Winter Cycling - Glove recommendations for very cold hands

Disclaimer: I've already read through the glove threads I could find on the forum, but need more specific suggestions!

My hands get cold very easily - they start to go numb at about 60 degrees (incidentally, the same temperature at which the rest of me starts to overheat - I am that person in gloves and a tank top). I'd like to figure out a layering system which will get me through the winter. I start wearing glove liners at about 60 degrees, and add fleecy gloves around 45-50 degrees. After that, though, I need some help.

Anybody else have very cold hands? Any suggestions? Help, please!

I use polyproplene liners. Perhaps you could use small chemical heating packs inside your gloves if you need to be out for a long time.

I just got these Gore Windstopper Gloves, seem to be working so far for moi.

I use these when the temps have gone below 55 degrees F

http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/10_4764.jpg

Here is an ad from Performance: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19284&subcategory_ID=1141#

I just got these Gore Windstopper Gloves, seem to be working so far for moi.

I use these when the temps have gone below 55 degrees F

http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/10_4764.jpg

Here is an ad from Performance: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19284&subcategory_ID=1141#

I wear convertible glove mittens with thinner fleece gloves underneath. Any mitten is always going to be warmer than a glove. The convertible glove gives the possiblity for using your digits if you need them.

Have you thought of the two-fingered "lobster gloves"? Because two fingers are in each "finger" you don't get so cold, yet you can still brake and switch gears, albeit a little clumsily.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=15813&subcategory_ID=1141

Have you thought of the two-fingered "lobster gloves"? Because two fingers are in each "finger" you don't get so cold, yet you can still brake and switch gears, albeit a little clumsily.

I have thought about those, but wanted to hear an endorsement from someone who has used them before dropping 50 bucks on gloves!

Ziemas - I'm reluctant to use the chemical warmers while biking, b/c my fingers get numb in just a few minutes, at relatively high temperatures (air-conditioned stores make my fingers numb!), and b/c most of my rides are relatively short (commuting, errands). They just seem wasteful in those cases, although I do plan to use them for any longer rides I do this winter.

First of all, if your hands start to go numb at 60 degrees, the problem isn't that you need gloves, the problem is something to do with your circulation. Go see a Dr!!

Second, do your hands go numb from COLD ... or from an incorrect bicycle setup where you are putting too much weight on your hands and cutting off the circulation? My hands go numbish on some long rides with one of my bicycles, but that has nothing to do with cold.

Third, you say you overheat at 60 degrees, but your hands go numb. Have you tried letting go of the handlebars (one hand at a time) and swinging your arms around, windmill-style. No, I'm not kidding. When I ride in sub-freezing temps my hands are often cold for the first 15 minutes out there. If I swing my arms around though, the blood pumps into my hands and they are fine after that.

Fourth, if your hands really are cold, whatever you do, don't use tight gloves. That will make the situation worse. Get something fairly loose. In temperatures that are actually cold (60 degrees is NOT cold) I use ski gloves which I pick up at my local department store fairly inexpensively.

My wife has the same problems with her hands getting cold at 50/60 temps and colder. Her fingers start to get white at the tips and in a 5 minute span they are white to the palm. She has seen a doctor and he prescribed Nifedipine XL 5mg per day, which is a widely used blood thinner. Her hands don't get cold anymore. She has been using them for maybe 6 years and it works great. She doesn't use them in summer. The doctor said it is from smoking and also very tiny veins in her fingers. When using any blood thinner drinking alcohol can make you drunk quick and also thins the blood too much.
Talk to your doctor and see if this makes sense to him/her.

Hey guys, thanks for the concern! But it's nothing to worry about - my hands go numb from something called raynaud's phenomenon, which is not worth going to the doctor over (just one of those physiological quirks, the treatment is to warm your hands). It's not an uncommon problem, esp. among women. Last winter I'd get to work and run my hands under hot water for a few minutes; this winter I want to layer better!

Whatever gloves you get, store them on a heat register so that they're toasty warm when you put them on.

Polartek Powerstretch as your first layer
Then a windproof layer over that.

Hi,
ski gloves or mountaineering gloves. Pick a pair that feels comfy and has enough movement to change gears.
Go to a mountain shop and look for these, or something like them.
These are killer...
http://www.orgear.com/home/style/home/handtools/gloves/descent/73170

The only gloves I have found that work are mtn climbing gloves, Black Diamond. They have a ton of models, usual range is $50 - $120. But if you want warmth and flexibility, they deliver.

