SEALSKINZ Waterproof All Weather Cycle Glove

Product Information

Not many people enjoy riding in the rain, but if you're going to keep your training up through the winter, then you're going to want the best winter cycling glove to handle even the wettest weather.

Keeping the gloves clean requires care. Sealskinz recommends just spot cleaning. The gloves can’t be machine-washed, dry cleaned, tumble dried or ironed. So if you did fall in the mud during a gravel ride you may have to wave goodbye to the prospect of seeing your gloves perfectly clean in the future! In milder weather it's not actually necessary to have completely waterproof gloves. Your skin is waterproof after all, so as long as you have gloves that keep your hands warm, they don't necessarily need to keep you dry. Options such as a wet weather neoprene glove can work well in cool not cold conditions. They're often basic in style, with no padding or additional features, such as cuff adjustment. In case you need to wipe your face, or maybe not, since you can't throw these in the wash (Image credit: Josh Ross) When it's raining and just above freezing it's nearly impossible to keep your hands warm. That also happens to be very typical weather for Portland Oregon and the winter weather I regularly spend seven hours riding in. Out of necessity, I've worked out strategies over the years.Finding the best winter cycling gloves is a lifelong project for most cyclists. Unlike other sports, cycling requires holding your hands out in front of your body without moving for long periods of time. It's the hardest test of any gloves and it's a challenge I've thrown the full weight of this publication into solving. I talked to brands, I ran gloves under the faucet, and more important than any of that, I rode for hours on end no matter what the weather looked like. I tested every pair of gloves I could in cold and wet weather to see what worked and what didn't.

Sealskinz ‘Fusion Control’ refers to its triple layer construction: a merino wool inner lining, a hydrophilic waterproof membrane, and a soft-shell outer layer made from durable goatskin. The intention is to provide a close-fitting, breathable, waterproof glove that allows for flexible movement of the fingers. Are Sealskins gloves any good? We couldn't help but highly rate these brilliant winter cycling gloves from Endura. They aren't quite as finessed as the higher end brands, but with both impressive wind and water proof characteristics, they could easily fit in to both categories. For how unique the experience is though, it mostly disappears. The app is set and forget and everything just works seamlessly to add heat all the way to the end of the fingers. It would be great to have the same tech in a less bulky glove but if you need help to stay warm these are the best heated gloves I've tried. The only thing you need to be careful of is keeping them clean as you can’t toss them in the washer. A nose wipe is an absorbent patch, usually located on the thumb with which to wipe a running nose. Most of the best winter gloves for cycling will have one. However they aren't all created equal. If you suffer from a runny nose when cycling in cold weather it's worth looking for a glove with a generously sized wipe. It's also vital that it's made using a soft material, such as a fleece-like material that feels pleasant against the skin. This area is also useful for wiping rain and road grime off your cycling glasses. However, I did find that while the triple layers made for a reasonably warm glove, they felt slightly bulky on my hands. That was not a problem when just holding onto the handlebars, but when performing additional, more detailed movements such as changing gear there was not as much flexibility as I would have liked. It was more of an issue when riding off-road, where the terrain can be more changeable, than on-road.

Cycling Gloves Guide

Just so I'm clear though, the Sportful lobster gloves still leak. For some reason Sportful didn't tape all the seams and water will work its way through. The advantage is that even when water comes through, there's no insulation to hold that water. Of course that also points to the other negative of the Sportful Lobster gloves, you will need another layer inside of them. You will want to mostly save these for drier days though. Pearl Izumi uses a technology called PI dry to apply DWR at the fibre level. It won't ever wash off but it's still a durable water repellent and that only goes so far. After enough time these will soak through and it becomes hard to get your hands out when they are wet.

Compared to both the Castelli and Gore gloves in this section, the Sportful offering isn’t quite as warm. On the interior you’ll find Primaloft Silver insulation which is still impressively warm but not quite the warmest out there. Unlike other gloves though, Sportful constructs the fleece interior in a way that it won’t pull out when your hand is wet. The Xnetic's low weight also means that once on you barely notice that you're wearing them. This can also be attributed to the high level of stretch, which sees the glove forming to your hand shape with ease. It also creates a good seal at the wrist, stopping any unwanted drafts from entering. Neoprene gloves seem like the perfect solution to riding in the rain. In reality, that is true but only when the rain is reasonably warm. As long as the air isn't too cold your hands will get wet then warm the water in the neoprene and you'll be toasty warm. If that's your riding environment then neoprene gloves are a great option and there are a ton to choose from.

Finance is subject to application, financial circumstances and borrowing history. Performance Cycling Limited FRN: 720557 trading as Tredz are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. We are a credit broker not a lender – credit is subject to status and affordability and is provided by Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Terms & Conditions Apply. There is no denying the high price tag that the Rapha Pro Team Winter Gloves command, more than both the other 'elite' brands winter offerings, such as the Castelli Perfetto RoS gloves. However, if you want the perfect winter cycling glove for racing, then these are spot on. Read our full Specialized Prime Series Thermal Gloves full review here HOW TO CHOOSE Does owning a pair of winter cycling gloves make a difference?

When the weather is dry, then running cuffs over sleeves is by far an easier option, especially if you have to remove your gloves to use a touchscreen. Giro's Xnetic H20 gloves are billed as waterproof, and they are. But they are also more than just something to reach for when the skies threaten rain. Thanks to their lightweight, minimal design they work well as a go-to-glove for cool conditions, whether you're heading out on a long road ride or popping to the shops on your bike. At just 62g for the pair, they store away easily.

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As I continued to look for an elegant solution to keeping your hands warm in cold rain, new products came to market. Both Sportful and Assos have waterproof shell gloves and they've changed the game a bit. Unfortunately neither solution is actually waterproof but they have a couple of advantages that make it all work anyway. The answer depends on the timeframe we are talking about. A good pair of gloves with a waterproof membrane, or even a DWR coating, will keep your hands dry for a while. Ride long enough though and they all saturate. The only option that is actually waterproof is a shell. Sportful makes a shell I included here but there are some others out there. They are truly waterproof but they also require another glove for warmth and that second glove will eventually get wet also. When you leave the house on a bitterly cold day, you might make it through a ride with only a single pair of gloves. If you leave the house and it's raining you will need a change of gloves if you ride longer than about three hours. How many winter gloves do you need?