I was s Randonneur for 30 years in Vancouver and I concur with everything you say. Water gets through almost anything. Certainly all the cycling gloves I have tried and also the ones I use for X-C skiing and kayaking fail before long. Some downhill ski gloves might work but make it hard to use the brakes, shift, etc. because of their bulk. Pogies do work and are good because windchill is a major factor - not just the wet. But they are inconvenient. I have seen Randos use rubber kitchen gloves over liners, but only after visiting a corner store in desperation half way through a rainy 400km ride! Hands are important but just as much as feet. Most shoe covers let rain in the bottom so I really like Gore-Tex socks over wool. They really do work. In fact in the cold rains on Haida Gwaii i used them with SPD sandals! Finally, the best gloves for everyday (not all-day) use are from Dollarama. They have these florescent orange jobs with plastic leather outside and polyester fleece inside. They also have a reflective stripe and best of all cost $4. They are as good as some $40 gloves I have tried. I do not know how waterproof they are because I just ride in rain when caught in it but the seams seem tight. You should defintely get a pair or three. Good for turn signals too. Barry
What the heck is that in real temperatures?! Cool Weather: 50 to 40 F = 10 to 4.5 C Cold Weather: 45 to 30 F = 7 to -1 C Very Cold Weather: Below 30 F = 0 C and below
I have used the same pair of Dakine ski mitts for the past 10 Chicago winters. They are good down to about 15-20F. Below that I supplement with chemical hand-warmers. A pair of warmers lasts about 10 hours. They stop generating heat without air so after my commute, I put them in a ziploc bag and squeeze out the air. This makes the pair last a whole work week. I buy a box of 40 pairs for about $20+ every 3-4 years.
For winter fat biking here in interior Alaska we use "pogies" that are insulated covers for your handlebars. They cover your brakes and shifters and you can ride with thin or no gloves in most temperatures with the right ones. They are like sleeping bags for your hands...AND you can keep food in there to keep it from freezing. Way better than keeping it in your bike shorts. Oh, people ride regularly at -20f with these things with no problems. 45NRTH makes 3 different versions for example.
Top randonneuring trick I've learned: Nitrile gloves work as a great waterproof base layer! Especially under wool gloves that stay warm even when wet. Acts as a vapor barrier liner, and hugs pretty tight so it's hard for water to get in at the cuff. I carry two pairs in my rando bag in case I bust one somewhere along the way on a soggy 200k. Even work well as a light windproof layer if you forget to pack your lightweight transition season gloves (learned this the hard way).
@@WildlandExplorer I forgot Watson Stealth Cold War gloves. I use them cycling all Winter and was just skiing with them in -10C weather. About $10. Watson Triple Threats are more waterproof, but not as warm.
My biggest aha was when I found that my wife's rechargeable electric hand warmers fit at the bottom of my bar mitts perfectly. Revelation. Heat the tips of your fingers and lets you rock well below 0F with some snowboard gloves. She has not seen them since.
I've used the Pearl Izumi Lobster Gloves during the past two years of Minnesota winter commuting (20 miles round trip). I've been impressed with their ability to keep the hands comfortable on the 45 minute snow commute in temps down to 0º F (-18º C). What I can't speak to is a multi-hour winter randonnuering event - I'd likely elect for pogies at that point.
Pogies are, as Russ suggested when recommending thinner gloves in conjunction with them, pretty amazing. I found, even after switching to thinner gloves, that you’ll end up unzipping the Pogies to for air flow on certain days well before you’re ready to take them off the bike. I was super pleased with that feature of the Bar Mitts. I live in Minnesota, BTW.
I delivered for Caviar for a year in Seattle. My #1 gloves were rag wool fingerless gloves from Wigwam. Found they were warm enough and I could still operate my touch screen and write with a pen.
I have a pair of gloves that I really like, it's a glove by outdoor research that has a thin layer and a wind/rain layer to them. The wind/rain layer can be put away inside the thin layer in a dedicated zipper so that they don't get lost. I found them to be good until about 1 or 2 degrees Celsius when combined and they stay waterproof for roughly 30 minutes before wetting out so good for short commutes.
I vouch for lined leather gloves. Below 30 degrees and your hands will be windproof and dry but when it's freezing it freezes just like skin would so it's not the warmest but still better than nothing. Even when combined with a thinner under Armour material glove under it for those really cold days my hands still get pretty cold on those real bitter days which really surprised me. Need to try some kind of wool/ gloves to line them with and see how that handles.
I wear Mountain Smith Hardware snowboard gloves for winter commuting. They are easy on and off and reach up to my forearm. Winter temps are teens to low 20's for a 30 minute ride and they do fine. I have worn them on a tour on New Years Eve and I could have used Bar Mitts on that trip to be more comfortable.
It's either Mountainsmith or Mountain Hardwear, but not both :-) I suspect you mean Mountain Hardwear... good stuff! Mountainsmith is well know for their excellent packs...
Back when I lived in eastern Canada I had good luck with heavy boiled wool mittens inside long ski shell mitts. You're right that total waterproofness is hard to achieve but that combo worked great down to about -30*C. Mitts are pretty clumsy compared to gloves but they do OK with bar end shifters and big MTB levers.
Great video. For many years I commuted to work everyday no matter the weather. I have a giant bin of gloves of various types Coldest was about -10. Snowmobile mittens, with inner wool gloves and chemical handwarmers just about staved off frostbite on my 40 minute commute.
For long rides in bad weather I always carry a pair of light neoprene paddling gloves with grippy palms and built in grip contour. Great grip, totally waterproof and warm enough to maintain hand function. For long days with rain I even carry a thin pair of neoprene shorts to wear over my bike shorts. With my legs bare, I keep my ass dry, my core warm and dump enough heat to prevent overheating while wearing a rain shell and the neoprene shorts. NRS in Moscow, Idaho (relatively close to Missoula) has great stuff. As a white water paddler I had the stuff sitting around already, and wow, it works for cycling too.
