Best waterproof gloves

am7

I bought a pair of Endura stikes on the recommendation of a friend.

I rode with them in the cold when it was not raining and was perfectly happy, nice and warm.
When I tried to ride with them in the rain/snow with temperatures close to 0 I barely lasted 10min at most and had to give up. The gloves were immediately soaked (I though these were waterproof?) and when I got my hands out to inspect them I couldn't get the gloves on not matter how I tried, the liner is not sawn to the fingers and became a total mess. These gloves are absolutely terrible and I don't understand how would somebody recommend them.

I am now looking for some 100% waterproof gloves (I know there is not such a thing as 100% waterproof) which have no nasty liner inside. I have been told to look for Gore gloves (waterproof and no liner) but none of the reviews I read were really positive.

Hope you can offer some insight. I don't care if the gloves are bulky as long as I can operate the brakes/shifters. No point in thin gloves when my hands are swollen, numb and paralyzed. Cost is no issue, gloves is not something I can skimp on as I realized.

Chunkers1980

Man up.

Gloves will always be a trade off between bulk and feel. I find just stopping the wind is enough. Thick gloves just get sweaty no matter how breathable on me, so they are wet anyway.

For breathable to work it needs to be water vapour and the tightness of gloves just means on me it's water to soak in anyway even if it's not raining.

I hate gloves but cold wind is worse. If I was that bothered by wetness I'd just buy a couple of thin sets and change on ride as needed or just buy some wicking gloves which don't hold water too much but stop the wind.

CitizenLee

I generally hate gloves, but bought some Sealskinz All Weather Gloves for commuting recently and they seem pretty decent.

On the few sub 0 mornings I've worn them my hands have stayed warm and on the couple of rainy days they've kept me dry too. They don't seem too sweaty either.

I won't wear them on the MTB though, as I don't like the lack of "feel" so just MTFU and deal with the cold and wet

The Rookie

I find the best gloves are the ones in soft shell type material, it gets wet but then acts like a wetsuit and you warm up the moisture, as above anything waterproof just traps my sweat in and I prefer my hand immersed in cleanish water compared to stinky sweat!

peter413

I've found wearing some nitrile gloves under warm gloves (current favourite are Royal Minus) a better option than thick waterproof gloves. A box of 100 only costs £5-10.

Chunkers1980

Surely you'd sweat like a bi tich Peter? I have some of those for maintenance and my hand comes out damp and wrinkly after use.

peter413

Usually yes but not when it's cold enough and if it isn't then it's warm enough just for the warm gloves. It's not something I do often but it's the only option for waterproof gloves I've found that works.

robertpb

I have a pair of Strikes and the liner is sewn on to the inside, if yours are not I'd take them back.

It doesn't matter if your hands are wet as long as they are warm. I don't like bulky gloves so most of the time I wear track mitts, but with the weather compromises have to be made.

I hope you didn't do that muppet thing that I've seen so often out on the trail, jacket inside the gloves.

rockmonkeysc

Go for warmth over waterproof. It doesn't matter how waterproof a glove is water will still run down your wrist.
I like Endura Luminites. They're high viz but I bought them for commuting. They're so good I prefer them to my Gore winter gloves. People laugh at me when I turn up at a dh race in high viz gloves but at least I have toasty hands and they're light enough to have a good feel for braking etc.

am7

My jacket has long arms with tight fitting elastic bands which go over the gloves. There is no way for water to run in the glove. The gloves couldn't keep the rain and snow outside which is why they got wet. My feet were frozen but I could still pedal, my core/arms/legs/head were warm but I couldn't feel my hands from the pain and thus could not operate the controls. I just need some better gloves or some ideas on how to man up by the looks of it. I have looked at neoprene gloves but the thought of my hands lying in a pool of sweat before that sweat freezes from the outside cold does not have me convinced. It appears if you manage to keep the water outside you will sweat and your hands will be still cold as the sweat will have nowhere to go. There must be some gloves that get the balance right. The Enduras are utterly useless, sure they work in a drizzle but for something that has Waterproof written over it in big letters they do a lousy job in the rain.

Angus Young

am7 wrote:

... or some ideas on how to man up by the looks of it.

Don't listen to all that 'man up' boIIocks. No amount of manliness is going to stop your hands getting cold if you're prone to that (as I am) and then it's just plain miserable.

batmo

Angus Young wrote:

No amount of manliness is going to stop your hands getting cold if you're prone to that (as I am) and then it's just plain miserable.

This seems right to me, you need to work out what kind of metabolism (?) you have and dress accordingly. If I'm exercising at all, my hands are warm and "just keep the wind off" type gloves are good. The missus wouldn't break a sweat in Death Valley and she likes the Sealskinz offerings.

CitizenLee

Try the gloves I linked to above... they get the balance right for me.

I get rashes on my wrist if I sweat too much, and haven't had it with these so far.

Halfrauds stock the whole Seal Skinz range if you want to try them out.

shindig

CitizenLee wrote:

I generally hate gloves, but bought some Sealskinz All Weather Gloves for commuting recently and they seem pretty decent.

On the few sub 0 mornings I've worn them my hands have stayed warm and on the couple of rainy days they've kept me dry too. They don't seem too sweaty either.

I won't wear them on the MTB though, as I don't like the lack of "feel" so just MTFU and deal with the cold and wet

+1 on the sealskins. Used them form a couple of winters off-road and commuting. Great gloves.