Let's talk about gloves, proper winter gloves

AstraMonti · 31-01-2014 4:38pm #1

Right, my hands get cold. Really cold. I 've tried: Altura, sealskins, castelli plus proper ski gloves, all of the above with and without glove liners. Ski gloves worked and kept my gloves warm the longest but they are so bulky they are useless.
Now I am looking to shell out a good amount in order to keep my hands warm and I am between the Assos fuguGloves_S7 and Deep Winter Gloves by Rapha. Has anyone tried them both? Or has anyone the same issue that was solved by different gloves?

Beasty · 31-01-2014 4:47pm

I've tried the Fugu gloves, but TBH more when I'm not on the bike - they are really warm. In fact I've never needed anything warmer then the Assos Early Winter gloves this winter

Lumen · 31-01-2014 4:49pm

Using surgical gloves as a liner is an interesting idea.

http://road.cc/content/forum/99280-ultimate-winter-glove

I use thin gloves from Prendas as a liner underneath some old fleece Berghaus gloves. Never been cold with that combo even in the snowpocalyse a couple of years ago.

darkvalley · 31-01-2014 4:53pm

If all else fails you could try these

http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog/1398/training/hot-pads-for-cold-feet/index.html

Tenzor07 · 31-01-2014 4:54pm

I have found these to be perfect, haven't used them in snowy conditions as yet, but they work well:

www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/endura-thermolite-roubaix-glove/rp-prod80254

mcgratheoin · 31-01-2014 4:59pm

I use SWIX cross country skiing gloves and I find they still give me plenty of dexterity. Only problem is they're not really waterproof so they're more for cold days than downpours. The reinforcement for XC skiing is between the thumb and palm so it's the exact position in which you sit on the hoods - so they last really well without wearing out.

lgk · 31-01-2014 5:03pm

I suffer from cold hands as well....early signs of developing arthritis, yey! Assos liner and Fugu combination work very well in the dry, but in the rain/hail and cold like last Saturday my hands were cold to the point of painful for a while.

I'm tempted to try the liner and Assos rain glove combo for the coldest wet days.

ROK ON · 31-01-2014 5:20pm

I have the Rapha ones.
I used to get cold hands.
Now I don't.
They are well worth the money.

AstraMonti · 31-01-2014 5:22pm

Beasty wrote: »

I've tried the Fugu gloves, but TBH more when I'm not on the bike - they are really warm. In fact I've never needed anything warmer then the Assos Early Winter gloves this winter

I have those as well, but even with the liner it's not enough.

Lumen wrote: »

Using surgical gloves as a liner is an interesting idea.

Won't you sweat like crazy with surgical gloves? They are not breathable at all, are they?

darkvalley wrote: »

If all else fails you could try these

http://cyclinginfo.co.uk/blog/1398/training/hot-pads-for-cold-feet/index.html

That's something to consider, but I assume mobility will be an issue.

lgk wrote: »

I suffer from cold hands as well....early signs of developing arthritis, yey! Assos liner and Fugu combination work very well in the dry, but in the rain/hail and cold like last Saturday my hands were cold to the point of painful for a while.

I'm tempted to try the liner and Assos rain glove combo for the coldest wet days.

Developing arthritis.. lovely..thanks! lol

AstraMonti · 31-01-2014 5:26pm

ROK ON wrote: »

I have the Rapha ones.
I used to get cold hands.
Now I don't.
They are well worth the money.

How do they hold with rain?

Seaswimmer · 31-01-2014 5:41pm

I have always found mitts to be better than gloves for warmth. Think its because less surface area of the hand is exposed. I use Dakine ski mitts which I find to be excellent. A bit more awkward to change gears but nice and warm..

spyderski · 31-01-2014 5:42pm

Have the Fugu Gloves - they're very good. The warmest gloves I have are Castelli Estremo, but I find them a bit bulky. Never tried the Rapha ones - I think Rapha stuff, while lovely, tends to prioritize style over substance.

