# WATERPROOF lobster mits/glove shells



## Stosh (Canada) (Jul 19, 2005)

Eastern Canada, near Toronto, ON

Wanted Waterproof lobster mitt / glove shells for wet/cold commuting weather.

Yes in theory nothing should get through WATERPROOF, but I am not holding my breath based on personal experience and drying time for my thinsulate(SP?) lobsters. 

SO i am looking for a WP Lobster style shell, that I can wear over thin Wool or Synthetic gloves that I can swap as necessary for drying.

Chainstores are preferable if I need to order outside of Canada, but great service wins the order.

Thanks in advance for any help.:thumbsup: 

Stosh


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## mechBgon (Jan 28, 2007)

If you haven't considered pogies (bar / control covers), also consider that idea. I got some for US$18 at Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000OF91IS For gloves, I'm using military-surplus wool gloves inside a shell glove, which certainly does make it easy to dry them and/or swap to dry liners.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

I have the Pearl Izumi lobster gloves, and they're pretty good. They're too hot down to 20*F or so (-7 C) and not quite warm enough for me when used by themselves when you get down to about zero* F (-18 C). With liner gloves they are toasty, and would be good to go at much lower temps. They are pretty weatherproof. It's usually frozen up pretty good when I'm wearing them, so I don't deal with a lot of wet, but when I have had them on in the slush with no fenders, they have kept my hands totally dry.


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## [email protected] (Oct 17, 2009)

CommuterBoy said:


> I have the Pearl Izumi lobster gloves, and they're pretty good. They're too hot down to 20*F or so (-7 C) and not quite warm enough for me when used by themselves when you get down to about zero* F (-18 C). With liner gloves they are toasty, and would be good to go at much lower temps. They are pretty weatherproof. It's usually frozen up pretty good when I'm wearing them, so I don't deal with a lot of wet, but when I have had them on in the slush with no fenders, they have kept my hands totally dry.


ditto. i am looking for some thin polypro liners to use with them.


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## limba (Jan 9, 2004)

I think Pearl Izumi changed something about their gloves a few years ago because they suddenly sucked. Maybe they changed them back or I had a bad pair? My original gloves were great but the newer ones weren't warm at all. I've been wearing Walmart gloves the last two winters and they work better than any cycling glove I've tried.

I have no experience with these gloves but they might be worth a look.
http://www.gorebikewear.com/remote/Satellite/MenGloves

Here's a cool video on Gore's winter products.
http://www.youtube.com/user/competitivecyclist#p/u/6/hUOKewZcH2g


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## dskunk (Jan 13, 2004)

limba said:


> I think Pearl Izumi changed something about their gloves a few years ago because they suddenly sucked. Maybe they changed them back or I had a bad pair? My original gloves were great but the newer ones weren't warm at all.


Yeah, that's what I have been thinking too.

I've been doing fairly well with climbing gloves and wool liners, but I'm still willing to try something else


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## nepbug (Sep 3, 2004)

Performance has these:
http://www.performancebike.com/bikes//Product_10052_10551_1016552_-1___

They are just water-resistant though. Only in small online, you might luck out at a store though and get other sizes.

Outdoor Research used to make some gore-tex ones, but alas I think they are no more.
http://www.backpacking.net/hotgear.html#lobster
http://www.prolitegear.com/cgi-bin/prolitegear/pl_outdoor_research_rain_claw_mitts.html


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## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Stosh (Canada) said:


> Eastern Canada, near Toronto, ON
> 
> Wanted Waterproof lobster mitt / glove shells for wet/cold commuting weather.
> 
> ...


http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...older_id=2534374302698971&bmUID=1261067798450

I have used these for three winters, work great okay for 30 minutes at -35 C, with wind.

Almost totaly wind proof and water proof...if your sweating pull out the liner and put them in your pocket.


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## Shayne (Jan 14, 2004)

*Yes*

PI was bought out a few years ago and all their products went waaaaay downhill.
Ther're either on their own again or were picked up by another company so I'm hoping for better things in the future.


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## racerdave (May 12, 2007)

The Mec stuff looks promising. 

I liked the Pearls initially, but in the cold they leak air on the sides between the fingers and that transforms them into being useless on a day with some wind.

The pogies (ATV bar mitts) work the best for cold, but they will likely absorb water. I don't know about keeping the hands dry, as I've only used them in cold conditions. They were great yesterday at 3 F.

