done wasting money on "waterproof" gloves

[merlinman]

another typical rainy/wet and cold NW ride today. Did 70 or so miles - 50 with large group. Did the first 1/2 with pair of $12 wool gloves - hands stayed pretty comfortable but definitely waterlogged. So at the turnaround point I stashed these in my bag and tried the Sealskinz gloves I bought recently. After 1 hour they were soaked, waterlogged and my fingers were freezing. At the last rest stop 45 minutes from home I dumped them, put back on the wool (watersoaked) gloves and rode the rest of the way in comfort - hands got back to a nice temp. This is the last time I try any more of the fancy gloves - and I've burned through some dough trying many of them all to similar results as Sealskinz.

[Machka]

Gloves can never keep your hands dry. Think about it ... gloves are small and have a million seams. Manufacturers can do a lot of things to keep seams sealed, but if you know what seam sealing looks like on a tent or jacket, it would be difficult to do the same in a glove.

I think overmitts are the way to go. But I need to order a pair to be sure.

[bmclaughlin807]

I wore a pair of cammo hunting gloves all last winter... they did a pretty good job of keeping my hands dry and cost about $10.

They claimed to be 'windproof, waterproof, breathable' ... I found two of the three to be true. They were waterproof because they actually have a layer of plastic in the middle shaped like your hand... and the three layers were only connected at the wrist. I found this out when I washed them in the washing machine... the three layers separated and it took me about 20 minutes to futz them back into place.

They did keep me pretty warm and dry, but I have a hard time believing that they were 'breathable', with a plastic bag in the middle, though. ;)

They served me well last winter, though... my fingers only got mildly chilled when it was -5F out.

[gosmsgo]

I wore a pair of cammo hunting gloves all last winter... they did a pretty good job of keeping my hands dry and cost about $10.

They claimed to be 'windproof, waterproof, breathable' ... I found two of the three to be true. They were waterproof because they actually have a layer of plastic in the middle shaped like your hand... and the three layers were only connected at the wrist. I found this out when I washed them in the washing machine... the three layers separated and it took me about 20 minutes to futz them back into place.

They did keep me pretty warm and dry, but I have a hard time believing that they were 'breathable', with a plastic bag in the middle, though. ;)

They served me well last winter, though... my fingers only got mildly chilled when it was -5F out.

I probably have the same gloves as you only I paid $4.00 for mine at walmart after hunting season a couple years ago.

When all of my friends were riding with lobster gloves and still complaining about cold fingers last winter my gloves were soaked in sweat......just the way I like it!!!!!!!!!

[hairytoes]

I used to use motorcyclists overmitts, made of waxed cotton. These were baggy, tough and 100% wind/waterproof. Underneath I wore track mitts and thermals.

Sadly, I can't find these old-fashioned mitts anymore, too lo-tech for todays young riders.

The Cannondale 3 season gloves http://www.cannondale.com/a_a/clothing/06/FW/model-7G405.html look like a good idea. Anyone used them?

[bmclaughlin807]

I probably have the same gloves as you only I paid $4.00 for mine at walmart after hunting season a couple years ago.

When all of my friends were riding with lobster gloves and still complaining about cold fingers last winter my gloves were soaked in sweat......just the way I like it!!!!!!!!!

I don't really remember what I paid for them... I just know it was under $10. I picked them up on the way into work on the first morning that I couldn't wear my cycling gloves anymore. One nice thing about Walmart is that they're open when I need stuff!

[CliftonGK1]

I use microfleece lined, water-resistant alpine climbing glove shells. They're by no means waterproof. After 30 minutes in a hard rain they're soaked, actually. But they're lightweight nylon with some synthetic grippy palm that works well when it's wet (it's designed to be grippy against a wet ice-axe.) The microfleece liner is warm, doesn't hold much water, and insulates well against the wind. They have longer wrists with velcro closures so I can layer them up inside my jacket cuffs, that way water doesn't run down my sleeves and pool into them. I use them in anything from high 30s rain down to last year's mid-teens ice storms.

They're REI house brand, and I think I spent $30 on them.

[Hezz]

I wore a pair of cammo hunting gloves all last winter... they did a pretty good job of keeping my hands dry and cost about $10.

They claimed to be 'windproof, waterproof, breathable' ... I found two of the three to be true. They were waterproof because they actually have a layer of plastic in the middle shaped like your hand... and the three layers were only connected at the wrist. I found this out when I washed them in the washing machine... the three layers separated and it took me about 20 minutes to futz them back into place.

