Waterproof winter gloves

[Litehiker]

Moto13, your leather glove idea is OK as long as the palms are of waterproof material.
And I don't mean just Gore-Tex or some other WPB material but true totally waterproof synthetic outer layer palm,, otherwise your palms will become uncomfortably wet and cold in snowy weather or dangerously cold rain.

I'm an alpine skier and former ski patroller and I've seen some fairly rotten winter weather in my 16 years patrolling so I know what works and what doesn't.

 

[Mikerb]

I gave up looking for them (mostly because the prices are ridiculous) and just wear marigolds under my gloves. I've had "Gore-Tex" gloves that just have the tops with Gore-Tex so they aren't even remotely waterproof.

How are they going to make gloves waterproof when on any other clothing, they use taped seams? How could that work on gloves? Unless it has some sort of Gore-Tex marigold with no seams built into it, I can't see how they would stand up to all the bending.

I suggested Windsurfing gloves. They are usually 3mm neoprene............and they are not fully waterproof either but just like a wetsuit they work on the basis of being a wind block and allowing only a very small amount of water....dampness really....into the glove and that small amount is heated by your hands and acts as a warm insulating layer. In addition they provide really good feel and grip on the bars plus pretty good protection from shrubbery and the trail if you crash. My winter gloves have been used for 3 winter seasons so far and now have some signs of snags etc but keep on working well. Mine are O'Neill and I gave my Gul windsurf gloves to my son to use on his roadbike. He loves them and roadbiking isa far greater recipe for freezing cold hands than MTB.

 

[Litehiker]

Mikerb,
I have 4 mm thick neoprene gloves for duck hunting and decoy setting/retrieval BUT they are not nearly as warm as dedicated ski gloves. You can improve the warmth of any gloves with light ripstop nylon uninsulated mitten shells. They are sold at backpacking websites that sell ultralight goods. Gossamer Gear and others often have these "rain shells".

 

[steve_sordy]

Why do waterproof gloves have to be so bulky? My assumption is that the manufacturers believe that we only need them in the winter, so they add a shed load of insulation. It rains in the other three seasons and despite the rain being a bit warmer, some protection would be nice. Thin and breathable please!

 

[Jurassic]

Why do waterproof gloves have to be so bulky? My assumption is that the manufacturers believe that we only need them in the winter, so they add a shed load of insulation. It rains in the other three seasons and despite the rain being a bit warmer, some protection would be nice. Thin and breathable please!

I totally get what you're saying, one of my pet hates is bulky gloves for mountain biking (or motorbiking when I used to have a bike) but what you're describing does exist. A couple of years ago I bought a pair of Fox Ranger waterproof gloves for that very reason but I have to reluctantly admit that they're pretty crap. Once the outer fabric wets out on them your hands end up freezing cold despite the fact that the membrane keeps the water out of the inner glove liner bit. I've given up wearing them and just use my Briskers and wring them out when they get soaked. If it gets really bad I resort to the Brisker Hydromatics (which I carry in my hip pack just in case). They are a bit more insulated than the Rangers and are my last resort.

 

[Mikerb]

I totally get what you're saying, one of my pet hates is bulky gloves for mountain biking (or motorbiking when I used to have a bike) but what you're describing does exist. A couple of years ago I bought a pair of Fox Ranger waterproof gloves for that very reason but I have to reluctantly admit that they're pretty crap. Once the outer fabric wets out on them your hands end up freezing cold despite the fact that the membrane keeps the water out of the inner glove liner bit. I've given up wearing them and just use my Briskers and wring them out when they get soaked. If it gets really bad I resort to the Brisker Hydromatics (which I carry in my hip pack just in case). They are a bit more insulated than the Rangers and are my last resort.

precisely why windsurf gloves work!! Same principle as a wetsuit. For watersports you can wear a drysuit which as the name suggests keeps you dry ( unless you puncture it...then you are in a world of trouble!!) but not warm. Warmth is down to what you wear beneath it. End result...its bulky!

So the default alternative for active watersports...the wetsuit. A wetsuit is waterproof enough to prevent water flushing throught it but the material will absorb a little water over time and that damp layer is retained between your body and the suit so is warmed. Neoprene is windproof and insulating.........need only be 3 to 5 mm thick.......fits like a second skin.

The gloves work in the same way. If you want even more tactile grip on the bars there are also palmless mitt windsurf gloves..........these are in fact the only one that work for windsurfing and do not cause forearm cramps which full gloves do simply because with a layer between your hands and the boom you tend to grip too hard.

 

[ianiention]

In winter, I used to use washing up gloves with cotton liners underneath. (On my sailboard). I must say I did look a bit of dick with my all-black wetsuit, hood and boots but with canary-yellow gloves!

I laugh, but I've done that too, look like an idiot in the marigolds but have dry hands. Mind you I've not done that for 20 years or so