the best gloves?

I have the Manzella N2S windstoppers. I wear them in warmish weather to keep the wind off, but they are absolutely miserable in cold or sleet. They wet through quickly and provide no insulation. I used them as a liners under both fleece and REI One mitts, and although they kept my fingers warmer than nothing when I had my hands out of the mittens, my hands were warmer without them inside the mittens (not surprising, I suppose).

You might try to find OR Mt. Shuksan mitts (4.0 oz); they are windproof and waterproof, but not at all nimble. I Googled and found this thread which has several suggestions.

http://forums.backpacker.com/thread.jspa?threadID=67215

You might consider this ultralight solution (shortening them if necessary).

http://trailquest.net/dlgcgwsocks.html

Thanks for starting this thread. I found my Novara Headwind gloves to be completely inadequate in below-freezing weather, so I need to come up with a better winter solution too. Guess I’ll have to go try out my Mt. Shuksan shells (after I put chains on the bike tires :)

This is what I plan on using this winter:

PossumDown Liner Gloves
Cloudveil Simple Shells
Integral Designs Down Mitts

The possum gloves will pretty much stay on all the time

The Cloudveil gloves will be added for hiking and doing chores where my hands could get wet. They are waterproof and should provide good dexterity (They haven’t arrived yet so I can’t say).

Adding the Down Mitts when hagging around camp for extra warmth.

Bob

The thing you want (which unfortunately was discontinued around a year ago) are the OR lobster claw rain mittens. They were a plain, unlined, ultralight gore-tex shell. You might hunt around to see if you can find a pair at the back of someone’s store or keep an eye out on ebay. Combine these with an ultralight powerdry liner, and/or a mid-weight insulating fleece or wool pair of gloves and you would be set. The down side of the OR rain mittens is that they didn’t have a good grippy palm, and the taping between the lobster claw was a bit stiff (I found it someone uncomfortable).

I have tried sealskin gloves (I like their socks), but I didn’t like the feel of these gloves.

What I have been using for the last 1.5 years are a pair of Pearl Izumi Encore Gloves. I am not sure if the current Encore Gloves are the same ones I am using. The ones I am using feel a lot like a softshell and have a windproof eVENT membrane. They are water repellent, but not waterproof. After around 1 hour in hard rain they are moderately damp to the touch on the inside. They have a slight bit of insulation. They are reasonably comfortable for me 30-50F. After a full day in the rain, I found that they dry out in a few hours if I leave them on my hands out of the rain.

btw: I a agree that the MH tempest gloves are really nice if you aren’t facing extended rain storms. They are my standard below freezing glove when going out in sierra winters which are mild compared the rockies, canada, etc.

I was quite suprised to find Toko makes a cross-country ski glove in the lobster style,it looks an awful lot like my old pearl izumis.
The best pair of gloves are the dry ones you change into as you rotate your various pairs you are going to need to take to ride in 30 degree rain.
I’ve ridden all day in 34 degree rain and it is really quite a miserable thing. This is also serious hypothermia weather. Be careful, be smart, do some practice rides.

Larry,
Although I hope to be wearing shorts and fingerless gloves most of the trip, I have been caught a couple of times. Once in Oregon with about 2 1/2 inches, low thirties, for three straight days, and once on the Big Sur, upper thirties, 2 inches rain for two consecutive days (with sustained winds of 40mph+). My last trip down the west coast was in November and I only had one day at that threshold, at Half moon bay just a half day’s ride from San Francisco and indoor Pizza. I hope it is only for the one or two days out of 90 that I am packing the armor.
Paul

I havent tried this, but I think if you got some oversized latex gloves, you could layer a thin fleece liner under them and have yourself an ultralight rain shell.

***I have not tried this but it may work***

Consider ditching concerns about ultralight and look at commercial fishing gloves. These folks have their hands submersed in cold water for hours on end. They’re not breathable but certainly waterproof and with a synthetic liner I think would work well.

Ryan,
I tried that once in a pinch.
The latex gloves retained all the vapor and even exacerbated the wetness.
Even with good insulation, I was wet and cold in little time. I ended up using zip lock bags as mittens which considering cost and weight, worked great for an unexpectedly sever storm.

Paul

http://www.glacierglove.com

You might want to consider a pair of neoprene gloves if you don’t anticipate too much hand movement (grasping bike grips). YOu won’t be worrying about windchill with a pair of these. I’m using a pair of the hypalon-palmed model for ice climbing this year.

I don’t bike but I do use something similar to zip locks for rain- two seam sealed silcordura stuff sacks over powerstretch liners. The liners eventually get slightly damp (takes many hours) so I carry a second pair. I get very cold hands and use this down into the mid 30s. I have used OR Rain Mitts and they leaked, Sealskins are cold and heavy when wet, and everything else is overkill. If you are only expecting a dew days of rain, maybe waterproof stuff sacks will work…
Oh, I have the N2S windstopper silkweights too… they tend to feel clammy to me and they don’t cover enough of the wrist to retain warmth. As someone said, they get wet fast. I don’t really like them, but that’s just me.