Commuting year round I have 4 different levels of warmth in gloves. Right now it's a well-insulated glove for early morning rides to work, with another lighter pair in the pack for the afternoon ride home. Sometimes a thin wool liner can make a moderate temp glove work well in the cold (as long as it's not too wet out). The vapor barrier thing really does work well. A pair of nitrile or latex in the pack is good for that sudden rain squall when you are far from home. If it gets really cold, the lobster claws with a handwarmer packet inside are my go to.
One good trick: put a layer or Nitrile gloves like nurses, doctors etc. then put your base layer on. A lot of the time, I don’t even use my bigger gloves. I live in Eastern Washington (Spokane) I log 7-9 thousand miles annually My hands rarely get cold
I've recently tried DexShell gloves. And they do a great job with being waterproof. Different models for varied warmth. I like them because they're multipurpose and very suitable for cycling. No seams in the palm and comfortable. Just wanted to share. Happy cycling.
Minnesotan here. I really like leather chopper mitts for truly cold winter temps. Have never used a poggie and I’m sure they’re great, but I’ve done well with just the mitts
Actually,, when you mention dishwashing gloves, I often wear latex gloves as the layer very closest to my skin to keep me warm in emergency heinous conditions. It isn't comfortable for very long but will keep your hands shockingly warm in insanely cold and even in soggy conditions.
This is a good idea and will work for some people. Unfortunately, I tried using latex gloves under cycling gloves once and had a nasty eczema outbreak on the back of my hands from keeping moisture. I do wonder, if it was the latex and if nitrile gloves would work better.
@@kevinlinares9060 There are hikers that use oversize Showa industrial water proof gloves over thin wool liners. I did it working drilling rigs in my previous life as a driller in North Dakota.
@@kevinlinares9060 Having tried both latex and nitrile, I would go with nitrile The trick being, wear them OVER the cycling gloves. I found this out the hard way when it started chucking it down with rain and the cycling glove soaked right through, trapping the cold water against the nitrile glove. Putting the "rubber" glove outside allowed the water to shed right off and my hands were so warm as to be sweaty when I arrived home
As a weather weenie, anything below the low 30'sF I take the bus or stay home. Above that, I've found that downhill skiing gloves are wonderfully windproof and don't cost any limbs. Wind seems to be an issue for me starting in the low 50's, possibly because I'm so blazingly fast (ROFL!), but more likely because our high humidity gives any wind a sharp bite. Paired with a thin liner, my hands are toasty down to those low 30's.
For very cold (I ride year round in WI) I got a pair of snowmobiling mittens from Cabellas. Gore-Tex, wind proof and very warm. Not as bulky as you might think.
I have found that from 40 to 20 (as tested) with some moisture in the air aerostich elk gloves with silk liners made for motorcycle riding works amazing great for me in MD winters. I started using this gloves + liners when I rode a motorcycle year round in central Illinois. By no means do I like the cold at all as I was born and raised in SoCal.
I'm a cold weather wimp (Hey, I live in Texas!) I have the same Garneu lobster gloves you showed, and they are good, but oddly, I have some full fingered gloves that are warmer, though you wouldn't think they would be. I also have a couple of pairs of convertible-lobster gloves, with an overshell that stows in a pocket on the back of the hand. Very good for changing conditions. I also use some silk glove liners (and sock liners). They are thin enough to fit under almost any other glove and give a nice extra layer of insulation. Not typically found at cycling shops, but most stores with hiking equipment will have them.
Great video! The dance with gloves depending on weather can be tricky and you covered all the right points! We also find a thin wool liner glove paired with another glove that has a shell ( LOVE my pearl izumi ones) works really well on those frigid days. And yea, I have seen some folks with dishwashing gloves before! :p.
Agree on the glove "system" concept. I've got the Dissent 133 's "ultimate" glove pack and have been happy with them so far. Same company that makes Hunt wheels.
I've nearly given up looking for warm gloves that work in heavy rain for long periods. Thinking of Pogie/Bar Mitts that block rain and let me wear thin or fingerless gloves
I made wind guards out of juice jugs. I rode to work everyday day one winter and tried dozens of gloves and nothing worked. With those jugs I could wear pretty much any winter gloves and be fine. It was below freezing a few times but it wasn't the cold it was the cold mixed with the wind wicking the heat away faster. I don't know, I'm cheap and if I can find a cheaper solution I'll try it. A lot of those gloves you mentioned are expensive. Plus I had a really nice bike at the time but I put kitty litter bucket panniers and juice jug wind guards on it and it was really good camouflage.
Perth gets a lot of rain, but the average minimum is 37F, so not freezing but cold windy and wet. I take several pairs of waterproof glove and change them out when they get wet through. Overboots seem to work well, but I haven’t found a decent raincoat yet.
Great video, Russ! I pair up my favorite gloves in the world (Raber "Piggyback" gloves) with a pair of Smartwool liners. The Raber gloves alone are good for temps as low as the high 20s. With a wool liner, I think I could do my 20 minute commute in single digits (thought honestly, I usually drive when it gets below 20).
I cycle in belay gloves in summer and in mountaneering with underglove in winter. works like a charm, as mountain equipment brands are way more responsible in terms of winter windproofing.
I live in the Denver area and have ridden a fair amount in cold, rain and snow. There is little more miserable on a cold ride than cold toes or cold hands. I agree with your assesment of waterproof gloves. What I find is that "waterproof" gloves don't really help because your hands sweat, it condenses inside the glove (even with waterproof breathable fabrics) and your hands get more wet and uncomfortable than they would with just a plain insulated glove with a simple breathable shell. What is more is that gloves made of waterproof materials are difficult to dry. It sucks to put on a cold wet pair of gloves in the morning right before you leave on your commute to work. You are getting wet anyway when it is snowing or raining and it is more comfortable when cloths breath in my opinion. I agree that a glove layering system is ideal. I had a PearlIzumi glove layering system that I loved and used a lot until the wore out. I have not tried the handlebar mounted handwarmers, but have thought about either buying some or improvizing some. Finally, I find that cross country skiing clothing works well for cycling in cold weather. Cross country skiiers have a lot of experience at doing cardiovascular exercise in the cold.
