Long Finger Gloves for Descending the Alps

CyclingBantam

First off, I'M GOING TO THE ALPS NEXT WEEK WOO HOO....

Ahem..

...erm, anyway. Because of this I am needing to get some long fingered windproof gloves for the long, potentially cold descents. Does anyone have any reccomendations?

Obviously they don't have to be particually warm as it will mainly be the wind that causes the problem. I currently have some Neoprone gloves which, despite the horrible smell they store are quite good in winter but they are better in the wet as opposed to the windy.

It would be great to hear what others expreiances have been with gloves.

Thanks

Ben

jonginge

Not sure you'll need them at the moment. Quite hot over there at the moment, I think. I was fine in mitts on the marmotte ten days ago. I did use a gilet and warmers for the first half of the descent of the galibier, though.

FWIW I've got some of these (which I did take to the alps):
http://www.probikekit.com/uk/clothing/m ... inger.html

Edit: Enjoy the trip! Wish I had another holiday over there planned before next year

CyclingBantam

JonGinge wrote:

Not sure you'll need them at the moment. Quite hot over there at the moment, I think. I was fine in mitts on the marmotte ten days ago. I did use a gilet and warmers for the first half of the descent of the galibier, though.

FWIW I've got some of these (which I did take to the alps):
http://www.probikekit.com/uk/clothing/m ... inger.html

Edit: Enjoy the trip! Wish I had another holiday over there planned before next year

Thanks Jon.

It is the descent off the Galibier I am mainly thinking about to be honest. It is my first time in the alps so I am super excited. I expect you had a great time on the Marmotte. We are doing it in reverse on one of our days.

Cheers for the link to the gloves, I will have a look. I would like something just in case we get bad weather.

TheStone

Stick a couple of surgical gloves in you seatpack just incase, but unlikely to need them.

jonginge

Fair play. It's best to be prepared for anything. I took a lot of kit I didn't end up using.

First trip? Awesome. I love it. The rides for me go like this: climb, coffee, descend, lunch, climb, coffee... etc, etc. It's great

CyclingBantam

TheStone wrote:

Stick a couple of surgical gloves in you seatpack just incase, but unlikely to need them.

I did wonder about that. Would they make enough of a difference? The last thing I want to be is underprepaired however, if I can get away without spending £40 on gloves I might not use again I would be happy.

Jon - That is exactly the schedule we have. I'm hoping the weather improves a little from what we have seen on the tour so far however that has been over the other side of the country. Do you have any absolute top reccomendations for kit you took that people (I) might forget?

I am taking all the usual summer clothing plus Arm warmers, Gilet, Pack away waterproof, spare chain, track pump, tubes, repair kit.

Thanks for the advice.

Ben

Tom Butcher

Marmotte was my first time in the Alps and to be honest I could have got away with a short sleeve jersey - did stick a gilet and arm warmers on to descend the galibier and glandon because i had them with me but they weren't necessary. The gloves I took were thin running gloves that would have fitted under my mitts but I didn't actually pack them on the day.

I know we were lucky with the weather and you want to go prepared but I wouldn't buy kit specially - just keep an eye on the forecast and take a waterproof and your existing gloves unless it looks nailed on sunshine.

holmeboy

Up and down Galibier on 22 June in wet and misty conditions with no gloves, was a bit cold after being at the top for 5 Mins but the descent was over that quickly did'nt really suffer to badly, but then again I only wear gloves on longer rides in bleakest winter.

JamesB

I`m thinking of taking a pair of RAB windproof polartec gloves to slip over mitts for descents when I`m there in 3 weeks time . Nice and light and compact but fairly windproof, warm and aren`t cold when wet---but then the sun will shine all the week I`m there (I HOPE)

Yossie

Just order down what you want, don't take them out of the packet unless you use them, if you don't send them back for a full refund.

fleshtuxedo

DeFeet ones from Prendas - the best £15 you can spend on gloves

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ty ... 20&ID=2834

So good you'll end up using them all the time in spring and autumn

Anonymous

I'm in the alps right now, tapping this out wearing my fleece jacket with thick undershirt on and sat out on the terrace. It is cold out here right now, dropped to about 6C over night (yes six degrees centigrade), we had some bad weather over last 2 days including one day of torrential rain (all day), but day before that it was 33C most of the day. So my advice is, bring the gloves as you might need them, but if you don't, it's not exactly sending you over baggage limits

I'm near Samoens by the way (foot of Col de Joux Plane), sun is out today, so here's hoping it will get over 24C today.

rc856

Been to the Alps and Pyrenees at the start of June.
Never wore anything but shorts and s/s jersey in the Alps with a cape for the descents.
Used my full winter/wet gear in the Pyrenees!!