They did keep me pretty warm and dry, but I have a hard time believing that they were 'breathable', with a plastic bag in the middle, though. ;)

They served me well last winter, though... my fingers only got mildly chilled when it was -5F out.


This is pretty much what I use but I have removed the inner plastic membrane. They work very well now because they can dry out and breath. They keep my hands warm longer because the membrane doesn't trap moisture from the inside.

[late]

Downhill ski gloves, backcountry ski gloves, and ice climbing gloves have a lot in common. I have ridden with my old downhill gloves. They work fine, but not so good with brifters.

I got these backcountry gloves..
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39215710&memberId=12500226
Because they do work with brifters.

Ice climbing gloves are even nicer, but expensive.

[Lt.Gustl]

Something like these would work well, I've ridden motorcycles with then on and they really help block out a cold winter without adding bulk that interferes with lever operation, a handy person could make there own and I've seen them made out of cardboard and duct tape.

http://www.hippohands.com/Hippo%20Hands.htm

[froze]

I sprayed my gloves with water proofing and never looked back water penetrating the actual glove. Problem with gloves and rain is that the rain can drip down the wrist into the opening of the glove, so unless you have that covered your going to get wet.

[Lost again]

If you don't mind your fingers getting wet from sweat you can do what our club does. Most of us just use the regular latex gloves. The real thin throw away ones. Use a decent pair of gloves and just pull them over the latex, works fairly well.

[kill.cactus]

another typical rainy/wet and cold NW ride today. Did 70 or so miles - 50 with large group. Did the first 1/2 with pair of $12 wool gloves - hands stayed pretty comfortable but definitely waterlogged. So at the turnaround point I stashed these in my bag and tried the Sealskinz gloves I bought recently. After 1 hour they were soaked, waterlogged and my fingers were freezing. At the last rest stop 45 minutes from home I dumped them, put back on the wool (watersoaked) gloves and rode the rest of the way in comfort - hands got back to a nice temp. This is the last time I try any more of the fancy gloves - and I've burned through some dough trying many of them all to similar results as Sealskinz.

I rode to school (about four miles) in pouring rain. I mean like 4 inches/hour for the first 10 minutes, picking up to rain that was as heavy as that of a category 3 hurricane (I lived in Miami-Dade in Southern Florida, so I know this) for the next five or so minutes.
My hands stayed dry (and non-sweaty, as this was happening at around 50 degrees - sudden drop in temps caused this downpour).
What worked for me was a combination of normal full finger gloves and some really thin plastic disposable cleaner gloves that I bought for 3 dollars a hundred at Walgreen's. I tucked these plastic over-gloves under my rain coat and cinched them there with the velcro wrist tighteners.

Woo :)

[Cadillac]

As the weather gets colder, I advise NOT using gloves of any kind if you want to keep your hands warm.
Instead, wear loose fitting leather mitts with a light fleece lining.
What will keep your hand warm is the close contact of all your fingers which also warms up the air within the mitt.
I've used mitts in very cold temps (e.g., -40) with no cold hands.
As far as shifting and braking, there is really no problem with any of the three major shifting types and certainly no problem grabbing the brakes.
The only problem I have had is the absence of a wool-type exterior when I need to wipe my nose.
In cold temps, my nose always runs. :)

[gosmsgo]

As the weather gets colder, I advise NOT using gloves of any kind if you want to keep your hands warm.
Instead, wear loose fitting leather mitts with a light fleece lining.
What will keep your hand warm is the close contact of all your fingers which also warms up the air within the mitt.
I've used mitts in very cold temps (e.g., -40) with no cold hands.
As far as shifting and braking, there is really no problem with any of the three major shifting types and certainly no problem grabbing the brakes.
The only problem I have had is the absence of a wool-type exterior when I need to wipe my nose.
In cold temps, my nose always runs. :)


It does not get -40 here in Missouri and it rarely gets below 0 degrees F here but my gloves worked like a charm and have for a few years now.

They almost constantly stink because I sweat in them and everytime I wash/dry them it takes me about 10 minutes to get the liner back into the finger holes properly. Anyone else have that problem?

[Rowan]

It does not get -40 here in Missouri and it rarely gets below 0 degrees F here but my gloves worked like a charm and have for a few years now.

They almost constantly stink because I sweat in them and everytime I wash/dry them it takes me about 10 minutes to get the liner back into the finger holes properly. Anyone else have that problem?