I have this dissent 133 glove system with a thin glove that's good for just all weather use, a knit glove and a waterproof shell glove. I've ridden with them down around 10 degrees and they work pretty well for me. I'm considering switching out the knit glove for something made of wool because as soon as the stock ones get too wet from your body the next time you go out in them they get very cold. But I rode 25 miles in the teens with them this week and it was alright especially compared to my feet which went totally numb. Next video should be on shoes and socks lol.
Yes on BarMitts. I've commuted into the single digits with BarMits and a fleece glove, and I am really susceptible to cold hands. At that point, it's the feet that become the limiting factor.
Great advice in the video and many of the comments. I currently have the opposite problem living near Phoenix and hope you might do a post about being comfortable riding when it is ungodly hot. This past year was hell from mid-April until about 2 weeks ago with temps over 100 up to near 120 (37.7 - 48 C for those Fahrenheit challenged). Pretty much I just used the indoor stationary bike until very recently, actually that’s a lie... mostly I just had a cold one. Got any gear tips for making extreme hot weather riding possible?
I like to use neoprene paddling gloves when the temps are around -5°c to 10°c. I get them from MEC. Very affordable and they have rubberized palms to help your grip. Also thin enough to fit under a waterproof shell.
Thank you for this! I find it hard to keep hands warm even in south Georgia. I find that thin wool gloves under cycling gauntlets is pretty good. Sleeves over thumbs helps. If it's unusually cold (below 40), wool glove liners under larger gloves works pretty well. Around here it's usually cold or wet but not both at the same time. I agree with you that layers are most effective.
Japanese ice fishing gloves!! Fake fur lined, and as waterproof as it gets. Cheap, ready for hard use, and non slick. Atlas temres 282 is the model I've heard by a ton of ice climbers
That is a very good and useful look at gloves for cycling in the winter. Only a small part of the world uses fahrenheit today. I appreciate you live in that part of the world but I guess many of your viewers use celsius. I think it would have been useful to add celsius figures for the temperature ranges. Thank you.
I like the layering idea. That said, I have a pair of Olympia motorcycle gloves that are nice and toasty on both the motorcycle and bicycle. Really neat that you can look at gloves for other wintersports (I like the ice-fishing glove suggestion too!) besides cycling.
Don't forget using Hot Hands inside gloves, but NEVER directly up against the skin. I've used Pearl Izumi lobster claws for years when in New England. When temps hit the teens I wore snowboarding gloves that worked fantastic. However, not very dexterous. Now in Phoenix I only need standard long-fingered MTB gloves, which I wear year-round :-) Thanks!
I'm riding Barts Powerstretch gloves made from Polartec. Hands down best gloves I've ever had. Still keep warm even when wet and dry really quickly. Also they fit perfectly due to the material and are very durable (have them for over five years now). I also use these for alpine touring. Also: light, washable.
I use four sets of gloves, three of them as mentioned in this video. But, for anything below 3C I use heated gloves and love them. Yes, they are expensive, about $150 but they make you look forward to riding knowing that your hands are toasty warm. BTW I live in Toronto and spend 4 months of the year in Florida and my US friends have no clue about Celsius and very few know kilometres. Not their fault.
A pair of French fisherman's gloves I bought in a fishing co-operative in St Malo for £4. Totally waterproof, fleece lined, stupid looking but toasty in all weathers.
Neoprene gloves work great for extremely wet rides! Wool works similarly as it stays warm when its wet! I can usually find scuba diving gloves in 3mm or 4mm thicknesses online cheaper than wool.
Below freezing I only use Black Diamond leather ski gloves. I've been down to -35 C (-31 F) with a pair of their Guide gloves and for less extreme conditions I use their Dirt Bag gloves. They also make a Spark glove which is in between the two. They're all insulated leather gloves. The Guides have a very effective moisture management system for very-extremely cold weather. I'm sure pogies are also great but I didn't use them as a courier since they would've been instantly stolen! Lol. Above freezing I've found that cheap neoprene paddling gloves can be quite effective.
I found that the inner parts of gloves are often not as water resistant as the upper side, and they get wet when you pick up your bike that was outside and is wet (common commuter problem). My favourite gloves are now nordic skying gloves with mittens top (not sure how you call that) in a neoprene type material and a inner layer of simili leather, the brand is Snowlife.
Today's temp was 31 F starting out, so I left my fingerless gloves at home for the first time and broke out the Pearl Izumi Elite softshell gel gloves. Usually mid-30's is my point for switching out of the fingerless gloves. The PI's are pretty much all I need in the winter.
If your core gets even slightly cool, your body preserves life-giving heat by reducing blood circulation to the extremities, so heat control needs a whole-body approach that starts with maintaining core temperature. Also, tight-fitting layers that bunch up under the arms will restrict blood flow. If drenched through, a trick from motorcycling is to stop at a fuel station and put on some diesel gloves as a first layer (often found next to diesel pumps).
I ride in Winnipeg winter all season (-30 to -40). I find in those temperatures, layering with gloves underneath doesn't work because your fingers are separated. You need to keep your fingers together so they keep each other warm.
One thing you didn't mention was heating gloves which operate off batteries providing heat to the fingers. I've used them in very cold temps. Usually a full charge will provide about two hours of heat at the highest level.
winter time a pair of latex covid gloves should be in w/ the tools as last resort liner. PS I like the Plant Bike Lobster gloves also, but I use a mitten shell as opposed the poggies when more & drier is needed
Living on West Coast of Ireland...cool,wet winters. Forget waterproof! I have several pairs of soft-shell,wool,liner gloves,rubber over gloves and neoprene. When wet and cold then neoprene with a liner do best. Need to experiment as we are all different.Some folk feel more cold than others.