I find if I start off with a thin inner glove and a thick outer shell, I can usually removed the outer shell and stash it about 15 min into the ride, and my hands will stay warm with pretty thin gloves on. This is mostly a woods-riding mountain biking trick though. If you're out in the wind, I doubt this will work.

Hey guys, thanks for the concern! But it's nothing to worry about - my hands go numb from something called raynaud's phenomenon, which is not worth going to the doctor over (just one of those physiological quirks, the treatment is to warm your hands). It's not an uncommon problem, esp. among women. Last winter I'd get to work and run my hands under hot water for a few minutes; this winter I want to layer better!

I thought it might be something like that ... but aren't there medications or something which can be prescribed to reduce the symptoms? Have you been to a Dr to have it checked?

However, just remember that whatever you get in the way of gloves should be somewhat loose fitting so that there is some air circulation inside the glove, and should be windproof.

Count me as another vote for "lobster claw" mitts. (my wife thinks they're freaky & disturbing looking though) I was using a very nice pair of ski gloves with liners. Lost them, then replaced them with lobster claws with thin fleece liners. They kept my hands warm even on my coldest ride (-39c). In temps -25 and colder my finger tips would start to feel quite cold in the first 5-10 minutes, then as rode, my circulation improved & my fingers warmed up (after another 5 to 10 minutes).

I do notice that my hands get colder when I'm not as active... generally, If I'm getting cold, I push a little harder & soon warm up.

I have a cold hand problem, too. What helps me is spreading a layer of vaseline on my hands before I put gloves on. If I'm outside for a long time, I use vaseline, silk glove liners, gloves--it works pretty well.

I have a cold hand problem, too. What helps me is spreading a layer of vaseline on my hands before I put gloves on.

Funny, I use vaseline on my face on really cold days (not, obviously, when I have to be presentable), but never thought of it for my hands... Doesn't the vaseline make the lining layer hopelessly sticky?

I find it okay & not too sticky if I really work it in. That gets my hands really warmed up before getting started, too. Some other posters have talked about adding warming cream but I've never tried that.

I have a cold hand problem, too. What helps me is spreading a layer of vaseline on my hands before I put gloves on. If I'm outside for a long time, I use vaseline, silk glove liners, gloves--it works pretty well.

My hands often feel like icicles. I am ready to try anything!

while i think my case is not as extreme i experience something similar. e.g. if i go running at 50 degress i will overheat and sweat like crazy but still wear gloves as otherwise my fingers will go partly numb and turn white. my girlfriend is a doctor and has been saying i probably have this "raynaud" condition (i guess i'll have to read about it). just last weekend i did a ride in the 50s or so any my hands were completely white for over 2 hours after the ride (i had been "comfortable" during the ride whereas my girlfriend found it cold but then was fine afterwards when my hands were numb)

anyhow, for me in winter keeping my hands warm is a big deal!! the problem is that i also produce LOTS of heat in general but then if it gets just a little colder or the wind picks up, my hands freeze. or if i take off my gloves to fix a tire then no matter how fast i ride and how high my pulse goes my hands stay frozen and numb!

my solution is to have a VARIETY of gloves and layering options. for hard-core winter biking (sub-zero) i usually wear a poly-liner + a windproof-fleece type glove. with these i have great dexterity. then i also have a 2nd pair of thicker liners AND a pair of mittens.

wearing liners also has the advantage that if i need to take off the big gloves (e.g. to take off my jacket or to do some mechanical bike fix) i still have the liners so my skin is not directly exposed to the cold.

then if it is a little warmer i still bring multiple pairs of gloves but just a little less thick/warm (i have some windproof fleece gloves that are pretty warm so that i usually cannot wear them as i sweat too much) --- 2 weekends ago it was rainy/cold here and i rode in the mountains. my first descent was ok with my normal downhill gloves (protective leather but not insulating). then on the 2nd climb i sweated a lot and took a 10-minute break at the top and it rained lightly and i got really chilled. my hands were cold so i put on the windproof gloves. then 10 minutes later they were still frozen so i put on the fleece gloves and i could hardly hold the handlebar for the descent (i rode the next uphill with the fleece gloves and my jacket on and then near the top took breaks soas to slowly cool off and evaporate the sweat) (at the beginning of the tour i felt like an idiot packing the huge winter gloves but then i was SO glad that i had!!)

