Oxford SmartFingers review | The missing functionality you can't quite put your finger on

Oxford SmartFingers are self-adhesive pads designed to add touch screen connectivity to motorbike gloves not otherwise equipped. Six pads are included in the pack, and each covers a significant area of the fingertip or thumb.

Oxford say they’re machine washable (in accordance with the glove manufacturer’s instructions), and the foil pack is resealable for the safe storage of spares.

Are they easy to fit?

Each pad is pre-cut, so it’s simply a case of peel and stick. I wiped the index fingertip area with a microfibre cloth first to remove any grit or debris, then applied the pad with one hand whilst the other was in the glove to provide a firm surface.

It was easy enough to smooth the pad flat and eliminate any creases that could cause it to lift in use. I repeated this on the other hand, keeping four pads back as spares.

Do they work?

In use they work exactly as advertised, with an accurate and effortless operation as with any touch screen friendly glove. Despite being in near continuous use as the main point of contact for brake and clutch lever, they haven’t lifted or worn in any way and remain firmly in position. Wet or cold weather hasn’t affected them either.

Keis don’t recommend washing the G601, so I can’t vouch for the claim of the SmartFingers being machine washable.

Looks

The pads are black and incredibly thin, probably only measurable in microns, so you have to look pretty closely to even see they’re even there. You certainly can’t feel them when fitted.

Verdict

Despite costing over £200, my Keis G601 heated winter gloves aren’t touch screen friendly, which is insanely irritating when trying to use my Garmin Zumo XT2 sat nav or paying for fuel via a pay-at-pump app in cold weather.

At £14.99 for half a dozen stick on patches the Oxford SmartFingers sound expensive, but that’s massively outweighed by the convenience of not having to of unplug, unzip and whip them off to operate an electronic device.

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