Ok, I'll be the one to say it: Awesome video effects with the new tracking motion graphics! Are the close up B-roll shots just static video, zoomed and panned in post? Sorry, can't contribute much to the topic of gloves; only have one set of gloves and the only decision I have in Southern CA is "gloves or no gloves?"
Wondering if you hav done a video on map vs gps vs gpx? I am in AK planning a tour to Atlanta. Looked on ACA website and wondered if I should get the maps or a more high tech option to navigate. Thanks
My go to cold weather gloves are made by Nike of all people. Never really thought about it but they are probably ski gloves. Warm and Russ-style ‘almost waterproof’ 😃
the best cycling/skiing gloves I've had are insulated, dipped woven work gloves that are about $10. They don't breath, so your hands get sweaty, but also they don't breath so there's no convection to take away heat. They end up stinking to high heaven after a season, but they're only $10 so you can buy a new pair.
I call them hippo hands coming form a motorcycle background but, yeah, the pogies are where it's at below freezing. I've been looking for some bike gloves and will give the PB Borealis a try. My motorcycle gloves aren't designed to layer like this and I feel that's important on a bicycle in these shoulder seasons.
A lot of good ideas presented and no one likes cold hands! You might try Klim products. They sell very nice gear for snowmobiling and motorcycle riding. Great stuff if you want to spend some money and know that it will last a long time.
For really freezing conditions, you could consider using 45NRTH Sturmfist 4 with the Merino Liners. Using these since few years. For me the full combo is only usable well below the point water freezes (regardless the point on earth you are)
Why oh why didn’t I see this before? I think I now have 10 pairs of gloves. I just lost my REI fleece mountain biking gloves that I’ve literally had since 2000. I never even worried about if my hands would get cold or wet because they never did. In despair I recently ordered a few pairs of fancy cycling gloves, so far to no avail. 15-20 minutes into my rides my hands start to get cold. With the Pogies, How to you get your hands out quickly enough if you end up going down? I commute daily about 40k here in Beijing so gloves are essential and temps in dead winter are usually 20 degrees or under.
When it’s winter winter? Mittens. Black diamond lined ski mittens. Save my life nyc messaging and daily commuting. Incredibly water resistant outer shell. Cozy washable fleece inside. Anything sub 40. And they slip off SO easy if u need to grab something or check phone. No fingers- genius. My friend gave em to me out of his spare ski gear drawer years ago, and they’re arguably in the race for MVG (gear). And then I keep a cheap Chinese amazon pair of synthetic gloves on hand with the thumbs cut off for phone usage for anything 40-55. That’s what keeps me covered!
Bar Mitts are awesome, but be warned if you need to take your nice warm hands out it's strongly recommended to have dry gloves to put on! The extreme pogies are warm enough that you may even sweat in sub-zero temperatures. I keep a pair of light gloves right in there from 10-20ish degrees F, below that i wear wool liners and have shells crammed in there if i need them. Been out in -10 with -30 windchill, they WORK, but at that point fixing a flat without decent gloves is asking for frostbite.
I have found, when using pogies, that you want to bring a heavier set of gloves with you in case you are stopped for any length of time. At least for me, I need to use a really thin liner glove with a pogie so my gloves don't soak out due to sweat. At the temps I use this system, the glove is too thin to keep my hands warm in case I need to stop and repair anything on the bike (tire/chain/etc).
For ultracold I just do a wool liner inside of my Hestra thick ski mittens with leather palms (lobster style with the first finger free) - not as easy to maneuver the hands around as a cycling lobster mitten but no reason to own two sets of similar gloves in my mind!
I wear a glove that I believe is aimed at those working in freezers or chilled warehouses. Rubber Grippy on the palms & fingers & tight knit on the topside, useful for my runny nose. Why does my nose run while cycling and stop as soon as I come inside??
I don't think I have ever layered gloves. I regularly bike in the teens, but very dry, and I use cheap gloves from Costco. Not quite ski gloves, but they are insulated.
I was s Randonneur for 30 years in Vancouver and I concur with everything you say. Water gets through almost anything. Certainly all the cycling gloves I have tried and also the ones I use for X-C skiing and kayaking fail before long. Some downhill ski gloves might work but make it hard to use the brakes, shift, etc. because of their bulk. Pogies do work and are good because windchill is a major factor - not just the wet. But they are inconvenient. I have seen Randos use rubber kitchen gloves over liners, but only after visiting a corner store in desperation half way through a rainy 400km ride!
Hands are important but just as much as feet. Most shoe covers let rain in the bottom so I really like Gore-Tex socks over wool. They really do work. In fact in the cold rains on Haida Gwaii i used them with SPD sandals!
Finally, the best gloves for everyday (not all-day) use are from Dollarama. They have these florescent orange jobs with plastic leather outside and polyester fleece inside. They also have a reflective stripe and best of all cost $4. They are as good as some $40 gloves I have tried. I do not know how waterproof they are because I just ride in rain when caught in it but the seams seem tight. You should defintely get a pair or three. Good for turn signals too.
Barry
I love Bar Mitts. I used them in -20°C temps and they helped keep my hands and fingers toasty with a liner glove underneath.
What the heck is that in real temperatures?!
Cool Weather: 50 to 40 F = 10 to 4.5 C
Cold Weather: 45 to 30 F = 7 to -1 C
Very Cold Weather: Below 30 F = 0 C and below
Those crazy Americans and their quaint measurement systems 😃
Thank you! You the real MVP!
Doing the lord’s work here
0 C is 32 F Matt ! Just remember. If it's - 40 you don't have to convert at all
@@backpacker3421 Agree - cold is cold
I have used the same pair of Dakine ski mitts for the past 10 Chicago winters. They are good down to about 15-20F. Below that I supplement with chemical hand-warmers. A pair of warmers lasts about 10 hours. They stop generating heat without air so after my commute, I put them in a ziploc bag and squeeze out the air. This makes the pair last a whole work week. I buy a box of 40 pairs for about $20+ every 3-4 years.
Pro tip there Ken 👍
Cheers. Need actually cold weather advice
@@KcarlMarXs Are you asking for advice or is this just a comment?
