RST Paragon 6 heated gloves are selling like hotcakes – here’s why they’re so popular

These RST Paragon 6 heated gloves are the latest version of the firm’s popular cold weather mitts and the second generation to have an integrated heating option.

They’ve been available since 2020, during which time there’s been an upgrade to the charging side, and at an RRP of £199.99 sit around the mid-range price mark. I’ve covered more than 5,000 miles over the last three winters in them.

Comfort

Winter gloves can often feel chunky and overstuffed, with the insulation acting as much as a barrier to cold as to finger feel for controls and switchgear. That’s not the case with the Paragon 6 however, as the 3M Thinsulate polyester lining has the requisite properties for retaining warmth without sacrificing too much in the way of tactility. Vital degrees of concentration spent fumbling for indicators can be less than ideal, particularly when riding in poor weather.

With flex panels for finger joints and nylon sections between the and around the wrist, there’s no restriction on dexterity and the Paragon 6 is comfortable enough to be worn all day without the need for breaking in. The lining is soft and plush, with no discernible internal seams, even at the ends of the fingers.

They fit well – I’m a UK 10 in gloves and the size L is spot on across the main part of the hand, with just a little extra length in the digit department. My fingers are fairly stubby, so this is usually as good as it gets.

Once the heating elements come into play, the sensation of comfort moves to a new level. There are three different settings, each of which warms the tops of the hand, fingers and thumb.

Operation is via a single rubber button, recessed on the back of the hand, which cycles through the heat levels and glows red, yellow or green depending on the setting. Red is the warmest, however the middle setting can be hard to read as it looks more like green.

Warm up is very quick and for most rides I’ve found the medium and low settings more than adequate. High is generally too hot for me, but when it’s particularly cold, such as on a long motorway run with significant wind chill, I have used it for short bursts to keep the heat topped up.

Power comes from a pair of 7.4V rechargeable battery packs, one of which sits in a zipped pouch on each wrist. Charge time is around 4 hours from fully depleted, and on the highest setting they’ll provide heat for 2 hours 10 minutes, based on my timings.

Using just the lowest setting, this duration more than doubles to almost 4 ½ hours, which should easily cover a commute or actual ride time on a winter spin. Be wary of the middle setting though, as already mentioned it can be mistaken for green and selected by mistake and reduces battery life by roughly a hour over the lower setting.

It’s worth noting that the battery packs are a general use item and similarly spec’d spares can be picked up for around £30 a pair.

Looks

The Paragon 6 has an interesting technical aesthetic, with different textures, reflective logos and details giving it a modern, purposeful look. It’s hard to get too excited about a black winter glove, but the combination of leather and textile is more pleasing on the eye than most.

Quality

Waterproofing is by way of a Sinaqua membrane, which has proved totally effective, even when subjected to sustained motorway spray. It’s breathable too, helping to wick away moisture should the heating elements give you sweaty hands.

The soft touch lining is firmly fixed so that it doesn’t pull out when removing gloves in a hurry, and after three winter’s use there’s not a loose stitch or worn patch anywhere. The only negative is that one of the plastic tabs on the cuff closure draw strings has fallen off, but that was solved by simply tying the two ends of elastic together.

That’s not to say they that the design is perfect though, as the cuff mounted battery packs are too bulky to fit inside most jacket sleeves and need to be worn outside. It’s not a problem in the cold, in fact it’s perfectly comfortable, but when it’s raining heavily it doesn’t take long for the damp to creep in, eventually soaking the insides. The solution is to slip on a waterproof overjacket when you’re already wearing them, which I generally do when it’s hammering down anyway.

And talking of rain, the Paragon 6 is one of the few gloves that has a visor wipe on both index fingers, and it’s a long flexible one at that. Having a visor wipe on the right hand means you can clear your vision when briefly at a standstill, when the left hand’s busy with the clutch.

Fingertips are touch screen friendly, as is the thumb, and work without an issue on both my iPhone and Garmin sat nav.

The version on test had a compatibility issue with the supplied charger, in that the male and female plastic connectors didn’t fit together correctly. It’s not obvious to begin with and can result in a partial, or zero charge – not ideal at all when you set off on a cold weather ride.

It can be fixed by whittling down the plastic ends, however RST have since rectified this issue by supplying USB compatible power packs. Just check you’re buying the upgraded item before purchase.

Protection

The Paragon 6 is certified to CE level 1 (a basic pass, with 2 being the higher standard) for abrasion resistance and earns a KP rating for the hard knuckle armour. There’s a sliver of memory foam padding around the scaphoid area and on top of each finger (including thumb, but excluding index finger, probably because of the visor wipe) and a reinforced palm for protection in a slide.

They feel well made and despite only having hard armour on the knuckles should survive a moderate impact with tarmac. I do have some reservations about the battery in the inner wrist area, however. It’s not a typical impact zone, but a hard block against a vulnerable area of the body is something worth noting.

Value

At full price the Paragon 6 is worth the money, but with reductions of 20% or more knocking a sizeable chunk off they become one of the best value heated gloves on the market. Other options to consider include:

Verdict

The heating system excels in keeping your digits toasty and frost free, but as it’s battery powered does need some planning and management for the best results. If you’re using them to commute, the best advice would be to stick them on charge whenever possible to keep them topped up, or purchase a couple of additional power packs as back ups.

The Paragon 6 is waterproof, warm and has handy features like the twin visor wipes, plus a price tag that shouldn’t make you wince. All in all, an effective and good value heated winter glove.

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