I bought a pair of so-called waterproof MTB gloves in Canada. They weren't particularly waterproof, and in cold weather, my fingers were cold. I also had trouble re-engaging the inners in the fingers. So I remove the inner layerS -- yes, there were two inner layers. Now I use them as a shell over separate polarfleece or woollen or polypro or plain ordinary bike gloves. My hands are warmer, if not drier. I have a pair of "waterproof" overmitts on the way from MEC in Canada that should solve the problems.

[bmclaughlin807]

It does not get -40 here in Missouri and it rarely gets below 0 degrees F here but my gloves worked like a charm and have for a few years now.

They almost constantly stink because I sweat in them and everytime I wash/dry them it takes me about 10 minutes to get the liner back into the finger holes properly. Anyone else have that problem?

Rinse them by hand and let them dry naturally? (Or a personal favorite... 'forced air' ... ie: a hair dryer on low! :D Oh... and yes... the wife gets upset when she catches me abusing her hair dryer this way!)

[Artkansas]

On occasion I have just used shopping bags secured with a rubber band. It looked totally funky, but my hands stayed dry in freezing rain.

[Rowan]

There're a couple of other observations I might make.

It seems to me that any gloves that are claimed to be waterproof really should have long cuffs on them that extend right up the forearm. This is at least so the jacket sleeves come down over the top and stop the movement of water into the gloves. The trouble is, that as soon as you lift your arm for a signal or to wipe snot from the nose, the water on the glove runs back down under the sleeve. And, getting the darned things on and comfortable as well as water-resistant can be an interesting exercise in patience.

I have found working in the outdoors a lot that any material underneath (jersey sleeve, leggings) acts as a wick to bring water into or under an outer shell.

Plus there is the sweat factor, and any extended time on the bike at a reasonable level of effort will result in enough sweat in the gloves to go beyond clammy to saturation.

I think like most issues to do with waterproofing, it comes down to reducing the ingress of water as much as possible, but realising that the body will generate enough sweat underneath to make clothing damp. The primary function of the outer shells in cycling, as far as I can see, is to reduce the effect of evaporation and hence avoid chilling. Once you recognise that you will get wet on the inside anyway, but you are mitigating the effects of windchill, you are on the way to understanding the issues.

By the way, I should put in a plug for Thinsulate, the stuff that is commonly used as insulation in cheap winter gloves. Using the Thinsulate winter gloves (at $5.00 a pair) under the so-called waterproof outer shell served me well on several cold rides in Canada and on very frosty mornings in the orchards at work. When the Thinsulate gets wet, it seems to maintain its insulation properties close to the skin, provided there is an outer shell. It is an underrated product, in my opinion.

[TruckerMike]

Stop trying to keep them dry and focus on keeping them warm is the lesson I learned riding in Vancouver, BC. I used a paddler's neoprene glove (windsurfers use them too) and have yet to get cold hands with them. Down side is that they take a long time to dry out, but then again, so does wool.

The wetsuit concept is old, but it does work. Yes, you're wet but you are WARM and wet. I'd give them the nod over wool for durability over the long term.

[enjoi]

If your willing to shell out the cash, gore-tex products tend to be really good at keeping you dry, keeping the wind away, and still breath well.

http://www.gorebikewear.com/1164920285736.html

[KnoxBreezer]

Something I've found to work well recently for me: simple wool gloves, the kind with the grippy stuff all over the palm and fingers, worn under an outer shell glove of some type. The shell can be full fingered, or mitten-type when it gets colder. Even if the shell isn't completely waterproof it seems like the inner wool layer always keeps my hands warm, even when soaking wet and cold. The layering is nice too if it warms up on the ride, or stops raining, just peel off the shell.

[thebeatcatcher]

There're a couple of other observations I might make.

It seems to me that any gloves that are claimed to be waterproof really should have long cuffs on them that extend right up the forearm. This is at least so the jacket sleeves come down over the top and stop the movement of water into the gloves.

anyone ever try using rubber kitchen gloves? the kind you wear while washing dishes? those sure have long cuffs.

[supcom]

From my experience riding in rain, trying to stay dry is a futile task. Eventually you will become wet. If it's raining, there is 100% humidity and there is no way for any moisture to migrate or evaporate from the skin. Every bead of sweat and every drop of rain that sneaks into your clothing works to saturate your clothes. and once your clothes get wet, they stay wet. Given the number of potential place water can seep into clothing, the idea that you can keep it out for any length of time does not seem to be a reasonable goal.

