# Cold weather riding gloves



## weimie (Apr 21, 2006)

I've got the Amfib gloves right now and use my snowboard fingered gloves when it gets down into the teens but I can never keep my fingers warm after an hour of commuting, seems like 45 min is all the warmth I can get out of my gloves.

Any one have any other suggestions on good cold weather riding gloves....I'm talking gloves that will keep my finger warm in single digits....or is that just wishful thinking.


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## athalliah (Dec 9, 2005)

I've a pair of Burton gloves with liners; they are _really_ hot while mtbing. I've not tried them commuting -yet- as my campy gloves work really well. Being thin but windproof allows for better dexterity than my bulky winter gloves and they keep my hands warm. I'd give them a personal rating of 20+ but that is totally arbritrary. I should note, I'm new to this long-distance commuting thing.

And I don't mean to hijack your thread - but do you commute to Denver from Golden?

e - forgot link
http://www.campagnolosportswear.com...?worldid=7&collid=1&filter=-1&prodid=19&acc=1


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## Jdub (Jan 12, 2004)

I bought a pair of Performance house brand gloves, and I've done lots of night rides lasting several hours in sub freezing temps and always had toasty hands.

They were pretty cheap, but wind and water resistant which really seems to
be the trick.

Here is the link to them:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=20889&subcategory_ID=1141
My problem is my feet, not my hands. Hands are toasty, feet are always frozen even with Neoprene Booties.


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## cartographer (Jun 20, 2006)

I recently picked up some Pearl Izumi Amfib winter gloves which seem pretty warm so far. They are puffy and loose on the back of the fingers and so offer good insulation and circulation. However, when it's really cold I pull out the lobster mitts. The extra warmth is well worth the small loss of dexterity.

You could also look for some of the gloves/mittens which offer a pocket for the little heater packs (though I wouldn't want to burn those frequently just from a cost perspective).

Jdub: take a look here for some ideas: http://lacemine29.blogspot.com/2007/11/warm-feet-are-happy-feet_17.html


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## EJP (Apr 30, 2007)

I love the Craft lobster gloves. I got them for nordic skiing, but they work well on the bike, too. The ones I have came with fleecy inner gloves and a thinsulate outer shell. The outer shell works well on its own unless it's really chilly.

Mine look like this.

How do you keep your feet warm?


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## lidarman (Jan 12, 2004)

The most important thing to do is stop the wind. So get a good glove that does that. Cheapest way is to put the glove on and then ride with your hands in plastic grocery bags...problem is they act like mitts and make shifting hard, but in a pinch it works well. keep some balled up bags in the backpack. They are useful for covering a saddle when rain is expected and you can even carry stuff in them. Putting bags over your socks before you put your shoes on can really help with the toe chill too.

Lobsters are good because you to minimize surface area.

It's not only equipment, but technique:

Wiggle your fingers a lot while riding, it's helps keep warm. Change hand position to the end of the bars often as well. I also ride with hands off the bars a lot more on straight aways with my arms crossed in my armpits. I also ride slower than normal.

wind chill chart for you to visualize how much cooling a 15 mph pace has.










I have some amfib gloves but my are older and they don't stop the wind that well. I also have pearl lobsters and they are my fave in really cold weather. Today I commuted with some Seirus spring gloves. They are very comfortable with lots of dexterity but don't work well in extremely cold temps.


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## cartographer (Jun 20, 2006)

So just ride slower?


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## SingleTrackLovr (Apr 25, 2007)

IF your core body temp drops the first thing your body does is slow the flow of blood to your extremities. 
To keep your hands and feet warm cover your head and neck.

I use HotFingers leather skiing gloves and my fingers stay toastie warm.

hth


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## weimie (Apr 21, 2006)

athalliah, I commute from Lafayette into Boulder.

I agree it's all about keeping the wind out, my Burton gloves worked pretty good today in the teens and I'll check out the other suggestions. I do wiggle my fingers and change positions but once the chill sets in I can't get them warm again.

As far as my feet go, smart wool socks and a couple pair of booties, I wiggle my toes alot to keep the circulation going and if it's in the single digits I'll throw in some toe warmers....I don't have any winter riding shoes yet but they're on the xmas list.

I have a pair of Moose Mits that fit over my flat bar commuter, they're basically a mit that you put your hands in. They keep my hands nice and toasty but I prefer riding the CX bike and they don't make anything like that for drop bars, at least not that I know of.


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## yogidave (Aug 9, 2006)

*I use these*

Cheap, good fit, good down to 15-20 degrees:

LINK

I got them at the Sports Authority in Longmont for $25-30... well worth it.


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## lidarman (Jan 12, 2004)

yogidave said:


> Cheap, good fit, good down to 15-20 degrees:
> 
> LINK
> 
> I got them at the Sports Authority in Longmont for $25-30... well worth it.