ROK ON · 31-01-2014 5:49pm

AstraMonti wrote: »

How do they hold with rain?

On the basis that it has been raining since whenever and I have used them every day it has been below 7degrees.

They work very very well.
Not waterproof, but lined with various layers. The exten well up past the wrist with neoprene. I have had them a few years and he are the mutts nuts.

Unlike a lot of winter gloves they are easy to get in and off. They are also relatively good to grip the bar.

The tops of each finger has an extra outer lining to prevent wind chill.

Rapha make a lot of stuff. It's all pricey. The jerseys are crap. The shorts are so so.

The accessories are the best there is IMHO.
Overshoes, oversocks, gloves, caps, arm earners and knee earners are all worth getting. They are a great investment.

If you buy the gloves and they don't work for you I will take the gloves from you at cost price.

mp31 · 31-01-2014 5:52pm

http://glacierglove.com/our-products/cycling/premium-waterproof-cycling-glove.html ... Tom Boonen uses these (I did see a picture of him wearing them whilst riding at the front of a bunch but I can't find it at the moment). If they are good enough for Tom...

AstraMonti · 31-01-2014 5:54pm

Thanks Rok On, unfortunately looks like they are out of stock for this winter.

SOR2010 · 31-01-2014 5:58pm

I've got these from China and have to say they are great, no problems and keeps hands & fingers very warm,
worked out at €9.99 delivered!

http://www.dhgate.com/product/winter-outdoor-sports-cycling-driving-ski/167779687.html#myaccount_orderdetail-1-null

bcmf · 31-01-2014 6:01pm

Another cold hand sufferer here.
I got a pair of Campagnolo Textrans gloves of pprenderville and they are great.
In the wet I have surfer neoprene gloves.
Work very well. Yes your hands get wet but cold to the degree of nearly crying? Not anymore.

ROK ON · 31-01-2014 6:14pm

I have campag textran gloves.

Warm, sweaty and uncomfortable.

Chips Lovell · 31-01-2014 6:27pm

I don't usually suffer from cold hands. I've the Assos Early Winter gloves and they usually do just fine. On cold days I stick liners beneath them.

However, a few spins this winter I've suffered horribly in the rain. Waterproof they ain't, at least in torrential rain. Got the rain gloves now. So far so good but they haven't had a real test yet.

sullzz · 31-01-2014 6:30pm

I use these and find them great , haven't been out in majour downpours in them yet but they held up pretty well in what rain I have been out in , and have always been warm .
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/castelli-diluvio-gloves/rp-prod88520

Cee-Jay-Cee · 31-01-2014 6:53pm

I have a pair of Tenn winter gloves, they are extremely warm but quite bulky. I've only wore them once but found my hands overheating with them. I had to take them off and cycle in 3degrees air temp (probably near zero inc wind chill factor) and then put them back on after my hands started to freeze , then off again and so and so on. I can't see myself using them again due to this. They're quite thick but I could still manage to change gears with them. I've a pair of Aldi gloves that are more than adequate for cold days and a pair of lidl gloves which are slightly heavier for use in really cold weather.

petethedrummer · 31-01-2014 7:45pm

It's layers for me in this weather:
1st: Regular cycling glove.
2nd: Close fitting cheap woolly glove.
In back pocket: The outers of craft lobster gloves for descents, cold and the rain. The inners just pull out.

thebouldwhacker · 31-01-2014 7:57pm

I am using sealskins this year, they cost a few quid and they are great on cold days but strangely, despite their name and trade mark claims, they don't seem to be very good on the waterproof side of things.
Also they are a pain in the ass if your hands get sweaty or wet as the lining sticks to the fingers and take an age to put back on even with my best efforts of grabbing the finger tips.
I want an good pair of waterproofs for long distance... The search continues....

ford2600 · 31-01-2014 8:56pm

The problem here is cold hands? Heat gain in hands is less than heat loss.

Is there anything to increase circulation, by limiting any reason for restriction of blood flow, too tight clothing on arms perhaps?