The main task is to slow the water penetration to the point where your body heat can keep the wet clothing warm. In cold weather, you should also select fabrics that retain as much warmth as possible once wet. Thin synthetic fleece is the best at this I have found, though you do have to be careful to select a proper thickness as it can easily cause you to overheat. Synthetic fleece does not mat down and lose its loft when wet so it keeps a very good dead air space. Wools is good, but not as good as fleece in my opinion.

For gloves, I have had good luck, so far, with windstopper fleece, but have yet to really test them in a long constant rain. But I believe they hold good promise. A regular fleece with a windproof shell should also work well.

BTW, rubber globes, like those used for dishwashing, are certainly waterproof except for the water that runs down your arm into them. That, and the sweat trapped inside of them. The rubber is waterproof both ways. And once they get soaked on the inside, your hands are likely to get cold unless you have some additional insulation.

[Rowan]

From my experience riding in rain, trying to stay dry is a futile task. Eventually you will become wet. If it's raining, there is 100% humidity and there is no way for any moisture to migrate or evaporate from the skin. Every bead of sweat and every drop of rain that sneaks into your clothing works to saturate your clothes. and once your clothes get wet, they stay wet. Given the number of potential place water can seep into clothing, the idea that you can keep it out for any length of time does not seem to be a reasonable goal.

The main task is to slow the water penetration to the point where your body heat can keep the wet clothing warm. In cold weather, you should also select fabrics that retain as much warmth as possible once wet. Thin synthetic fleece is the best at this I have found, though you do have to be careful to select a proper thickness as it can easily cause you to overheat. Synthetic fleece does not mat down and lose its loft when wet so it keeps a very good dead air space. Wools is good, but not as good as fleece in my opinion.

For gloves, I have had good luck, so far, with windstopper fleece, but have yet to really test them in a long constant rain. But I believe they hold good promise. A regular fleece with a windproof shell should also work well.

BTW, rubber globes, like those used for dishwashing, are certainly waterproof except for the water that runs down your arm into them. That, and the sweat trapped inside of them. The rubber is waterproof both ways. And once they get soaked on the inside, your hands are likely to get cold unless you have some additional insulation.


I agree with much of what you say about fleece. I have worn polarfleece jackets at work in the rain and have been surprised at the amount of weight I have been lugging around when I take off the soaked mass... but I have remained warm.

I agree about the potential for overheating if the weight is not right; the best light polarfleece jacket I have is a Decathlon one, an XL women's fitting that I acquired at one of the outdoor retail giant's stores in France in August. It is superb in the sense that I can also wear it under my MEC waterproof jacket with pits open and feel really comfortable. The one I acquired in Australia before departing for Europe was heavier and while a smart looker, proved to be impractical except for off-the-bike campground and hostel wear.

I have a couple of pairs of really cheap (Canadian $2 store) polarfleece gloves that are quite thin, and they have also performed well in those non-waterproof waterproof glove shells I mentioned in an earlier post. I still like Thinsulate, though.

And on the rubber gloves... it's the smell that gets me. We have Asian women who work in the orchards wher I am employed, and they insist on wearing rubber gloves; after a week in the sun toiling away, the gloves can be smelled a figurative mile away. I couldn't stand them on me when riding. I have tried latex gloves as a last resort in a sleet and snow storm on a ride in the Tasmanian Highlands about eight years ago, and you are also right about the need to have something over the top to mitigate the heat loss.

[Juha]

Gloves made from neoprene would guarantee your hands don't get wet from the outside. These are used in cold water kayaking, for example. They could be very uncomfortable in biking, depending on ambient temperatures.

Aiming at totally waterproof cycling gear in anything warmer than, say, +10C is a futile exercise because of sweat IMO. Below that, I guess neoprene or other 100% waterproof material just might work.

--J

[hairytoes]

I've been using my overmitts for a few weeks now.
they are long, very long, with a strap across the wrist and elastic around the forearm. Rubberised palm and thumb. Very roomy - a medium size easily fits over my fat insulated gloves.

I find they are working well. Because they are just waterproof fabric, they aren't bulky and fit into a jersey pocket. That means I can take them on and off while riding.

They are NorthCape Skye Overmitts. This shop in the UK (http://www.joe-brown.com/outdoor-gear/norhcape-skye-overmi-899.html)has them at a good price.