Nothing takes the fun out of cold-weather activities like numb hands and feet. When it comes to riding, though, sacrificing fun is the least of your worries. Frozen digits can impede your ability to shift and brake effectively. But before you add any old pair of gloves to your online shopping cart, consider the conditions in which you ride, how cold it gets where you live, and the type of riding you do. After all, your hands are right out front on the bar taking the brunt of all things cold: wind, rain, sleet, and snow. It’s imperative to protect them properly.
Gloves or Mittens—or Both?
Gloves will never be as warm as mittens, which let your fingers huddle together to generate more heat. In contrast, mittens lack some of the dexterity that you get with gloves. And the more insulated, and thus thicker, the mitten, the more dexterity you lose.
If you want a little bit of the best of both worlds, consider a lobster claw-style glove, which is divided into three compartments: one for your thumb, one for your index and middle fingers, and one for your ring and pinky fingers.
The Proof Is in the Material
There’s a huge difference between gloves that are wind- and waterproof and those that are wind- and water-resistant. While the former truly prevents elements from getting in, the latter will fend them off for only so long before becoming, at worst, fully saturated.
A glove’s cuff is something else to consider when trying to keep the chill on the outside where it belongs. One that’s loose-fitting and/or stops at the wrist won’t do as good of a job as one with a snug fit (or one that cinches down) and/or is a bit longer for more protection. Velcro is the most common cuff closure, but it can lose its grip over time. There’s a glove on this list that uses a zipper to minimize bulk.
How Warm Does Your Glove Need to Be?
Most winter gloves are insulated with synthetic materials, which dry quickly and retain their warmth-trapping powers when wet. Mittens are often insulated with down because it’s lighter and warmer than synthetics. The drawback: Down clumps together when wet, losing its insulation properties.
Breathability is also important for staying warm. You could have the best windproof glove with the warmest insulation and the coziest fleece lining, but if it traps moisture from your sweaty hands, none of that will matter. While synthetic materials and wool are both good at wicking moisture away from your skin to keep it dry, cotton absorbs sweat and holds it next to your skin.
If all of this is too overwhelming, or you can’t decide between a few options, consider the average temps you typically ride in. Most companies rate their gloves on a temperature scale, so if you know you ride in subfreezing temps, don’t buy a glove meant for 40-degree-plus days.
[Related: 20 Winter Cycling Essentials That'll Keep You Warm]
How We Tested
Every glove on this list has been tested by our experienced team of test editors, who spent many hours throughout fall and winter wearing these gloves in various weather conditions and during a variety of rides. We had trail days (slower and shadier), rode long road rides and intense hammerfests (faster and more exposed), and enjoyed casual-clothing city cruises (where you might not work up a good sweat). We pushed the limits of their insulation and put water-resistance claims to the test. We also research the market, survey user reviews, speak with product managers and designers and use our own experience wearing these gloves to determine the best options. We evaluated them based on performance, fit, price, and comfort to determine the gloves that will best serve you in your battle to keep riding through the winter comfortably.
MOST VERSATILE
Showers Pass Crosspoint Waterproof Knit
Pros
- Excellent grip
Cons
- Not good below freezing
A pair of these knit, waterproof gloves could be the best $50 investment you make to upgrade your winter cycling kit. It has the feel of a mid-weight glove with insulation sufficient for temperatures hovering around freezing. Most riders will find the glove reaches its limit at about 35 degrees. Of course, level of exertion and type of riding can change that. If you’re riding hard enough to generate body heat, whether it’s a slow roll on a trail or a fast ride on the road, the Crosspoint, according to our testers, is still sufficient down to 30. One thing to note: The glove traps some body heat, so your fingers may be cold at first but will warm up within 15 minutes. Better yet, when the mercury climbs, your hands won’t feel hot and sweaty. If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like to pass up an opportunity to ride, weather be damned, this will keep your hands from being the weak spot on cold, rainy days.
BEST LIGHTWEIGHT
Giro Xnetic Trail
Pros
- Excellent breathability
Cons
- Snug fit
Giro's Xnetic glove is a great shoulder season option for mountain bikers. Often when you’re riding in the woods, sheltered from the wind chill, you’ll heat up much more rapidly than if you were on the road. And when you stop for a break, sweaty cold clothes can make it hard to get warm again. That’s where this super-sweat-wicking glove shined: It took the edge off chilly fall air (50-60 degrees) while we were working hard without over-insulating and getting soggy—so when we stopped we didn’t have clammy, cold digits or wet fabric to chill us further. It fits pretty tight, so we would recommend sizing up from what you would normally order. Sticky rubber on the thumb and first two fingers add confidence as you shift and brake and the pointer and thumb tips are touchscreen-compatible.
BEST LOBSTER GLOVES
Toko Toasty Thermo Split Mitt
Pros
- Very warm
Cons
- Compromised dexterity
When the temperature dips, lobster gloves are your best bet for keeping your hands warm while retaining some freedom of movement—they trap more heat than gloves and afford more dexterity than mittens. The Thermo Split Mitt from Toko is warm, comfy, and very well priced compared to many gloves that are not as warm. Like other Lobster claw style gloves, it separates your fingers into a sort of Vulcan greeting, and within those two compartments there’s a small separator between the two fingers that helps wick sweat. The inside of the glove is plush and cozy, and the cuff hugs the wrist closely. There’s a soft wipe on the side of the thumb for a cold-weather runny nose.