Also if your generally cold anyhow your body will naturally restrict heat flow away from core

Any snake oil remedy to help? They may work even if it is just a placebo effect!

On heat loss side there is convection losses due to fluid flow transfering heat energy from hands, either rainwater or cold air flow. A thin liner may help in trapping a thin layer in much the same way as neoprene inhibiting heat transfer. A quality external layer should greatly reduce both convection losses as a result air and water. There are plenty recommendations already given.

Conduction losses to alloy or carbon bars should also be considered, a wider bar tape with poor conduction qualities should be considered.

I've cycled a fixie in -2 with no gloves for up to an hour with no issue. While I've very good circulation, the spongy grips is real reason I can do it.

cdaly_ · 31-01-2014 9:14pm

I occasionally use Mycoal hand warmers on long, cold (overnight) spins. Tuck them into back of the glove and they keep the chill off. They don't get too hot that way.

Briando · 31-01-2014 9:53pm

I agree with ROK ON, Neoprene gloves and overshoes work well for me. I've pretty bad circulation so my extremities seems to feel the cold more than most.

I'm using Altura Neoprene gloves and Endura Neoprene Overshoes and work well for me. I also pump my arms occasionally to keep the blood going as just gripping the bars for hours doesn't really help in keeping warm.

Tenzor07 · 31-01-2014 10:20pm

If gloves aren't working then try some heated road bike tape?

letape · 31-01-2014 11:55pm

Big fan of campagnolo texted gloves - especially the 11 speed version.

seven stars · 01-02-2014 12:01am

AstraMonti, what SealSkinz did you try?

I have the same problem and have been using these Berghaus polartec gloves as liners, with a pair of Berghaus goretex mittens on top. The whole setup is fairly bulky, and in the worst of the cold I've still had cold fingers (although this year hasn't been too bad).

I was on the verge of getting a pair of SealSkinz Handlebar Mitts based on the reviews, but I'm getting second thoughts now.

thekooman · 01-02-2014 12:06am

sullzz wrote: »

I use these and find them great , haven't been out in majour downpours in them yet but they held up pretty well in what rain I have been out in , and have always been warm .
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/ie/en/castelli-diluvio-gloves/rp-prod88520

I find the diluvios good in temps above 6 degrees with or without rain but any colder with rain and they arent worth a damn. Like everyone here I have yet to find the perfect glove

pelevin · 01-02-2014 12:17am

ford2600 wrote: »

The problem here is cold hands? Heat gain in hands is less than heat loss.

Is there anything to increase circulation, by limiting any reason for restriction of blood flow, too tight clothing on arms perhaps?

Any snake oil remedy to help? They may work even if it is just a placebo effect!

.

I got this below, cayenne pepper tincture, which I rub a few drops on my nose which in chilly times can get very uncomfortably cold, also on hands occasionally though I haven't needed it cycling. There's also a much hotter version below again. Certainly not just a placebo. From that site delivery very reasonable cost-wise on what I bought though did take a couple of weeks.

http://www.mynaturalmarket.com/Dr-Christopher-Cayenne-Pepper-Extract.html?%3CosCsid%3E

http://www.mynaturalmarket.com/Dr-Christopher-Hot-Cayenne-Extract-180000-HU.html?%3CosCsid%3E

minterno · 01-02-2014 1:04am

Tenzor07 wrote: »

I have found these to be perfect, haven't used them in snowy conditions as yet, but they work well:

www.chainreactioncycles.com/ie/en/endura-thermolite-roubaix-glove/rp-prod80254

I found these to be good,they keep my hands at a perfect temperature,no sweating but no cold either but i have good circulation so only feel the cold on extreme days,i also found that the fingers get caught in the shifters when i change gears,the seam is a bit prominent and gets snagged a few time every spin

triggermortis · 01-02-2014 4:11am

I have Craft lobster mitts and they're great. Used them in -13 degrees in Zurich and my hands were nice and warm. I got mine off the Rose website