--> anyhow, my recommendation is 2 different thickness liners to choose from + 2-3 outers to choose from so that you can select the appropriate mix/match for a ride (and for longer rides i bring a spare of extra-warm for emergency) as well as have something to change-out if it gets wet (and the liners dry faster than without).

for me the #1 factor is windproofness. #2 is insulation where you can still feel the bar and shift. i have some old snowboard lobster gloves (inner liner fleece gloves with outer where the 1st and 2nd fingers and 3rd/4th are together) which i use for the majority of my winter commuting (they are durable and have a removable liner so they dry in less than a day even if completely soaked through) although they are still not as warm as my mittens and the windproof fleece gloves i have are almost as warm -- i generally don't use the lobster gloves for winter trail riding as they are very bulky so take too much room in my backpack if i take them off.
(in total for winter biking and snowboarding i have over 15 different gloves/liners/mittens for keeping warm and amayzingly i use almost all of them!)

(never tried the vaseline but it sounds messy)

Basketball gave me many jammed knuckles, now I have cold weather circulation problems with my hands. I am still in shorts when its 45 but my hands are freezing. I do the liner and glove thing (you wouldn't believe my collection of various thickness gloves) and sometimes I add the chemical hand warmer. Sure wish someone would make electric bicycle gloves or maybe some kind of hand fairing that clips on your handlebars.

Have you thought of the two-fingered "lobster gloves"? Because two fingers are in each "finger" you don't get so cold, yet you can still brake and switch gears, albeit a little clumsily.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=15813&subcategory_ID=1141

I use these and find they work well for me. My fingers can still get cold on really cold days though.

Cold hands were my achilles heel with winter cylcing, no matter what I tried, my hands still got cold.

Last year I finally found a pair that did the trick, a gore tex brand on sale from Nashbar. They got me though everything from soaking rain to below zero F.

I tried everything else: PI lobster claws with and without fleece, smart wool or those PI liner gloves. I had a very poor experience with lobster claws.

I tried North Face mountaineering mitts with above luners. Once the liners got wet they got cold and that was it for the day.

Another glove I used with success on short commutes was a cheap brand bought at a discount store. You never know.

I have some inexpensive lobster claw gloves from Nashbar. They are wind proof but only have a thin lining. These are good for me well below freezing. They have lots of room for additional gloves like a fleece or polyproplene inside. I add a thin liner for temps below 20. You could probably use a Polartec Powerstretch glove inside a lobster glove to keep your hands toasty in pretty extreme temps.
Craig

The lobster claw gloves are fantastic. I bought a pair of Salsa branded ones last winter at my LBS. Your fingers can buddy up and keep each other warm. The coldest day I rode last winter was -5 F actual and they were fine!

My solution to cold hands is two parts
1) replace aluminum brakes levers with resin (ie Campy Mirage Ergo shifters)
2) use CliMitts on the bars, blocks wind and allows me to wear thinner gloves
check out my bike's webpage to see example:
http://hometown.aol.com/vtwjksr/myhomepage/index.html

Has anyone tried electric glove liners?

I will second (third, fourth, whatever) the recommendation for lobster claw mitts. They are a little bit clumsy, which unnerves me in some of the more technical bits of my winter riding, but they are very warm. So warm that I rarely wear them.

I also bought a pair of heavy fleece mountaineering mittens and a pair of long windproof overmitts, after finding the lobsterclaws did get cold at around 15F or below. But my winters aren't cold and dry enough to have used them more than once.

I have occasional bouts of Reynaud's as well. The OP's right about it not being worth going to the doctor. Medication should be a last line of treatment for any physiological issue, after less invasive and non-chemical means have been exhausted. No matter what you want to believe ALL medicine has side effects. A persons hands get cold, so you put them on blood thinners? That's extreme, and it will definitely have side effects, even beyond alcohol-related ones. For example, suppose you're on blood thinners, cycling in the winter cold, and you're in a crash and start bleeding profusely. Not necessarily a good situation, esp. when you're worried about potential hypothermia. I'm pretty sure that will effectively shorten your survival time...all for warmer hands? No thanks. I've been going with Polypro liners under windproof gloves, and they help a lot. You might look to get one of those squeeze balls to exercise your hands in down time. Increasing your muscle strength there should help a good deal with circulation (unless you happen to have some arthritis, as well.)

Good luck, I sympathize.

