New Glove time

markjohnwood

My Fox gloves are coming to the end and am looking for a new pair of gloves, I like to have a gel on the palm and wondered if any of you guys have any recommendations on what you wear?

JBA

I wear Endura Hummvee Lite gloves. Not padded but have a decent amount of grip.
Endura also do the Hummvee Plus glove (and mitts) which have padded palms.

steve_sordy

I have spent years looking for the perfect gloves and I have come to the conclusion that there is no one pair that is perfect for all seasons.

Consequently I have many different pairs of gloves!

I have the summer glove pretty much sorted (well ventilated back, lightweight palm, minimum padding). They are the Specialized Ridge Trail Glove. Unfortunately I have just discovered when I looked for a link that these gloves are no longer made. Good job I have a spare pair then! If you Google the name you can see what they look like though. They were cheap, about £15.

Spring and Autumn when it can be cold or cool, but seldom outright wet or very cold is not quite as easy. I need something warmer and windproof, but still without a load of padding. I have settled on the Endura Dexter. There is a gel bar along the palm at the base of the fingers, but if you unpick the stitching at one end you can wiggle it out with a pair of tweezers. Because they are not waterproof, I soak them in a waterproofing compound at regular intervals. It helps with showers. Very good glove.
Bl00dy hell! another one that is no longer made! Again, I'm glad I bought a spare pair last summer as my current ones are full of holes. I suppose that makes them better for late spring or early autumn!
Edit: I have just found a pair on sale, size small only though, for £28
https://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/12511/products/endura-dexter-gloves-black.aspx?currency=GBP&chosenAttribute=E0042/3&gclid=Cj0KCQjws_r0BRCwARIsAMxfDRj5-LBeLMh3DK7kekjqZqOy4s017yOQUEfdcn5R0256Ev4UPSZvCf4aApi2EALw_wcB#images-2

The winter gloves are even less easy, because I need something that is waterproof yet breathable. Why does the term "waterproof" automatically mean full on winter glove? Most waterproof gloves make my hands sweat so much that I can't get the gloves off, and when I do finally manages to prise them off, the linings come out! Manufacturers, get your act together! It can be wet and warm you know!

The winter glove is where most of my test failures lie. But a newly found riding companion introduced me to the Sealskinz Dragon Eye MTB glove. (Note the emphasis on MTB!) For me this is the Holy Grail of winter gloves, the one I've been searching for for years! Because of the Sealskinz membrane and standard insulation, there is no additional padding, which I am perfectly fine about. The glove does not bunch in my hands like many others do. They are very breathable and I have noticed that even when the weather got warmer as the last winter ended, I continued to wear them into spring. These gloves are REALLY GOOD! Cost £22-27

But beware; the "Road" version is cheaper, but thicker and warmer, don't buy it. The "Trail" version which I was lucky to avoid, as I didn't know it existed until I read the review below, is almost identical in appearance but lacks the same features. Don't buy it!
Amazingly, with my track record, the Sealskinz Dragon Eye MTB glove is still on sale!
https://singletrackworld.com/2017/01/review-sealskinz-dragon-eye-mtb-gloves/

I note from the review that these gloves are not rated by the reviewer as full on winter gloves. I have used them when it was -6degC and they were absolutely fine! To be honest I wouldn't really want to be out and about riding below that temperature.

The other gloves I have that I tried but failed to make the grade were a pair by MacWet. The Macwet is not sold as a glove for biking but as one that gives superb grip even when soaking wet. It delivers 100% on that, but who wants to wear wet gloves all day. These un-padded and close-fitting gloves are probably perfect for someone who handles expensive cameras in the rain and doesn't want to risk dropping them.

I used to like fingerless gloves for the summer as they are unsweaty. But they are no good if you are ploughing through nettles!

I have two pairs of full on winter gloves that I bought early on in my search. One is probably a glove meant for ski-ing. Waaaay to warm for mtb. I use them for walking about when it is sub-zero. The other is an impulse purchase from a Black Outdoors shop, sold under their brand name. I bought them at the till to increase the sale value to gain a discount (that made the gloves less than half the sale price). It is thinner than the previous glove, has no extra padding and fits well. But they are still too warm for me. Unless careful, the lining will pull out when removing them.

I cannot rely on buying by size, I have to try them on. Some gloves are too wide, too narrow, fingers too long, palm bunches up, too much padding, too tight at the wrist.... And all that when trying the same size of glove!!!! You have to try them on. Gloves are too important to your ride to put up with something that feels wrong. I was fortunate to be able to try on my mate's Dragon Eye glove and determine that they fitted well. When the new ones arrived, at first came they were a bit tight around the wrist, but after several rides they loosened up and became perfect!

Finally! When you wash your gloves do not exceed 40degC, preferably 30degC and if you tumble dry, go for a low temperature program. (Same for knee and elbow guards too of course!)

The Rookie

steve_sordy said:

Most waterproof gloves make my hands sweat so much that I can't get the gloves off, and when I do finally manages to prise them off, the linings come out! Manufacturers, get your act together! It can be wet and warm you know!

Eh, if you don't mind being wet, don't by waterproof!

My current winter gloves are 'Jacobsen' branded from Planet-X, do the job very well but do indeed get moist. Only usually get 1-2 MTB outings a year as they are too warm usually. Get used much more on my commuter as the higher average speed (and sustained for longer) creates more wind chill.