The winter glove has a host of recognisable features, but choosing one that works for you can be more complicated than working through a check list.

Fit, fabric, and construction, are all considerations. Your own ‘running temperature’ should also be taken into account. A neoprene glove might prove an excellent choice for a rider who feels the cold, for example, but the rider who easily puts on a sweat, even in the coldest conditions, will want a glove that gains its waterproofing qualities elsewhere.

A good fit is as important for a glove as any other cycling garment. The most expensive is not always the best, says Hilton-Foster, who advises selecting the glove that works best for you, rather than one from a particular brand.

While a deep cuff is a key feature of winter gloves from almost any manufacturer, one that is bulky as well as long can be counter productive. The cuff should fit easily inside the sleeve of a jacket of jersey. If it doesn’t, and you wear the cuff outside of the jersey, water running down the sleeve will continue into the glove.

For many riders, a well-padded glove is one that promises the best insulation, but the trade off can be a lack of dexterity, or ‘feel’. Increasingly, winter gloves seal out the cold with technical fabrics, reducing the need for padding on the back of the hand.

On the other side, more advanced handlebar tapes – gel offerings, for example – have reduced the need for padding in the palm, and offer a more effective means of reducing pressure on the hands.