For winter fat biking here in interior Alaska we use "pogies" that are insulated covers for your handlebars. They cover your brakes and shifters and you can ride with thin or no gloves in most temperatures with the right ones. They are like sleeping bags for your hands...AND you can keep food in there to keep it from freezing. Way better than keeping it in your bike shorts. Oh, people ride regularly at -20f with these things with no problems. 45NRTH makes 3 different versions for example.
Top randonneuring trick I've learned: Nitrile gloves work as a great waterproof base layer! Especially under wool gloves that stay warm even when wet. Acts as a vapor barrier liner, and hugs pretty tight so it's hard for water to get in at the cuff. I carry two pairs in my rando bag in case I bust one somewhere along the way on a soggy 200k. Even work well as a light windproof layer if you forget to pack your lightweight transition season gloves (learned this the hard way).
All the nitrile gloves I have seen have leaky seams. Maybe just the cheap ones I buy.
On the other extremes, I used to line my shoes with shopping bags for warmth / dryness.
@@ME-hm7zm They work outside shoes too!
This trick works in extremely low temperatures and can also cure the dry and cracked knuckles that occur due to winter cold and cleaning.
@@WildlandExplorer I forgot Watson Stealth Cold War gloves. I use them cycling all Winter and was just skiing with them in -10C weather. About $10. Watson Triple Threats are more waterproof, but not as warm.
Thank you
My biggest aha was when I found that my wife's rechargeable electric hand warmers fit at the bottom of my bar mitts perfectly. Revelation. Heat the tips of your fingers and lets you rock well below 0F with some snowboard gloves. She has not seen them since.
When it pours here is Canada I use neoprene kayak gloves.
same here. Also use them for wet 'cross races around the freezing point.
I've used the Pearl Izumi Lobster Gloves during the past two years of Minnesota winter commuting (20 miles round trip). I've been impressed with their ability to keep the hands comfortable on the 45 minute snow commute in temps down to 0º F (-18º C). What I can't speak to is a multi-hour winter randonnuering event - I'd likely elect for pogies at that point.
Silk liners are a great layering addition. Super light but add a lot of insulating warmth.
I’ve used those Borealis gloves for two winters now and been very pleased with them.
Pogies are, as Russ suggested when recommending thinner gloves in conjunction with them, pretty amazing. I found, even after switching to thinner gloves, that you’ll end up unzipping the Pogies to for air flow on certain days well before you’re ready to take them off the bike. I was super pleased with that feature of the Bar Mitts. I live in Minnesota, BTW.
Diving gloves for wet season, best choice
Thanks. Was thinking of those, having used them in my teens (nearly fifty years ago.)
They *did* keep my hands warm.
I delivered for Caviar for a year in Seattle. My #1 gloves were rag wool fingerless gloves from Wigwam. Found they were warm enough and I could still operate my touch screen and write with a pen.
I'm liking the interstitial titles on this one. Looking good.
I have a pair of gloves that I really like, it's a glove by outdoor research that has a thin layer and a wind/rain layer to them. The wind/rain layer can be put away inside the thin layer in a dedicated zipper so that they don't get lost. I found them to be good until about 1 or 2 degrees Celsius when combined and they stay waterproof for roughly 30 minutes before wetting out so good for short commutes.
as a bike messenger i found out, that leather gloves work the best on long rainy days. you just have to put wax on them after heavy use.
I've done this riding moto in cold wet weather too it works. The longer you have the gloves the better they get too oddly enough.
@@Max-xl3ml also motobike gloves are superior in snowy situations. plus it makes you look like trooper!
@@zumthobelhobel2266 hahah yes especially the ones with the hard knuckles lol, ready to lane split and smash some mirrors!
I vouch for lined leather gloves. Below 30 degrees and your hands will be windproof and dry but when it's freezing it freezes just like skin would so it's not the warmest but still better than nothing. Even when combined with a thinner under Armour material glove under it for those really cold days my hands still get pretty cold on those real bitter days which really surprised me. Need to try some kind of wool/ gloves to line them with and see how that handles.
I wear Mountain Smith Hardware snowboard gloves for winter commuting. They are easy on and off and reach up to my forearm. Winter temps are teens to low 20's for a 30 minute ride and they do fine. I have worn them on a tour on New Years Eve and I could have used Bar Mitts on that trip to be more comfortable.
It's either Mountainsmith or Mountain Hardwear, but not both :-) I suspect you mean Mountain Hardwear... good stuff! Mountainsmith is well know for their excellent packs...
Back when I lived in eastern Canada I had good luck with heavy boiled wool mittens inside long ski shell mitts. You're right that total waterproofness is hard to achieve but that combo worked great down to about -30*C. Mitts are pretty clumsy compared to gloves but they do OK with bar end shifters and big MTB levers.
That was a very good reason for using retro bar end shifters! 👍
I have Bar Mitts on my road bike and I love them.
Very informative - thank you. I use the glove and Bar Mitts system.
Great video. For many years I commuted to work everyday no matter the weather. I have a giant bin of gloves of various types Coldest was about -10. Snowmobile mittens, with inner wool gloves and chemical handwarmers just about staved off frostbite on my 40 minute commute.
For long rides in bad weather I always carry a pair of light neoprene paddling gloves with grippy palms and built in grip contour. Great grip, totally waterproof and warm enough to maintain hand function. For long days with rain I even carry a thin pair of neoprene shorts to wear over my bike shorts. With my legs bare, I keep my ass dry, my core warm and dump enough heat to prevent overheating while wearing a rain shell and the neoprene shorts. NRS in Moscow, Idaho (relatively close to Missoula) has great stuff. As a white water paddler I had the stuff sitting around already, and wow, it works for cycling too.
Commuting year round I have 4 different levels of warmth in gloves. Right now it's a well-insulated glove for early morning rides to work, with another lighter pair in the pack for the afternoon ride home. Sometimes a thin wool liner can make a moderate temp glove work well in the cold (as long as it's not too wet out). The vapor barrier thing really does work well. A pair of nitrile or latex in the pack is good for that sudden rain squall when you are far from home. If it gets really cold, the lobster claws with a handwarmer packet inside are my go to.