But I've had no luck in finding good waterproof gloves/mitts. I'm beginning to think they don't exist, because I've looked and tried a bunch over the years. Nothing has shed water well.


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## Stosh (Canada) (Jul 19, 2005)

Thanks for the help:

I am looking into the suggestions.

Stosh


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

^^ I haven't noticed an air leak in my lobsters...maybe I got lucky in an era of poor quality control? I've had them for a year and a half...not sure if I have 'old' ones or 'new' ones. 

I have some nice Burton snowboard gloves. They are totally wind/waterproof, have liner gloves, and are as warm and waterproof as you need...but they are super bulky on the bike. I don't like wearing them on the bike at all. But it's an option if you haven't looked into it. 

Also, I have heard a few guys talk about Ice Climbing gloves as being really good for the bike. They are waterproof/windproof, and designed for using your fingers...I'm going to try these next. There are several brands out there. My softshell jacket (mountain hardwear) is designed for ice climbing, and I can't stop gushing about how much I'm in love with it, so I have high hopes for the gloves.


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## Stosh (Canada) (Jul 19, 2005)

CommuterBoy said:


> Also, I have heard a few guys talk about Ice Climbing gloves as being really good for the bike.


Hmmm. Had not looked at this route. Gotta look it how long it will take to dry the liner when I screw up though.

Between this or ATV/Motocycle pogies I think you all have found different solutions to the same problem

Thanks again

Stosh


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## N10S (Sep 27, 2004)

I have a pair of OR Pro Alti ice climbing gloves and they are the deal. I bought them when I lived and worked in Valdez AK and did a lot of snowshoeing as well as making trecherous work trips in the winter to place like McCarthy. Fun for sure, but crazy cold -45 degree temps dictate quality cold weather gear you can trust. The Alti's have a gore shell and a nice long cuff with speed draws to help keep the cold, snow and wet weather at bay. The gloves have nice pre-curved fingers which makes them a little easier to use and they are pretty grippy to boot. The downside is they aren't cheap, and they are a little bulky, but in my opinion still usable for things like cycling and other activities that require finger dexterity.


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## RetroS (Oct 17, 2006)

Rode last weekend 25 degrees, Plant Bike Borealis. Hands warm. Supposedly waterproof, but if its raining here in the PNW its not as cold so I would be wearing a lighter waterproof Endura Gore Tex glove. Have a newer pair of Castelli that are not warm or dry.


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

It was -30C on the ride to work on Monday here in Calgary, colder still with the windchill. I am using Dogwood Designs pogies from Fairbanks, AK. At those temps, my hands were quite comfortable. In fact, my wrists were slightly sweaty. My mitts are the old style MEC lobsters. They have holes in them and smell bad, but they really work. The current generation of MEC lobsters are almost as bad as the PI version. If you want a Canadian pogie supplier, there's a woman here that makes them custom. I didn't find out about her until after I had the AK versions, but you see her products on a lot of courier bikes around town.


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

I must have an old set of PI lobsters 'cause my hand sweat like a butcher unless the temp is below 20*F (same experience as commuter boy). I bought 'em last year in November @ REI.


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

pursuiter said:


> I must have an old set of PI lobsters 'cause my hand sweat like a butcher unless the temp is below 20*F (same experience as commuter boy). I bought 'em last year in November @ REI.


I think our varied experiences show that everyone's warmth levels are different. My PI lobsters couldn't keep my hands warm past freezing, much less 20F. They only got me 3 degrees past my regular mtn biking gloves. I've heard from people who have used the MEC lobsters that they were sweating like crazy at -20C, whereas that's the limit of comfort for me unless I'm using the pogies. Diff'rent strokes...


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

^^ I agree. I sweat like a hog in my lobsters unless it is in the teens, basically. Can't wear them above 20. I have a mid-weight pair of windproof gloves for that range. I have experienced tingly cold fingers in the very low single digits with the lobsters. I'm wanting to add a layer at about 5 degrees F. 

What I want to find is a good waterproof pair of mid-weight gloves, since the lobsters are only broken out when it's far enough below freezing to not be wet. I need my 20-40 degree gloves to be waterproof, and all I can find is windproof ones.