ednwireland · 01-02-2014 8:59am

http://bbbcycling.com/bike-wear/gloves/BWG-22

i have an old pair of these and am always suprised how warm they are

Pinch Flat · 01-02-2014 5:55pm

Pair of trek mates soft shell wind stopper gloves with merino liners. Never get cold hands

inc21 · 01-02-2014 9:51pm

+

9399733-pair-of-pink-rubber-gloves-isolated-on-white_zpsa13ff3a7.jpg

+

= wet, but warm (well tested today)

ashleey · 01-02-2014 10:34pm

Louis Garneau from Evans Cycles. Great gloves and on sale

doozerie · 02-02-2014 12:45am

I believe that the effectiveness, or not, of gloves is a very personal thing. It's a bit like cycling shoes, or anything to do with cycling really, no one make or model will suit everyone and something that works perfectly for one person can be a disaster for another. So I'm not going to recommend anything, instead I'll outline my personal experiences with various gloves, which might be of some use.

I suffer from cold hands too and it has ruined many a ride for me so I've tried many gloves over the years. I've spent a lot of money in the search for the perfect glove for me, and if I ever find it it will have been worth the cost, but I suspect the solution lies not just with the glove but with my entire choice of what I wear on a ride - I tend to run a bit warm generally, so I'm probably inclined to wear less protection/layers on my arms, for example, than I should and I think this can cause problems at my extremities, my hands. So basically my hands bear the brunt of possibly poor choices in other areas of my kit. Well, that's one theory anyway, I've yet to fully test it by doing something like wearing arm warmers over my long-sleeved base layer and under my winter jacket to see how my hands fared - I'd need a very cold *and* very wet day to make that test worthwhile and I've actually encountered no such days in recent months that I've been out for a lengthy spin.

Anyway, on to my glove experiences:

* I use a pair of DeFeet (merino) DuraGloves with an inner layer of Icebreaker merino liner gloves (don't recall the weight of these, they are the heaviest merino pair that Icebreaker do, as far as I can recall) for my daily commute and have done throughout this winter and last. These work very well for my 11km commute down to about 5C dry, and below that my fingertips get cold. It's a commute, so very stop-start with traffic lights, so quite different to spending a few hours on a spin. I've not tried this combination on a long spin. I've also tried silk liners in place of the Icebreaker ones and they seemed to perform similarly but possibly a bit better. I've commuted in wind chill down to 2C in the two merino layers and though my fingers got cold they didn't get to that horrible level of pain that I associate with long cold rides. When it's wet this combination is not so good, I reckon my hands suffer at anything below maybe 7C or so in the rain.
The great advantage for me of this combination of gloves is that they are relatively thin so operating brakes, changing gears, etc., is no problem at all with these gloves on, plus I can leave the liners off if the weather is warmer for my commute home so they are versatile. The DuraGloves are a few years old now and going strong, but the merino liners are into their second winter and one already has a hole worn in the palm so their durability is not so great.

* I've used BBB Aquashield for my commute and tried them on weekend spins too. Work fine in cold dry weather, similar to the merino combination above, but I found them terrible in wet and cold (others rave about the effectiveness of these gloves in the wet, for me they simply don't work at all). They are bulkier than the merino combination above, so I'll go with the merino ones every time.

* I've used Castelli CW 4.0 Windstopper gloves for both commuting in the wet and longer spins. Fine in dry cold, struggle in wet cold. Take second place to the merino combination above, for commuting anyway, possibly they'd fare a little better in cold and wet long rides but I'm no longer willing to risk them for that after they failed me on my commute in the wet.

* I've used Assos Winter Glove Layer System for several years now. I find the "main" glove layer excellent in the dry cold, and combined with the liner glove they've been great to maybe 3C or 4C (from hazy memory) on dry days. The outer lobster layer might make them effective a bit lower than that but all 3 layers have failed me on my commute at in or around 0C. In the wet all three layers have failed me badly at maybe 4C or so on long rides.

