Cycling UK Forum

They're neoprene, so warm when wet. I've never met gloves that really stay dry in real rain.

The neoprene thing does work. I did have one pair of gubbies that resolutely stayed dry and they were Sealskin-a-likes from your mate and mine, Aldi... they served me well for the best part of a decade!

But even with Marigolds, doesn't it tend to run down your arm, or get in when you put wet hands in. Plus, you may have to do the washing up.

Good for signalling though, I do wish more gloves were jolly colours.

simonineaston wrote: ↑3 Dec 2022, 12:14pm

They're neoprene, so warm when wet. I've never met gloves that really stay dry in real rain.

The neoprene thing does work. I did have one pair of gubbies that resolutely stayed dry and they were Sealskin-a-likes from your mate and mine, Aldi... they served me well for the best part of a decade!

Neoprene doesn't work to my keep hands warm (speaking from personal experience).

Highly recommended these liner gloves for under your usual gloves.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/adult-mou ... R-p-173114

I've also found Sealskinz live up to their waterproof claims but are not warm enough for me.

Having spent a lot of money on various branded full finger winter gloves (with merino liners) & being disappointed with freezing fingers, I picked up a pair of Aldi crab/lobster claw gloves a few years ago. Not only are they superb, easily outperforming the rest of my collection they were by far the cheapest at £7.99. For zero/sub zero, I think you need an insulated full mitt/semi/mitt design. The semi-mitt (ie crab claw style) makes drop bar sti shifting easier compared to full mitt. Along with merino liners you’ll have optimal warmth. If your bike is straight bar with gripshift gears then a full mitt would be fine.

Aldi or Lidl don’t seem to stock them now, but as many have suggested the Planetx ones seem good and these look very tempting:

https://www.leisureoutlet.com/168976-et ... gIUHPD_BwE

Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best, today +2c, regular heavy showers, 3 hour ride, pull a freezer bag over my normal gloves whilst its raining, keeps them mostly dry.

I guess there's a critical difference between day riders and tourists (tourers?).

Day riders can put wet gloves on a radiator, and if necessary wear their other, dry, gloves the next day, and again the next...

Tourists will rapidly run out of spare gloves. The wet ones have to go on and serve again...and again...

Lived in Canada for 20 years, so I know something about cold. Forget cycling gloves. Get mittens. We use LL Bean mittens for winter tours and in mildish Japan (-5) they are sometimes too warm.

GideonReade wrote: ↑3 Dec 2022, 1:00pm But even with Marigolds, doesn't it tend to run down your arm, or get in when you put wet hands in. Plus, you may have to do the washing up.

Good for signalling though, I do wish more gloves were jolly colours.

The cuffs go under the sleeves of my jacket. With the wool gloves inside though dampness isn't particularly noticeable.
I'm afraid they are the heavy duty black ones so not great for signalling.

A friend bought the reviewed Carnac ones and didn't rate them....

Aldi are selling "Ski gloves" from 18th Dec'. Only £8.99.
I have had a pair of ski gloves that my sister gave me a few years back. Certainly worked for me .

GideonReade wrote: ↑3 Dec 2022, 9:57am These:
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/fingerles ... mc=8492024

They're neoprene, so warm when wet. I've never met gloves that really stay dry in real rain. And fingerless with covers, so can go on over cold wet weak hands. And pop tops so can fiddle with things without removal. Used them a few winters now, design has changed a little judging from the pic. £20.

However, I've only used them with BES (whole palm used) or flat bar Rapidfires (thumb used). This winter with brifters may challenge dexterity.

I have a pair each of the first and updated versions. I can't say wet neoprene has ever kept my hands warm though. Doesn't it need to be right next to the skin to work?
The first gen gloves are ok for mild weather.
The updated version has a fleecy fluffy lining in the flip over hood.
What my hands can tolerate depends very much on my diabetes control but I can say I've been out in 0°c for about an hour wearing those mitts and returned home with all ten fingers still attached.

(re Decathlon mitts) We were in Segovia, en route to UK, in Jan or Feb 2018, when it started snowing. Not a big town, though pleasant (At least, I recall it was Segovia, I could be a stop or two out). Anyway, it had a modest Decathlon, which had the older version. Got us through the snowy Spanish plain, past the Pyrenees, and up the then very wet west coast of France. We're not spring chickens, and my better half does suffer from cold hands generally. In ordinary SE England winter conditions 5-10C I will often find them too warm. So I rate them highly. Good to hear about the updated ones, and of course we'll all experience them differently.

Technically, I think "neoprene" is just a type of synthetic rubber. Not much warmth in that. The word tends to also be used to refer to the sheet material made of foamed neoprene, typically faced ("lined") with fabric, for strength and abrasion resistance, on both sides. Typically used for wetsuits. I was meaning wetsuit material. The Decathlon mitts are admittedly a lot thinner than most wetsuits.

Wetsuits are made of neoprene (sloppy usage), and they keep you warm, even though they're wet inside. Ditto hats and gloves made of the same fabric. Used to use something similar for winter kayaking, that was chilly and wet.

I like having gel under thick bar tape, I suspect that's warmer too.

Cripes! What a lot of words! Sorry.