One good trick: put a layer or Nitrile gloves like nurses, doctors etc. then put your base layer on.
A lot of the time, I don’t even use my bigger gloves.
I live in Eastern Washington (Spokane)
I log 7-9 thousand miles annually
My hands rarely get cold
I've recently tried DexShell gloves. And they do a great job with being waterproof. Different models for varied warmth. I like them because they're multipurpose and very suitable for cycling. No seams in the palm and comfortable. Just wanted to share. Happy cycling.
Great in depth personal if expensive experienced advice.
Thank you for the first truth, which I also discovered for myself. And also at about the exact same temperature as your calculation - !
Minnesotan here. I really like leather chopper mitts for truly cold winter temps. Have never used a poggie and I’m sure they’re great, but I’ve done well with just the mitts
Word, Russ. From a guy who has cycled for hours in “very cold” weather, you speak the truth.
Actually,, when you mention dishwashing gloves, I often wear latex gloves as the layer very closest to my skin to keep me warm in emergency heinous conditions. It isn't comfortable for very long but will keep your hands shockingly warm in insanely cold and even in soggy conditions.
This is a good idea and will work for some people. Unfortunately, I tried using latex gloves under cycling gloves once and had a nasty eczema outbreak on the back of my hands from keeping moisture. I do wonder, if it was the latex and if nitrile gloves would work better.
@@kevinlinares9060 There are hikers that use oversize Showa industrial water proof gloves over thin wool liners. I did it working drilling rigs in my previous life as a driller in North Dakota.
@@kevinlinares9060 Having tried both latex and nitrile, I would go with nitrile
The trick being, wear them OVER the cycling gloves. I found this out the hard way when it started chucking it down with rain and the cycling glove soaked right through, trapping the cold water against the nitrile glove.
Putting the "rubber" glove outside allowed the water to shed right off and my hands were so warm as to be sweaty when I arrived home
Kinco lined gloves for the cold zone
As a weather weenie, anything below the low 30'sF I take the bus or stay home. Above that, I've found that downhill skiing gloves are wonderfully windproof and don't cost any limbs. Wind seems to be an issue for me starting in the low 50's, possibly because I'm so blazingly fast (ROFL!), but more likely because our high humidity gives any wind a sharp bite. Paired with a thin liner, my hands are toasty down to those low 30's.
For very cold (I ride year round in WI) I got a pair of snowmobiling mittens from Cabellas. Gore-Tex, wind proof and very warm. Not as bulky as you might think.
I have found that from 40 to 20 (as tested) with some moisture in the air aerostich elk gloves with silk liners made for motorcycle riding works amazing great for me in MD winters. I started using this gloves + liners when I rode a motorcycle year round in central Illinois. By no means do I like the cold at all as I was born and raised in SoCal.
I'm a cold weather wimp (Hey, I live in Texas!) I have the same Garneu lobster gloves you showed, and they are good, but oddly, I have some full fingered gloves that are warmer, though you wouldn't think they would be. I also have a couple of pairs of convertible-lobster gloves, with an overshell that stows in a pocket on the back of the hand. Very good for changing conditions. I also use some silk glove liners (and sock liners). They are thin enough to fit under almost any other glove and give a nice extra layer of insulation. Not typically found at cycling shops, but most stores with hiking equipment will have them.
Wind resistance is key for me. Pogies are on my shopping list for November. Yes, lets get the silver start button.
Great video! The dance with gloves depending on weather can be tricky and you covered all the right points! We also find a thin wool liner glove paired with another glove that has a shell ( LOVE my pearl izumi ones) works really well on those frigid days. And yea, I have seen some folks with dishwashing gloves before! :p.
Excellent! Great topic.
Agree on the glove "system" concept. I've got the Dissent 133 's "ultimate" glove pack and have been happy with them so far. Same company that makes Hunt wheels.
I've nearly given up looking for warm gloves that work in heavy rain for long periods. Thinking of Pogie/Bar Mitts that block rain and let me wear thin or fingerless gloves
I made wind guards out of juice jugs. I rode to work everyday day one winter and tried dozens of gloves and nothing worked. With those jugs I could wear pretty much any winter gloves and be fine. It was below freezing a few times but it wasn't the cold it was the cold mixed with the wind wicking the heat away faster. I don't know, I'm cheap and if I can find a cheaper solution I'll try it. A lot of those gloves you mentioned are expensive. Plus I had a really nice bike at the time but I put kitty litter bucket panniers and juice jug wind guards on it and it was really good camouflage.
Perth gets a lot of rain, but the average minimum is 37F, so not freezing but cold windy and wet. I take several pairs of waterproof glove and change them out when they get wet through. Overboots seem to work well, but I haven’t found a decent raincoat yet.
Great video, Russ! I pair up my favorite gloves in the world (Raber "Piggyback" gloves) with a pair of Smartwool liners. The Raber gloves alone are good for temps as low as the high 20s. With a wool liner, I think I could do my 20 minute commute in single digits (thought honestly, I usually drive when it gets below 20).
in canada, below -15°c i often use ski doo or ''musher'' gloves, sometimes with a small wool glove inside. i'd really like to try bar mitts tho
I cycle in belay gloves in summer and in mountaneering with underglove in winter. works like a charm, as mountain equipment brands are way more responsible in terms of winter windproofing.
Carbon bars + sniper gloves from the US military surplus store (eBay) works really well for me in Canada!
