure in inches from base of palm to end of longest finger
Width: Measure in inches around the widest point of the palm, not including the thumb

Final Thoughts on the Nathan Sports SpeedShift Gloves:

These gloves really have all that a winter cold weather, running glove has to offer.  The fit and fabric is comfortable and warm and the technology of the LightWave LED red lights along with the reflectivity of the gloves allow for the best visibility during evening and night cold weather running.

MSRP: $50

For more information on this and other visibility, cold weather running gear please visit: https://www.nathansports.com/