Commuting - Any cool (temperature) gloves for the purpose of protecting your hands?

I'm wondering if there are any gloves (full or half finger) that just protect your hands from a skinning them on a spill. I've got some padded half finger leather gloves. I also have cushiony grips on my bike so I'm thinking i've got padding overkill. Also, these gloves kinda get hot so maybe there's something a little cooler. Thanks.

I use specialized body geometry sport half fingered gloves. The warmest I have been up to so far this year was around 98F. No problems with heat. However, they do have padding.

The padding is definitely protective, not just for vibration-dampening on the bars. I have hand-surfed along pavement and I wouldn't want to give up any of the padding.

My fingerless gloves are just the crocheted kind (w/ padded palms), so plenty of ventilation (and a cool tan on the back of your hands). I most recently bought the ones my LBS had, airius, but they're falling apart a little early for my taste. My previous ones (Trek, maybe?) lasted longer. I hear that nashbar has good durable cheap crocheted fingerless gloves.

$1 cotton gardening gloves are shockingly useful. very slight padding from the glove, useful down to 40f or thereabouts, more protection than nothing, comfy, absorbant. Been using them for years
cheers

Yes.

Do a search for these ones AXO Kicker Full Finger Glove, Nashbar has them, I use them for BMX racing but they work great for my morning commute as well.

Or alternatively take a look at cross country ski gloves. I picked up a set from Mountain Equipment Co-op that have been excellent and are into their 3rd year of regular use. They have a thin leather palm and leather on the sides of the fingers but the back is a really breathable tight mesh.

Thanks for the replies. I did the nashbar search.

This looks promising:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=140&subcategory=1224&brand=&sku=16917&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Half%20Finger

However, it says they have padding. I think I already have too much padding in my handlebar grips. If these had just straight leather or some other material that would prevent scrapes, I would bite.

+1 on the cotton/canvas utility gloves.
cut the glove fingers off at finger joint level for summer use.
in spring and fall they are comfortable down to upper 30s
with the fingers on. keep you from getting scraped up
in a spill.

i just ordered the pearl izumi gel lite tour gloves (http://www.pearlizumi.com/product.php?mode=view&product_id=793204&type_id=1&sport_id=5&category_id=9&color_code=2AB) in full finger. gel pads on the palm for protection plus moisture wicking material on the back to keep you cool. picked'em up for $22 at aebike.com.

For just skin protection, you could investigate the unlined leather work glove shells at the local hardware store.

For cooler temperatures, the black leather gloves with green wool liners from the army surplus store are timeless classics.

Kinco brand work gloves made of a thin, flexible leather with dayglo orange mesh on backside of your hand. It also has a reflective yellow band on the mesh side. They don't get to hot & are good on a bike down to 36F. Got mine at a shop that sells Carheart & other work clothes. They also make an insulated model that I only use on the coldest Winter days. Don

Bike gloves are a joke and a ripoff.

Mechanix Wear: http://www.mechanix.com