As the above poster says, pack them at least so you've got them.
The running inners would be fine but I've a pair of Pro Vision windproofs that crunched down into a pocket but went over my mitts as well.

Have a great time. Would love to be going back.

sheffsimon

FleshTuxedo wrote:

DeFeet ones from Prendas - the best £15 you can spend on gloves

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ty ... 20&ID=2834

So good you'll end up using them all the time in spring and autumn

+1 for these. I saw a recommendation for them on here, and bought a pair. V.good

dodgy

So I guess you're here now? (I'm the same poster as dodgyd above by the way, bit of an account mix up, now sorted).

i hope you did take my advice on board, the weather is the worst i've seen it here for July. Cold, lots of wind and very, VERY heavy rain. Sorry about that, hope it doesn't ruin your dream trip The good news is that it can change really quick out here.

We go home tomorrow, we actually cut short our visit by a few days as the weather is that bad here in Samoens (I have things to do at home, too).

ddraver

Just get a set of XC MTB gloves - they ll keep most of the chill off, I use them nearly all winter, only swapping to Seal skins when it's below 3deg (yes, i am that precise!)

heavymental

I wouldn't think of packing them personally. Surgical gloves suggestion is probably your best bet if you're worried. Can use them if you have a mechanical too. Normal mitts should be fine generally.

dodgy

Wait until the OP gets back, would be surprised if he doesn't bring back tails of shocking weather. Because that's what it's like here at the moment, terrible!

Just in case anyone else is taking notice of what I'm writing, I would definitely bring gloves, and good autumn quality kit, the weather is exceptionally bad here.

Or alternatively, you could just pack what other people think you 'might' need.

dodgy

So how was your trip cyclingbantam? Did your region of the alps escape the bad weather? I know it wasn't bad everywhere, but it was at Morzine and surrounding area.

CyclingBantam

dodgy wrote:

So how was your trip cyclingbantam? Did your region of the alps escape the bad weather? I know it wasn't bad everywhere, but it was at Morzine and surrounding area.

Sorry for not replying Dodgy, I hadn't checked back on this thread.

You were right, the weather was AWFUL at times. On the Tuesday we got there (19th) it was heavy rain and pretty cold. We climbed Alp D'Huez (56 minutes!! ) then descended and went back to our Chalet (Station Oz near Allemond).

Following day was a long ride over Col de Morte and Col de Ornon which started cold but warmed up in the afternoon.

Thursday and Friday were great and spent watching the Tour (near junction on Galibier and then Alp D'Huez turn 6-7).
Final day, well, I have never been so cold in all my life... apart from my hands!! I bought some gloves in Bourg D'orsain, standard long finger waterproof and windproof ones and boy am I glad I did. I was due to take some neoprene ones out but simply forgot them when packing somehow. We climbed the Croix de Fer then descended in to Saint Jean de Maurienne. We planned to go up the Galibier but as it was only 10 degrees in the valley and raining we decided it wasn't a good idea. We then took the easy route back up the Col du Glandon. What a climb that was! 20km at around 8% I think so in effect it is all about 10-11% as you have the odd tiny bit at almost flat which makes the average tumble.

Amazing trip but the weather did knock the edge off it unfortunately. Can't wait to go back next year though.

Cressers

Why not use a pair of those magic thermal stretch gloves available from market stalls for £!?

CyclingBantam

Cressers wrote:

Why not use a pair of those magic thermal stretch gloves available from market stalls for £!?

With the temperatures as they were and the rain I think that would have been a miserable experiance. Seriously, it was like riding in November over here!

Aggieboy

Cressers wrote:

Why not use a pair of those magic thermal stretch gloves available from market stalls for £!?

You should have got him some when you bought yours. You know, the ones you think you'll need next week when it snows.

dodgy

Just shows you, a few people on this thread were thinkiing "it's the alps in July, it will be baking" and advising accordingly. Wrong I'm afraid

jonginge

Shame about the weather, CB. I guess I will keep taking all that kit then! Otherwise the trip sounds great. 56mins up the Alpe is rapid. Chapeau.

*cough*marmotte*cough*