I live in the Denver area and have ridden a fair amount in cold, rain and snow. There is little more miserable on a cold ride than cold toes or cold hands. I agree with your assesment of waterproof gloves. What I find is that "waterproof" gloves don't really help because your hands sweat, it condenses inside the glove (even with waterproof breathable fabrics) and your hands get more wet and uncomfortable than they would with just a plain insulated glove with a simple breathable shell. What is more is that gloves made of waterproof materials are difficult to dry. It sucks to put on a cold wet pair of gloves in the morning right before you leave on your commute to work. You are getting wet anyway when it is snowing or raining and it is more comfortable when cloths breath in my opinion. I agree that a glove layering system is ideal. I had a PearlIzumi glove layering system that I loved and used a lot until the wore out. I have not tried the handlebar mounted handwarmers, but have thought about either buying some or improvizing some. Finally, I find that cross country skiing clothing works well for cycling in cold weather. Cross country skiiers have a lot of experience at doing cardiovascular exercise in the cold.
Just ordered a pair of Moose Mitts pogies for drop bars. Supposedly able to use them in the drops, not just the hoods.
I have this dissent 133 glove system with a thin glove that's good for just all weather use, a knit glove and a waterproof shell glove. I've ridden with them down around 10 degrees and they work pretty well for me. I'm considering switching out the knit glove for something made of wool because as soon as the stock ones get too wet from your body the next time you go out in them they get very cold. But I rode 25 miles in the teens with them this week and it was alright especially compared to my feet which went totally numb. Next video should be on shoes and socks lol.
Yes on BarMitts. I've commuted into the single digits with BarMits and a fleece glove, and I am really susceptible to cold hands. At that point, it's the feet that become the limiting factor.
Great advice in the video and many of the comments. I currently have the opposite problem living near Phoenix and hope you might do a post about being comfortable riding when it is ungodly hot. This past year was hell from mid-April until about 2 weeks ago with temps over 100 up to near 120 (37.7 - 48 C for those Fahrenheit challenged). Pretty much I just used the indoor stationary bike until very recently, actually that’s a lie... mostly I just had a cold one. Got any gear tips for making extreme hot weather riding possible?
I like to use neoprene paddling gloves when the temps are around -5°c to 10°c. I get them from MEC. Very affordable and they have rubberized palms to help your grip. Also thin enough to fit under a waterproof shell.
Thank you for this! I find it hard to keep hands warm even in south Georgia. I find that thin wool gloves under cycling gauntlets is pretty good. Sleeves over thumbs helps. If it's unusually cold (below 40), wool glove liners under larger gloves works pretty well. Around here it's usually cold or wet but not both at the same time. I agree with you that layers are most effective.
Japanese ice fishing gloves!! Fake fur lined, and as waterproof as it gets. Cheap, ready for hard use, and non slick. Atlas temres 282 is the model I've heard by a ton of ice climbers
Showa is a good make, decent PPE
That is a very good and useful look at gloves for cycling in the winter. Only a small part of the world uses fahrenheit today. I appreciate you live in that part of the world but I guess many of your viewers use celsius. I think it would have been useful to add celsius figures for the temperature ranges. Thank you.
I love my silk gloves for a liner.
I like the layering idea. That said, I have a pair of Olympia motorcycle gloves that are nice and toasty on both the motorcycle and bicycle. Really neat that you can look at gloves for other wintersports (I like the ice-fishing glove suggestion too!) besides cycling.
Good information, especially regarding layering. For very cold winter weather I find ski gloves to fit the bill as well as pogies.
Yeah, I’ve used down-filled mittens on my coldest days (temps in teens F) and they do very well.
Don't forget using Hot Hands inside gloves, but NEVER directly up against the skin. I've used Pearl Izumi lobster claws for years when in New England. When temps hit the teens I wore snowboarding gloves that worked fantastic. However, not very dexterous. Now in Phoenix I only need standard long-fingered MTB gloves, which I wear year-round :-) Thanks!
So it snows where I live so thanks. When I lived in a very rainy place people would ware a pair of latex gloves in their layers
I'm riding Barts Powerstretch gloves made from Polartec. Hands down best gloves I've ever had. Still keep warm even when wet and dry really quickly. Also they fit perfectly due to the material and are very durable (have them for over five years now). I also use these for alpine touring. Also: light, washable.
I use four sets of gloves, three of them as mentioned in this video. But, for anything below 3C I use heated gloves and love them. Yes, they are expensive, about $150 but they make you look forward to riding knowing that your hands are toasty warm. BTW I live in Toronto and spend 4 months of the year in Florida and my US friends have no clue about Celsius and very few know kilometres. Not their fault.
A pair of French fisherman's gloves I bought in a fishing co-operative in St Malo for £4. Totally waterproof, fleece lined, stupid looking but toasty in all weathers.
Neoprene gloves work great for extremely wet rides! Wool works similarly as it stays warm when its wet! I can usually find scuba diving gloves in 3mm or 4mm thicknesses online cheaper than wool.
Below freezing I only use Black Diamond leather ski gloves. I've been down to -35 C (-31 F) with a pair of their Guide gloves and for less extreme conditions I use their Dirt Bag gloves. They also make a Spark glove which is in between the two. They're all insulated leather gloves. The Guides have a very effective moisture management system for very-extremely cold weather. I'm sure pogies are also great but I didn't use them as a courier since they would've been instantly stolen! Lol. Above freezing I've found that cheap neoprene paddling gloves can be quite effective.
I found that the inner parts of gloves are often not as water resistant as the upper side, and they get wet when you pick up your bike that was outside and is wet (common commuter problem). My favourite gloves are now nordic skying gloves with mittens top (not sure how you call that) in a neoprene type material and a inner layer of simili leather, the brand is Snowlife.
On really cold days i throw some hand warmers in my bar mits or try taping them to my handlebars
Today's temp was 31 F starting out, so I left my fingerless gloves at home for the first time and broke out the Pearl Izumi Elite softshell gel gloves. Usually mid-30's is my point for switching out of the fingerless gloves. The PI's are pretty much all I need in the winter.
What's that in °C?
A second vote for defeet merino wool. Perfect for chilly to cold situations.
Totally, they have a really wide temp range. Plus being defeat ... they have just the right amount of stretch & durability.
If your core gets even slightly cool, your body preserves life-giving heat by reducing blood circulation to the extremities, so heat control needs a whole-body approach that starts with maintaining core temperature. Also, tight-fitting layers that bunch up under the arms will restrict blood flow.
