Gear

Buyer’s guide: winter gloves

Choosing a glove to beat the wind, wet, and cold

Knitted glove

Winter gloves come in many shapes and sizes, and are designed to stave off wind, rain, and cold
A lightly padded palm and a padded handlebar tape offers a cushioning ride without loss of 'feel'
Neoprene gloves, like the Endura Nemo pictured, offer insulation and waterproofing
Gore's Windstopper fabric, seen here on Castelli's Chiro Due glove, is among the most effective
A liner glove is typically fleece lined and slender enough to fit beneath an 'outer' glove
Castelli's Prima glove, made from synthetic Coolmax fabric, is a contemporary example of the classic knitted glove

Knitted glove

An opinion divider. For some, the knitted glove (more likely these days to be a synthetic fabric, typically polyester, than wool) is a tried and trusted staple of the cyclist’s wardrobe.

Simple and stylish, it’s insulating in wet or dry conditions (if made from wool, at least). Additionally, knitted gloves tend to be affordable. The previously tested DeFeet Duragloves, a mix of nylon, Cordura, and lycra, sell for just £13.99, or if you’re feeling flush, a hi-viz option for £14.99. Castelli’s Prima Glove, pictured below, costs a dizzy £20.

Those on the other side of fence scratch their heads in bafflement that in the modern age, people still spend any money on such a basic glove, made from such simple fabrics, wool or synthetic.

Padding of any kind is notably absent, and while wool gloves will keep you warm in wet conditions if not dry, there’s no guarantee that their synthetic counterparts will do the same.

One for the cafe racer, say critics; a triumph of style over content. Correct? Have your say in the RCUK Forum, and share your experiences – good or bad – of winter gloves.