I have a pair of those too, but like the Seirus "spring" gloves I mentioned above even better. The all-weather say all weather but I have almost gotten frost bite from using them in sleet. Maybe the waterproofing wears out or something, I've had mine so long the grip wore off.


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## Rontele (Apr 1, 2006)

Note to self:

self preservation calls for not riding when it is -45F with 45 mph winds.


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## yogidave (Aug 9, 2006)

*Note to Self:*



lidarman said:


> I have a pair of those too, but like the Seirus "spring" gloves I mentioned above even better. The all-weather say all weather but I have almost gotten frost bite from using them in sleet. Maybe the waterproofing wears out or something, I've had mine so long the grip wore off.


No riding when sleet is falling.:bluefrown:


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## Secace (Sep 8, 2004)

I have good luck with various brands of neoprene based snowboarding gloves. They breathe well and usually aren't bulky at all which keep you in touch with the bars and controls.


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## DanD (Jan 15, 2004)

SingleTrackLovr said:


> IF you core body temp drops the first thing your body does is slow the flow of blood to your extremities.
> To keep your hands and feet warm cover your head and neck.
> 
> I use HotFingers leather skiing gloves and my fingers stay toastie warm.
> ...


There is a lot of good advice in this thread, but I think SingleTracklovr hit the nail on the head. Keep your fingers and toes warm by keeping your core warm.


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## Secace (Sep 8, 2004)

DanD said:


> There is a lot of good advice in this thread, but I think SingleTracklovr hit the nail on the head. Keep your fingers and toes warm by keeping your core warm.


I definitely "third" that.


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## nadinno78 (Mar 23, 2006)

I like the idea of the neoprene gloves. They allow your hands to get sweaty and still stay warm. They should have some sort of outer liner or covering to keep the wind out. I used to use neoprene ice fishing gloves with a normal glove liner over them. very warm.


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## bridgestone14 (Mar 22, 2005)

http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=31706

The specialized sub zero glove is my favorite when it gets really cold. I used to do a 45min commute and had to deal with freezing rain a couple of times. My hands never got cold even in the freezing rain.


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## daveM (Jan 15, 2004)

*Second the Amfibs...*



cartographer said:


> I recently picked up some Pearl Izumi Amfib winter gloves which seem pretty warm so far.


On my second pair, and have done rides in the teens, (got alittle cold), plus I've used them for doing construction work! They have a 'Tyvek' like membrane (gore-tex'ish) to block wind, plus a good amount of loft, without being 'too' bulky.

As long as you keep your core temp up, I'd think that you'd be goo-to-go.


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## ignazjr (Dec 29, 2003)

Do your hands sweat much, Weimie? Reason I ask is that while the Amfibs are really insulated and keep your hands warm, your hands are in a bag inside the glove, literally. It's a 5 fingered plastic bag surrounded by insulation, etc. If your hands are sweating, the glove doesn't breathe and your fingers end up getting cold. Counterintuitive, I know, but something to keep in mind. The PI Amfib Lobsters are good for colder temps, but they actually use the same 5 fingered bag as the Amfibs so you don't really get to take advantage of your fingers generating their own warmth. Weird huh?

Anyway, I'm still partial to the Amfibs, but the newer generation ones (the black/grey ones) definitely work better to keep your hands dry and warm than the older gen ones. 

Keeping your core warm and dry goes a long way as well. I used to have problems with my toes and feet a lot until I started wearing high quality base layers.


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## UncleTrail (Sep 29, 2007)

I used to do a lot of irrigation work in the winter time and ran across these to keep my fingers warm and dry. My last pair have lasted me 3 seasons. Waterproof, lightweight and cheap. http://www.palmflex.com/Youngstown/winterplus.htm

IMHO tons better than any overpriced "cycling" glove I've found.

Also check out REI's gore-tex gloves. Fairly inexpensive for gore-tex.


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## nOOby (Jul 20, 2007)

nothing beats a nice pair of isotoners


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## scrublover (Dec 30, 2003)

I've been digging these. 
http://www.180s.com/pages/catalog_listing.aspx?g=5&y=2
Good grip and much more durable than most bike specific stuff. Several different levels of insulation and waterproofing. I've got a medium level pair, and a thicker pair. Can still fit a liner in as well, if needing just a bit more.


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## weimie (Apr 21, 2006)

bridgestone14 said:


> http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=31706
> 
> The specialized sub zero glove is my favorite when it gets really cold. I used to do a 45min commute and had to deal with freezing rain a couple of times. My hands never got cold even in the freezing rain.


I'll have to check these out, I'm partial to Specialized stuff for some reason and I like the fact that they go above the wrist.

I've got all the links everyone has posted up bookmarked and will to some research this weekend! Thanks for all the great input....my goal this winter is to have warm and toasty hands while commuting in.


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## scrublover (Dec 30, 2003)

on the shoe thing: i finally bought a decent pair of winter bike shoes. the new specialized whatever the hell they are called. they rock. got 'em a half size larger than normal, stuffed and extra layer of insole in, and still have room for fat woolly socks. 

very comfortable, very warm, and the rock way harder than layered socks/regular bike shoes/shoe covers.


