5 Cold-Weather Cycling Gloves

Written by
Marc Lindsay
In addition to causing near unbearable misery—and perhaps of even greater concern to our fellow cyclists—cold, wet hands can affect how well you control your bike. To fight off the wind, rain and snow, you'll need a good pair of gloves. Sorting through hundreds of options, we tested these five top models to find the right fit for your cycling needs this winter.
Sugoi Zap
$75
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If you're looking for a pair of gloves for the winter's bitterly cold days, the Sugoi Zap is one of the best options we tried. The outer is wind and waterproof, while the Thinsulate liner keeps fingers and hands toasty inside. What's most impressive though is how breathable the material is. The problem with a lot of heavyweight gloves is the potential for sweaty, clammy hands after a half hour on the bike, which can cause the opposite of what you want. The Zap is a glove that's excellent at walking this fine line—your hands will be plenty warm in cold temps but not so hot your mitts begin to sweat. Thanks to the Sugoi Zap's split finger and curved palm design, we were impressed by the ease with which we were able to break and shift despite the glove's thickness. The long wrist cuffs also tuck under most jacket sleeves— a must to keep out wind, rain, and snow.
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Pearl Izumi
$100
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Despite the P.R.O. Barrier's bulkiness, the extra room makes them easier to use with a liner if needed on really cold days. As for function, the waterproof Outdry material is ideal for protecting hands from wind and rain. Inside, a fleece lining will keep you warm until temperatures hit below 40 degrees—lower temperatures will require a liner or a warmer option. One pleasant surprise was the AX suede material inserted into the palms, which made it easier to grip the handlebars in bad weather.
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Assos Tiburu
$54.99
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To compare the Evo 7 to another piece of must-have, cold-weather gear, these gloves are like wearing a pair of arm or leg warmers for mild fall temperatures around your hands. While there isn't a lot of padding, the rubber inserted into the palm provides plenty of grip, and you can use the contact patches on the thumb and index on your GPS and smart phone touchscreens. Where these gloves excel over other options though are their quality and construction. And because of the thin material, low weight and excellent fit, you might consider pairing these gloves as a liner with heavier weatherproof gloves. The only big negative here is the high price tag for such a basic, lightweight glove.
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Endura Nemo
$49.99
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Neoprene gloves (like a wetsuit) are effective for wet weather insulation. The downsides are that your shifters will be hard to feel, they aren't very flexible, and they're a little too warm, causing your hands to overheat. While we still wouldn't recommend a long ride in the Nemo, they are the softest and most flexible neoprene glove we've ever tried. They also fit the hand extremely well, and the construction should make these plenty durable. For under $50, these are an excellent buy for anyone looking for a warm, dry glove for extreme wet conditions.
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Giro Ambient
$75
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Winter gloves are one piece of equipment that favors function over style. While we're generally OK with a pair of ugly looking mitts as long as they do the job, the Ambient City from Giro is the rare glove that manages to be both good-looking and functional. The Pittards leather exterior is not only one of the best feeling gloves you'll put on, but it's also surprisingly warm and easily serviceable for temperatures down to about 40 degrees. It's also windproof, waterproof and provides far better finger dexterity than most other options in its category. Lined with the cozy X-Static AGrid thermal fleece and priced at a reasonable $75, the Ambient City might be the best buy of the bunch.
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