Oh, that's a good idea about a squeeze ball - I'll definately try that. In the meantime, I found some combination glove/mittens (you fold down the mitten to expose your half-gloved fingers) that I'm currently wearing in my office (maintenance promises to turn on the heat one of these days...) but feel very hopeful about for biking, and am about to order some lobster gloves (Sierra Trading Post has them for a very reasonable price right now).

I like Lobster mitts as well. If it's borderline for those, I'll carry regular gloves in my pocket and switch back and forth. For REAL cold, a full out mitten is unbeatable.

John Wilke
Milwaukee

I always have cold hands and went for a ride this morning at 35deg's with my snowboard gloves on. You loose a little of feel but hands stay nice and toasty

I have no idea if they will work or not but I just picked up some neoprene gloves in the hunting/outdoor department at the Sports Authority. This is the same material used in wet suits. They were $12 I think and figured I would try them for bike riding and also bought a pair for my son for snow shoveling. I used to use a similiar pair for football in the winter and they were very warm. They have the advantage of being wind and water proof. Because of that I remember that often my hands would sweat a lot.

Grandoe downhill ski gloves. Free if you already bought them for skiing.

Paul

For roughly 40F-60F, I put Mountain Hardwear glove liners under my fingerless cycling gloves. From about 15 to 40F, I use my PI AmFibs. Below that, I plan to use some ski gloves I just bought.

I have been very happy with Seirus All-Weather gloves. They are not bulky but are very warm.

http://www.rei.com/product/47925781.htm

The best kind of gloves for me -- are not gloves -- but rather a pair of "bullwinkles", I've read on icebike.com that they're also called "pogies". They're blanket-type fabric sewn into L-shaped covers that cover your handlebars and then present a covered channel for your hands. Here's a picture of mine:
http://www.thirdwave-websites.com/bike/bullwinkle-right.jpg

I got mine from Madden Mountaineering, they're not shown on their website but if you call them they'll send them to you. With these things on and with lightweight fullfinger gloves, my hands are often too warm in temps above 40F.

These things are my most essential cold weather accessory. I'm told that they come out of the snowmobile community, where they have a similar need to protect their hands from the wind.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...was worried this morning @ 10 degrees I found the Gore Windstopper Gloves are worthless. I wore a pair of Surgical Gloves under these Gore's... yeeeeouch my fingers were BURNING from the cold.

OK... so then I tried putting the Surgical (thicker then most) on the OUTSIDE of the Gore's.... OMG I was riding no-hands with my hands under MY PITS!

Kind of scared me... time to switch to the Heavy stuff....

I know...I know...I know... Tis About Dayum Time huh?

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...was worried this morning @ 10 degrees I found the Gore Windstopper Gloves are worthless. I wore a pair of Surgical Gloves under these Gore's... yeeeeouch my fingers were BURNING from the cold.

OK... so then I tried putting the Surgical (thicker then most) on the OUTSIDE of the Gore's.... OMG I was riding no-hands with my hands under MY PITS!

Kind of scared me... time to switch to the Heavy stuff....

I know...I know...I know... Tis About Dayum Time huh?
Adding a tight layer over your gloves probably made things worse as they compressed the insulating layer. However adding a pair of lightweight windproof lobsterclaws over you Gore's will probably have your hands toasty.
My Nashbar branded lobsters are roomy, windproof and have a thin liner. I wore these with a polypro glove liner below 20 last winter and my hands were almost too warm.
Craig

I just got these Gore Windstopper Gloves, seem to be working so far for moi.

I use these when the temps have gone below 55 degrees F

http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/10_4764.jpg

Here is an ad from Performance: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19284&subcategory_ID=1141#


Are these good for skiing also. I'd love to have a dual purpose pair.

they make heated gloves.. do a search on the net.. im looking at a few now.
http://www.galleria-e.com/cgi-bin/colemans.storefront/en/product/050101
http://cozywinters.com/shop/zs-hgx.html

Mittens or U.s military surplus overmitts and wool mittens underneath.

Hey guys, thanks for the concern! But it's nothing to worry about - my hands go numb from something called raynaud's phenomenon, which is not worth going to the doctor over (just one of those physiological quirks, the treatment is to warm your hands). It's not an uncommon problem, esp. among women. Last winter I'd get to work and run my hands under hot water for a few minutes; this winter I want to layer better!

There are two types of Raynaud's. Primary Raynaud's, which is Raynaud's by itself, and seconday Raynaud's, where it is a symptom of another disease like Scleroderma or Lupus.