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## ibelieveinsasquatch (Aug 28, 2007)

I sweat about 200% more than any living thing so I always keep a pair of Pearl Izumi wicking liners in my pack - even in the summer, just in case. If it is really cold, I use Salsa commuter golves. They are pretty much overkill for anything above 30 degrees. Sometimes all start with the liners on if I think I am going to sweat and then switch to the salsa gloves when I start to get cold. 

As for feet, I have found that I am fine in SPD's and merino wool to about 25 degrees. At that point I'll put on a thin bike sock + a safeway bag + a medium weight merino wool sock. This creates a vapor barrier and keeps you from feeling the metal from your cleat.


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## athalliah (Dec 9, 2005)

180s? Really? I found the condensation from breathing into the golves would freeze. I still have my pair, so Kim, if you'd like to try them, you can have them. I hate them. 

And for whatever reason I was under the impression you were in Golden. I didn't ask that in a I-want-to-stalk-you sense, just looking for routes.


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## KERKOVEJ (Jan 23, 2004)

*Craft*

Craft Thermal Split Finger.
Good for me down to about 5 degrees for training rides. I have used them in temps as low as -10 F when I lived in Iowa. They are super warm....and not bulky.


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## jasonb (Jan 14, 2004)

I have had good luck with liner gloves (layer just like you would for your core!). These smartwool liners would rock...

http://www.rei.com/product/755628


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## weimie (Apr 21, 2006)

athalliah said:


> 180s? Really? I found the condensation from breathing into the golves would freeze. I still have my pair, so Kim, if you'd like to try them, you can have them. I hate them.
> 
> And for whatever reason I was under the impression you were in Golden. I didn't ask that in a I-want-to-stalk-you sense, just looking for routes.


No offense but with your glowing recommendation I think I'll pass on the gloves 

2 votes for the Craft split fingered gloves. I'm definetly looking for a glove that I can wear when it's in the teens.


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## athalliah (Dec 9, 2005)

weimie said:


> No offense but with your glowing recommendation I think I'll pass on the gloves


lol..none taken, I figure everyone has a right to form their own opinion. I don't understand why scrubby likes them but he does. Like anything else, it is all subjective.


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## Nickle (Aug 23, 2006)

athalliah, I'll take 'em off your hands. :chuckle: You said they're men's XL, right?


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## halsaves (Jun 5, 2007)

I lived in Minnesota for 7 years. I tried to do my 18 mile commute to work 2 day/week year around. The coldest I rode was -15F. I probably did 60-80 hours of research for this and winter camping. Here's a quote from John Stamstad:

"FEET: "In the rain, nothing's better than neoprene socks. They get wet but stay warm. But conversely, in cold, dry weather nothing is worse than neoprene socks. When it's a dry cold, I use a vapor barrier--I have special socks but a Subway sandwich bag works just as well. On your foot, you want to trap your body heat and body moisture, keep it close to your foot so your insulating layer doesn't get wet. I wear a thin, wicking sock, then a vapor barrier, then an insulating sock. I ride all winter long in the Lake MXZ 300--50 degrees down to severe cold. I can't stand shoe covers-they interfere with my pedaling--and you don't need them with the Lakes."

The idea with vapor barrier is that ANY moisture in you insulation layer kills the insulative properties. Most of the moisture comes from your body. Even if you are not sweating. Your skin is constantly evaporating water. So, if you look at the IditaBike guys, almost all of them will swear by vapor barrier. Feet for sure, hands for many.

There are some pricey commercial vapor barrier socks you can buy, or you can do the subway sandwich bag mentioned above.


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## weimie (Apr 21, 2006)

I'm totally going to try the Subway bag on my feet, sound kinda funny but if it work, why not.

I don't mind wearing bottie covers since I'm not doing trail riding, just commuting. Booties do get in the way if you're on a trail and need to hike-a-bike or something...the top of the booties always gets pushed over the top of your shoe.


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## athalliah (Dec 9, 2005)

Nickle said:



> You said they're men's XL, right?


I don't recall discussing my rather large extremities on this forum.


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## Nickle (Aug 23, 2006)

athalliah said:


> I don't recall discussing my rather large extremities on this forum.


Hey, I could be hopeful. I was just trying t scam some free gloves.


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## scrublover (Dec 30, 2003)

weimie said:


> No offense but with your glowing recommendation I think I'll pass on the gloves
> 
> 2 votes for the Craft split fingered gloves. I'm definetly looking for a glove that I can wear when it's in the teens.


disclaimer: i'm not using the breath in them version, just the other insulated ones. they've been good into the mid teens for me. colder than that, and i've got a windbloc fleece outdoor research inner glove, with a gore lobster mitt overshell.

they'll probably get more use out here now, since it's much more wet. that with the low temps and wind will be interesting.


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