If drenched through, a trick from motorcycling is to stop at a fuel station and put on some diesel gloves as a first layer (often found next to diesel pumps).
I ride in Winnipeg winter all season (-30 to -40). I find in those temperatures, layering with gloves underneath doesn't work because your fingers are separated. You need to keep your fingers together so they keep each other warm.
One thing you didn't mention was heating gloves which operate off batteries providing heat to the fingers. I've used them in very cold temps. Usually a full charge will provide about two hours of heat at the highest level.
winter time a pair of latex covid gloves should be in w/ the tools as last resort liner.
PS I like the Plant Bike Lobster gloves also, but I use a mitten shell as opposed the poggies when more & drier is needed
Living on West Coast of Ireland...cool,wet winters. Forget waterproof! I have several pairs of soft-shell,wool,liner gloves,rubber over gloves and neoprene. When wet and cold then neoprene with a liner do best. Need to experiment as we are all different.Some folk feel more cold than others.
Ok, I'll be the one to say it: Awesome video effects with the new tracking motion graphics! Are the close up B-roll shots just static video, zoomed and panned in post? Sorry, can't contribute much to the topic of gloves; only have one set of gloves and the only decision I have in Southern CA is "gloves or no gloves?"
Using the 4K internal pan in Lumix cams.
@@PathLessPedaledTV Thanks!! (Googles "internal pan Lumix")
Hunt's side brand Dissent133 sell a complete glove system for all weathers including an Outdry layer. Worth checking out.
If you don't mind spending big duckets, light ice climbing gloves make pretty awesome cold weather biking gloves.
Wondering if you hav done a video on map vs gps vs gpx? I am in AK planning a tour to Atlanta. Looked on ACA website and wondered if I should get the maps or a more high tech option to navigate. Thanks
Bar mitts and thinner gloves!
Costco and TJMaxx/Marshalls... lots of name brand options at great prices.
I use my motorcycle gloves when it gets below freezing. They are for winter riding and are water proof. At least several hours before they wet out
My go to cold weather gloves are made by Nike of all people. Never really thought about it but they are probably ski gloves. Warm and Russ-style ‘almost waterproof’ 😃
the best cycling/skiing gloves I've had are insulated, dipped woven work gloves that are about $10. They don't breath, so your hands get sweaty, but also they don't breath so there's no convection to take away heat. They end up stinking to high heaven after a season, but they're only $10 so you can buy a new pair.
Thanks for the cool video.
Very nice to learn from someone who has tried more. Would you consider putting celsius data in the subtitle or so.
I call them hippo hands coming form a motorcycle background but, yeah, the pogies are where it's at below freezing.
I've been looking for some bike gloves and will give the PB Borealis a try. My motorcycle gloves aren't designed to layer like this and I feel that's important on a bicycle in these shoulder seasons.
A lot of good ideas presented and no one likes cold hands! You might try Klim products. They sell very nice gear for snowmobiling and motorcycle riding. Great stuff if you want to spend some money and know that it will last a long time.
For really freezing conditions, you could consider using 45NRTH Sturmfist 4 with the Merino Liners. Using these since few years. For me the full combo is only usable well below the point water freezes (regardless the point on earth you are)
I got barmitts for a scooter at a small fraction of the price of biking specific ones ($15 vs $100). They work fine.
Right now I'm using Bar Mitts and Sealskinz gloves.
Why oh why didn’t I see this before? I think I now have 10 pairs of gloves. I just lost my REI fleece mountain biking gloves that I’ve literally had since 2000. I never even worried about if my hands would get cold or wet because they never did. In despair I recently ordered a few pairs of fancy cycling gloves, so far to no avail. 15-20 minutes into my rides my hands start to get cold. With the Pogies, How to you get your hands out quickly enough if you end up going down? I commute daily about 40k here in Beijing so gloves are essential and temps in dead winter are usually 20 degrees or under.
Swix. They make clothes for XC skiing and have great gloves. I have their lobster claw gloves that I can use down to the teens and my hands run cold.
Hi. How do you keep your feet warm?
When it’s winter winter? Mittens. Black diamond lined ski mittens. Save my life nyc messaging and daily commuting. Incredibly water resistant outer shell. Cozy washable fleece inside. Anything sub 40. And they slip off SO easy if u need to grab something or check phone. No fingers- genius. My friend gave em to me out of his spare ski gear drawer years ago, and they’re arguably in the race for MVG (gear).
And then I keep a cheap Chinese amazon pair of synthetic gloves on hand with the thumbs cut off for phone usage for anything 40-55.
That’s what keeps me covered!
Bar Mitts are awesome, but be warned if you need to take your nice warm hands out it's strongly recommended to have dry gloves to put on! The extreme pogies are warm enough that you may even sweat in sub-zero temperatures. I keep a pair of light gloves right in there from 10-20ish degrees F, below that i wear wool liners and have shells crammed in there if i need them. Been out in -10 with -30 windchill, they WORK, but at that point fixing a flat without decent gloves is asking for frostbite.
I have found, when using pogies, that you want to bring a heavier set of gloves with you in case you are stopped for any length of time. At least for me, I need to use a really thin liner glove with a pogie so my gloves don't soak out due to sweat. At the temps I use this system, the glove is too thin to keep my hands warm in case I need to stop and repair anything on the bike (tire/chain/etc).
Absolutely!
For ultracold I just do a wool liner inside of my Hestra thick ski mittens with leather palms (lobster style with the first finger free) - not as easy to maneuver the hands around as a cycling lobster mitten but no reason to own two sets of similar gloves in my mind!
I wear a glove that I believe is aimed at those working in freezers or chilled warehouses. Rubber Grippy on the palms & fingers & tight knit on the topside, useful for my runny nose. Why does my nose run while cycling and stop as soon as I come inside??
I don't think I have ever layered gloves. I regularly bike in the teens, but very dry, and I use cheap gloves from Costco. Not quite ski gloves, but they are insulated.