* I bought Castelli Diluvio De Luxe (entirely neoprene) gloves specifically for cold wet weather. Many people rave about neoprene gloves online, some people claim they suck, I've not yet encountered weather to test them properly. I rode them on one long (5hr) cold ride (maybe 6C) where I expected rain but it remained dry throughout - my hands were a bit cold for the first hour or so but warmed up before long but that probably coincided with the temperature rising a little too. That experience seemed to fit with a common trend in reviews where people say neoprene gloves are not good on cold dry days. So I've yet to test them in what I bought them for, cold and wet. Some people dislike the feeling of sweaty hands with neoprene gloves too, I have sensitive skin so this was a concern for me too so I'll probably carry a pair of silk liner gloves to put under these if they aggravate my hands on a ride. I'm still waiting for the right conditions to test these. They cost about 40euro, as do neoprene gloves in other brands too, which is a lot less than many other gloves that claim to work in the cold and wet, but I can't say yet whether they are value for money. They are not very bulky though, so I like their feel and fit.

* Most recently I've been using Pearl Izumi Pro WXB 3x1 gloves. They have a fairly robust feeling inner layer and a primaloft outer layer which claims to be waterproof. I never believe waterproof claims but the outer layer has kept out what little rain they seen so far. I've used these down to maybe 3C or so so far and been happy with their performance. I've had slightly chilly fingers on longer rides but nothing worse than that. The real test for these will be "proper" wet and cold weather but based on my experiences to date I'm optimistic about how they'll fare. Mind you I've been optimistic about some of my other gloves too only to be utterly disappointed ultimately. I now typically choose these over my Assos gloves though, despite being more bulky. They are a similar price to the Assos gloves but Amazon.co.uk sometimes has them at a good price.

* I have a pair of Sealskinz Lobster Gloves which I've not tested properly. They are filled with primaloft too which, combined with them being lobsters, makes them quite bulky. They also claim to be waterproof, but I don't believe that for a moment. Their bulk puts me off so while the Pearl Izumi ones above continue to work these lobster ones will sit in reserve.

* I also have some fairly bulky skiing, I think, gloves in some recognisable brand or other. I've tried these a couple of times but while their performance was okay for commuting to 0C or below (hazy memory here again), their bulk is a real hassle. I haven't used them in ages for that reason so I can't recall how they fared in the wet but I have vague memories of them not being great, or at least not good enough to compensate for their bulk.

Other options that I'll look at next, if the Pearl Izumi's ultimately disappoint, will include materials like possum fur and maybe alpaca. Such materials are fairly readily available these days, online at least, and on paper they look promising. I bought some merino-possum gloves last year hoping they might work as an outer glove but they are too fragile as a cycling outer layer (they were marketed at hikers but even for that they might be too fragile). They are also an odd size. In a better fitting size, and maybe woven differently or mixed with another material, they might be an option as an outer layer, or they might work as a good inner layer maybe.

inc21 · 02-02-2014 8:14am

^^^
:eek:

coastwatch · 02-02-2014 9:14am

+1 on the Gore Bike Wear Road Windstopper too. I've been using them on their own, best I've found so far. They feel a bit loose and bulky initially, but I think winter gloves work better that way. They've worked for me to about 0 C windchill, for any colder, I might give it a miss

pelevin · 02-02-2014 11:55am

I cycled Pole to Pole once, North to South, and found Lidl's fingerless mitts at 3.99 euros did the job handy enough.

seven stars · 02-02-2014 12:25pm

pelevin wrote: »

I got this below, cayenne pepper tincture, which I rub a few drops on my nose which in chilly times can get very uncomfortably cold, also on hands occasionally though I haven't needed it cycling. There's also a much hotter version below again. Certainly not just a placebo. From that site delivery very reasonable cost-wise on what I bought though did take a couple of weeks.

http://www.mynaturalmarket.com/Dr-Christopher-Cayenne-Pepper-Extract.html?%3CosCsid%3E

http://www.mynaturalmarket.com/Dr-Christopher-Hot-Cayenne-Extract-180000-HU.html?%3CosCsid%3E

Does this really keep your hands warm? I'm picturing cold but sore hands.

pelevin · 02-02-2014 12:36pm

seven stars wrote: »

Does this really keep your hands warm? I'm picturing cold but sore hands.

