Originally Posted by
ItsJustMe
Weather Channel sez it's been down to 26°F there in the last few days. That's not super cold but it does require at least full-finger gloves for me. I switch out of my half-finger gloves below about 35°F.
I do find it amusing to think about paying $80+ for a pair of gloves. I haven't paid more than $10 for a pair of gloves yet, and they've been OK for me down to -25°F. Not toasty warm at those temps, but not painfully cold either, just a little chilly.
Note, I *have* paid $80 for gloves before, but that was for skiing. It wasn't for warmth, but because I think skiing is a lot harder on gloves, especially if you use rope tows.
I've paid almost $100 in the past for snowboard gloves, but they had built in wrist protectors, palm padding, and kevlar reinforced grip areas so you didn't cut them up doing board grabs. In the weather I ride, I can't justify spending more than $40 on a pair of cycling gloves.
Up here in Seattle, we don't see temperatures much worse than what the OP is getting in Huntsville. Mid 20s and maybe the upper teens for the low temperatures in the winter. Usually, it's just mid 30s and raining. For that, I've found two combos that work well:
PI Cyclone full fingers: Good for most cold weather, and rain down to about 40 degrees.
REI lightweight alpine gloves (and polypro glove liners): Microfleece lined, water/wind resistant, grippy palm material even when wet, long wrist skirt with single-hand adjustable closure. Warm in the snow and sleet, wear the glove liners if they're still not warm enough.