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## [email protected] (Oct 17, 2009)

CommuterBoy said:


> ^^ I agree. I sweat like a hog in my lobsters unless it is in the teens, basically. Can't wear them above 20. I have a mid-weight pair of windproof gloves for that range. I have experienced tingly cold fingers in the very low single digits with the lobsters. I'm wanting to add a layer at about 5 degrees F.
> 
> What I want to find is a good waterproof pair of mid-weight gloves, since the lobsters are only broken out when it's far enough below freezing to not be wet. I need my 20-40 degree gloves to be waterproof, and all I can find is windproof ones.


My hands sweat in them above 20 when I am climbing. They are valuable for downhilling in the 20's and low 30's.


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## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

^^ I can see that with the windchill. I only use them on the commute, so relatively low speeds compared to blasting down hill.


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## Fineas (Nov 12, 2008)

*New at MEC*

Hi Stosh,

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...4442633344&FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302886890

this might be what you are looking for-I will be picking up a pair on Thursday to try...what size would you take ?


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## Dalton (Jun 30, 2004)

I've been thinking a lot about gloves too because I've got $10 Meijer gloves that make my hands sweat or some half finger gloves. Not too good when my commutes are starting in the 20* F range these days. I think I might try out the Gore Alp-X Windstopper Glove, but I just don't know. All I do know is that I need something better than what I have. These days it seems I need two pairs of gloves though because I am riding 20's in the morning and 50s at night.... Thinking about some of the mountain hardware with liners so that maybe I can just go liner in the afternoon and full in the morning, but then I will probably be too hot. Argh!


Edit: Nice, just realized this thread is from 2009. Back from the dead..... long dead.


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## Stosh (Canada) (Jul 19, 2005)

Fineas said:


> Hi Stosh,
> 
> http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...4442633344&FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302886890
> 
> this might be what you are looking for-I will be picking up a pair on Thursday to try...what size would you take ?


Hey Fineas,

Thanks for the resurrection, that time of year, I will look into those. Soon, Check your PMs.

Stosh


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

Huh, I've been looking for decent, sturdy, waterproof gloves or mittens for a long time now. Here in Portland OR, my usual riding conditions are 30-45°F, in absolute pouring rain. Everything I try seems to soak through pretty quickly, and I don't want any crazy super-insulated ski mittens or gloves, because then my hands are swimming in sweat. Been looking at the Mountain Hardwear Epic gloves, which seem to be mostly a waterproof shell...


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## attomixt (Dec 26, 2004)

Summer gloves in the teens with these










Acrylic-coated 100% woven polyester waterproof fabric
100% Hand sewn with Bonded Nylon thread


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

Did you make those? They look very slick!

I've looked at some of the commercial bar mitts, but I lock up outside a lot, and something like that would get ripped off pretty quickly here, I imagine. Also, my main bike uses dirt drop bars with bar end shifters, and I don't think any bar mitts would work too well with that combo.

I tried to buy the Mountain Hardwear Epic gloves, but the store called me and told me they were out of stock. Pretty much everyone seems to be, now. Weird that it's so hard to find a damn pair of waterproof gloves (aside from the kind you wash dishes with, or use for surgery).


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## ubernerd (Mar 22, 2010)

ong said:


> I've looked at some of the commercial bar mitts, but I lock up outside a lot, and something like that would get ripped off pretty quickly here, I imagine. Also, my main bike uses dirt drop bars with bar end shifters, and I don't think any bar mitts would work too well with that combo.


Can't help with the theft thing, but for drop bars with bar-end shifters, you might try these:

http://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Bar-M...765O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1294862083&sr=8-2

They'll leave the shifters exposed so you can get at 'em. Of course, depending on your cable routing you could still have problems. But, if you wanted, one could split them along the back seam and put a velcro tab on there. Then they'd be easy on, easy off. That could solve the theft problem too.

I've got a pair of these suckers, and I LOVE 'em. Hands are warm and dry. Mitts are neoprene, so they don't soak up water. And, I still have the dexterity to flip off passing motorists when the need arises.  Try doing that in a lobster claw glove. 

As always, YMMV.


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

Hmm, finally sprung for the Mountain Hardware Epic gloves. They were doing great for the first 30-40 minutes in an absolute downpour, and I was smugly congratulating myself, when a rivulet of cold water came in through the right thumb. After another 20-30 minutes, both hands were soaked. 

Just another in a long line of products I've bought that are ostensibly waterproof. I wonder if manufacturers actually test these things? Or if they figure "eh, no one will be out in the rain longer than 15 minutes anyway."


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