Just to be clear I haven't used it for cycling but in the room I'm in mostly - music studioish/unholy mess which I suppose particularly can be cold just rub a few drops on the hands & it definitely does the job, no pain though if there was broken skin maybe it'd sting. Rubbing a few drops on the nose is brilliantly effective too though the first time or two can be a bit uncomfortable for a while. I'm no scientist but the cayenne will draw blood to whatever area it's applied, & thus the heat(?).
If anyone was ordering from that site I'd say order a few bottles including out of interest one anyway of the very hot one as liberal use & you'd go through them in not too long.

thebouldwhacker · 02-02-2014 2:27pm

Theses could be a option

https://www.revelatedesigns.com/index.cfm/store.catalog/Pogies

Darkglasses · 02-02-2014 2:38pm

Not really a cold hands sufferer here, a normal pair of woolly gloves or mits does me on Irish winter days. Work on improving circulation maybe? Increase iron intake?

Alias G · 02-02-2014 2:41pm

For those who aren't overly fussy, tesco ballybrack have winter cycling gloves for 4 euro.

dissed doc · 02-02-2014 4:12pm

AstraMonti wrote: »

Right, my hands get cold. Really cold. I 've tried: Altura, sealskins, castelli plus proper ski gloves, all of the above with and without glove liners. Ski gloves worked and kept my gloves warm the longest but they are so bulky they are useless.
Now I am looking to shell out a good amount in order to keep my hands warm and I am between the Assos fuguGloves_S7 and Deep Winter Gloves by Rapha. Has anyone tried them both? Or has anyone the same issue that was solved by different gloves?

I have the Assos Fugugloves. Cycling 80-100km, in 2-4 degrees temp is perfect with just them, no base glove layer needed (like the thin lining gloves). Below zero and I would prefer another layer like the lobster claws outside or a lining layer.

(I used to have the triple system with the lobster claws but found them just fiddly and awkward).

macnab · 02-02-2014 8:44pm

I use the Aldi or Lidl winter gloves, they are great. I find they are too warm if the temperature goes above 8° C though. Maybe I don't suffer from particularly cold hands. Having said that I bought the warmest gloves money can buy for my motorbike and I still have cold hands. Maybe I could wear my cycling gloves inside my bike gloves??

StudentC · 02-02-2014 9:40pm

Might be stating the obvious here, apologies if so - but make sure you get the sizing right. Good gloves are pretty useless if they are too small and impede circulation.

I have a quite a lot of trouble with circulation in my hands anyway, but more so on the bike because I have long skinny fingers and struggle to find gloves which have long enough fingers that I don't squash the tips of my fingers down into the seams when I'm on the hoods.

I've gone through lots of different gloves of various thicknesses, and the best I've found so far for me are these Giordana ones. They aren't very thick at all, in fact they are bascially just a shell with minimal insulation, but they are windproof and fit me properly, so that's what seems to make the difference.

Maybe be careful as well with liners + outer gloves combinations for the same reason - more chance of compressing your fingers (or even just part of your fingers, like the tips) and restricting circulation that way.

rollingscone · 02-02-2014 10:00pm

Has anyone had experience with the Craft Bike Storm glove? Wind/rain resistant with fleece lining sounds like it might do me.

padjo5 · 03-02-2014 2:35am

Makes sense to me that if you're looking for gloves to use in wet and cold conditions the perfect place to look is to water-sports?!

If the likes of these work for lads out in water for hours on end they should work for us cyclists?? Cheap as chips too, in comparison to most cycling specific ones. They are less bulky than they look in the photos.

http://www.ewetsuits.com/acatalog/lightweight-neoprene-gloves.html

Let's talk about gloves, proper winter gloves

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