BEST FOR 50-DEGREE DAYS
DeFeet Duraglove Wool
Pros
- Great in mild conditions
Cons
- Get soggy when wet
- Not windproof
A great addition to any winter cycling kit, the Duraglove is formfitting, with plenty of dexterity, and can easily be layered with a rubber glove for wind protection or another light riding glove for added warmth. It will keep your hands toasty in surprisingly low temps without causing them to overheat as the ride continues into the warmer part of the day. And if it gets too hot, the Duraglove is easy to stash inside a jersey pocket without creating an annoying bulge. One thing it isn’t ideal for: rainy days.
BEST SYSTEM
Dissent 133 Ultimate Cycling Glove Pack
Pros
- Waterproof and warm
- Customizable insulation
Cons
- Layering can be inconvenient
When you go out to ride in the elements, you don’t just slip a bulky coat over your bare torso, right? You layer. This three-layer glove system is designed to cover you in any weather. It starts with a sweat-wicking silk base layer, adds a thermal knit mid-layer, and gives you a choice of a windproof outer layer or a waterproof shell with a breathable membrane. Two of our test editors wore them during a week of rough weather in early December that included sleet, the temperature below freezing, a little snow, and not very much sunshine at all. On a 30-degree ride, their hands were cold at first but quickly became warm. The layers allowed them to take off the outer shell when needed without exposing my hands too much. They overlapped with sleeves without being bulky. The system kept their hands were dry and warm through snow and ice, and offered more dexterity than one pair of thick gloves could.
BEST FOR DRY, COLD DAYS
Sportful Fiandre
Pros
- Polartec neoshell
- Made for bad weather conditions
Cons
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about the Sportful Fiandre, is that the glove is best left to bone-chilling conditions. “These gloves are warmer than any other five-finger pair I’ve tried,” our tester said. “Sometimes, they’re even too much—I’ve taken them off on 40-ish degree rides and 15-degree runs to let my hands cool down a bit. But, when it comes to cycling gloves, I think that’s a pretty good problem to have.” The Fiandre does an excellent job of blocking wind and even some fender spray from soaking through, and the long cuff keeps it snugly in place on the wrist and prevents cold drafts from sneaking in. However, our tester found the fingers to be a little on the long side. So if that’s an issue you sometimes have with gloves, we recommend sizing down.
BEST FOR HIGH-INTENSITY ROAD RIDES
Gore C3 GTX
Pros
- Long cuffs
- Great bar feel
Cons
Slip on these lightly insulated gloves for your fastest rides this winter, and your hands will thank you (ours did). The windproof and water-resistant back panel protected us from the icy wind chill, while the breathable, padded palm panel allowed sweat and excess heat to dissipate. We did find that if we weren’t working up quite as much of a sweat (i.e. cruising to the post office), the glove wasn’t warm enough if the temperature was below 40 degrees. But if we were working hard, it was okay down to just above freezing. A soft nose-wiping pad on the thumb and touchscreen-compatible fingertips are thoughtful additions to this great-performing glove.
BEST FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN’T FUNCTION WITH COLD HANDS
Outdoor Research StormTracker Heated Sensor Gloves
Pros
- Rechargeable internal hand warmers
- Great insulation
Cons
- Very pricey
- A bit bulky
- Not cycling-specific
This battery-powered heated glove worked well for both mountain biking and road riding. Our tester reported that the pair really kept her hands warm, but not too warm (the heater has a low, medium, and high setting, and you can also turn it off when the temperature reaches the 40s or above). She began to feel the cold on her fingertips just a little in sub-27-degree weather. And although it is quite puffy, it doesn’t impede finger dexterity too much, which allowed her to shift and brake on road and cyclocross bikes. The batteries lasted long enough, too; our tester wore them for three hours in 30-degree weather on the highest setting. The rechargeable batteries fit nicely into little zippered pockets on top of your wrists and don’t feel cumbersome. The power/level button is fairly large and sticks out a bit; it’s easy to accidentally press and turn them down or off.
BEST WARMTH PER DOLLAR
Carhartt W.P. Insulated Glove
Pros
- Hard to beat the price
- Very warm
Cons
- Dexterity isn't on par with cycling specific gloves
Cycling-specific winter gloves are expensive. Most easily justify their cost with excellent breathability, dexterity, and bar feel. But if what you're mainly after is warm hands and you don't want to spend upwards of $50 dollars on a well-insulated pair of gloves, outdoor work gloves such as these Carhartts are worth a look. They're generally a bit bulky compared to cycling-specific options but it's hard to beat their warmth per dollar ratio.
Test Editor Dan Chabanov got his start in cycling as a New York City bike messenger but quickly found his way into road and cyclocross racing, competing in professional cyclocross races from 2009 to 2019 and winning a Master’s National Championship title in 2018. Prior to joining Bicycling in 2021, Dan worked as part of the race organization for the Red Hook Crit, as a coach with EnduranceWERX, as well as a freelance writer and photographer.