I, too, suffer from Raynaud's, and after getting thoroughly sick of it, I finally mentioned it to my doctor. She ran some tests and it was discovered I had secondary Raynaud's as a result of having limited scleroderma. I took medication for a while, but didn't notice much of a difference, so my Dr. and I decided to discontinue it.

Anyone having Raynaud's symptoms should have it checked out, because if it secondary, there may be other things you need to watch out for.

As far as gloves go, I have the Pearl Izumi AmFib gloves. I find them to be extremely warm, but not too bulky. They work well for me.

I almost got the Pearl Izumi Lobster Claws. At the time REI didn't have them in stock in my size. I ended up getting Johnny Rocket Motor Bike gloves. They are 70 gm. thinsulate and work well but not as well as I think the Pearl Izumi's would have done. I have heard plenty of + reports on the Lobster Claws. Especially the Pearl Izumi brand. I got some pogies for my Christmas present. The brand is called "moose mitts" You can get them here: http://www.trails-edge.com/retail/te_shirts/amfbikemits.htm I highly recommend them. They were like $50 plus free shipping ! (Made in the USA) You can just switch the size gloves you need depending on the weather. Some times in the really warm days 40s I am just wearing regular cycling gloves! These puppies really work and if you already have a good selection of gloves you can use these and just switch around.

Keep Cycling!

I have a pair of 2006 Pearl Izumi lobster gloves, and am decidedly unhappy with them. There are 3 problems: First, the thumb is disproportionately short so there is a bad cold spot at the tip. Second, they get soaking wet inside at temperatures above ~25 deg F (and I perspire comparatively little) because they are totally waterproof and the elastic in the wrist (located 2" in front of the velcro strap) is so tight there is no ventillation, which also makes it hard to dry them out between rides. Third, there is no padding in the palm --you might think the insulation would be sufficient for that purpose, but it is not. I do not understand how a company that can market really outstanding stuff (see my review of the Pearl Izumi Trifecta jacket that I recently posted on the "Windproof, breathable outer shell recommendations" thread), can also make marginal stuff that people buy only because of their good name. In fairness, however, I should point out that the British magazine Cycling Plus, whose reviews tend to be on the money, liked the PI lobster gloves (which is why I bought them) --and they are adequately warm down to 10deg F.

While I am at it I might as well comment on my other PI stuff: their AmFib tights and winter shoe covers. I really like the shoe covers, but larger zippers would be nice (they were hard to use until I started to zip them up by ~1/2" before putting them on, and discovered how to tell the right one from the left --you need to position them so the zippers are on the inside of the heel). I have been using their AmFib tights for ~4 years now so am satisfied with them. They keep me warm and dry with nothing under them at 10deg F, but at temperatures from ~25 to 32deg F they get soaked with sweat --the lining on the front (where the AmFib cloth is located) sucks it up which is unconfortable but still warm, but the backs, which are a thin, highly breathable material, get both wet and cold.

Pogies, man, they ARE THE ANSWER!!! Also known as Moose Mitts, Bullwinkles, CliMitts (this are what I have). I wear a thin winter cycling glove underneath and at 9 degrees today, my hands were Perfectly warm. I could Never get them to stay warm before my Bike Guy gave them to me for Christmas. They are perfect. Fit over the bars, wind proof, water proof, mine are goretex, fleece lined. No heavy bulky mitts to interfere with shifting/braking.

you can spend tons of $ on gloves, but this is a reasonable priced way to go and nothing can beat them.
I totally agree with Edtrek and Vermontrides :)
Michelle

For roughly 40F-60F, I put Mountain Hardwear glove liners under my fingerless cycling gloves. From about 15 to 40F, I use my PI AmFibs. Below that, I plan to use some ski gloves I just bought.
Correction: As I explained in this thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=161766), I got some Outdoor Research Snowline overmitts to wear over the AmFibs and glove liners. The system worked great just below 10F. I haven't been lucky enough to test them below that.

I got a pair of ski gloves from Walgreens. they are waterproof,windproof, warm, give a decent feeling and at $4 if they get shredded Im not out much like the goretex and such. I only use them for temps below freezing.
I also suggest a circulation and/or neurological(sp?) check. if you use a computer all day it could be carpel tunnel. thats how mine started. mine came from using hand/power tools for 20+ years

Try taking zinc supplements, and getting plenty of potassium (bananas) - my wife has to do this to keep her extremity circulation up, otherwise she can't go to the mailbox without gloves.