Douglas,
That is a shame about the Manzella. I tried a pair on and they fit like they were made for me. My last tour, I tested a pair of Mountain Hardware N2S pants in place of tights and loved them. Slightly water repellant, very warm for weight, fast drying, fantastic temperature range. They did not breath particularly well at the point where I should have taken them off anyway, and felt a bit tacky under my Marmot rain shell in heavy rain, but I was impressed for 6 OZs. So much so that I recently purchased an 8oz Golite long-sleeved N2s to try on the upcoming tour. However, in this thread there are two nay’s and I am starting to question my own conclusion. Too bad, I had hopes.
The backpacker forum link led me to the “Outdoor Research Snowline Shell”. Today I tested a pair of 7 OZ OR ‘Coulior'(similar but gloves not mitts) on sale for $50 and ran them under the faucet for about 5 minutes without a drop of penetration. Very impressive.
Your 2nd link was great advice. I recommend to everyone to at least look at the 1oz “Gram Weenie Vapor Barrier Socks” I probably will buy a pair to use as socks or gloves or stuff sacks or to put under my chimney next Christmas. Ugly, clumsy, versatile. Great advice!
Thanks, Paul

Bob,
You have taste! The possumDown liners from all accounts to be among the best available. They are thick and I hope they fit under the “cloudveil Simple shells” which I am trying to find locally to try on. Seem like a great glove for $50 retail. I did read a review today that said they were waterproof for about an hour, then gave way and dried slowly, but still positive. Let us know.
I hope I never get so cold that I have to wear the Integral over the other two.
Question, do the PossumDown wear well on the fingertips when worn alone? Surprisingly, bicycle shifters and velcro straps can eat through fingertips on knits and fleeces faster than you expect.
Paul

Mark,
The OR Lobster claw looked like the answer. 2oz and waterproof. Sadly discontinued and I looked hard to no avail. On several forums they were dissed by ULers in favor of the also discontinued OR Rain mitts at 1oz.
Thanks much for the Seal Skin review, they are off the list.
I have a 4 year old PI jacket with eVent that I still use on tour so I will try on a pair of Encore.
I can dress head to toe in Pearl Izumi with many items having up to 500 days in the field. Quality with a P. However, I only take a few PI items on tour as other manufacturers provide good function with considerably less weight

Amphib gloves and lobsters are their waterproof line. Any experience?

Mark,
The OR Lobster claw looked like the answer. 2oz and waterproof. Sadly discontinued and I looked hard to no avail. On several forums they were dissed by ULers in favor of the also discontinued OR Rain mitts at 1oz.
Thanks much for the Seal Skin review, they are off the list.
I have a 4 year old PI jacket with eVent that I still use on tour so I will try on a pair of Encore.
I can dress head to toe in Pearl Izumi with many items having up to 500 days in the field. Quality with a P. However, I only take a few PI items on tour as other manufacturers provide good function with considerably less weight

Amphib gloves and lobsters are their waterproof line. Any experience?

John,
I Yahoo’d the $40 “Hypalon Perfect Curve” you recommended. No specs available.
2mm thick, impervious way-serious protection. I have not found a local retailer, but I am sure there are some people who wouldn’t hug north rock without them.
Nice post.

Paul

I don’t have any field experience with the amphib gloves. My memory was they were a bit warm for what I was (you are) looking for.

Three other options:

Wait until the new year, I have a pair of OR Lobster Claw Rain Mittens that are in great condition that I am not using. They will go up on ebay in early January.

Wait until (something in 2006 – Ryan… what’s the target) and pick up a pair of BMW new eVENT rain mittens provided that your biking style works with mittens. http://www.ryanjordan.com/weblog/2005/11/the_death_of_ra.html

PacLite Rain Mittens from the UK: http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product75.asp

Mark,
Let me know when the Lobsters are up for grabs.
I had read the article death of Ra with great interest, and had already looked at the 4 oz PacLite.
One thing missing from the thread was commentary about the “Seirus All Weather” gloves.
They come in two thickness’, and today I bought the lighter of the two ($20, less than an OZ, water proof/ wind proof). They are not seem sealed so they leak, but they seem like a solid choice for a 4 way stretch base layer.
I tested them at a dry 50 degrees at 50 MPH on my motorcycle and I was much impressed with their windproofness.
Not much warmth on their own, but I do not regret the purchase.
Paul

Please do not let anyone know that this was revealed. RBH Designs has a brand new not even on the web page vapor barrier mitten out. This baby, which goes for around $60 t $65, is small enough to wear around town but does the trick for outings such as bike touring. Contact Nancy at RBH Designs for more info. By the way, for an additional $10 to $15 they will do the most incredible gift wrapping you have ever seen.

This new model, I think that they call it the around towner or something like that, is going to be great for even routine use around town going and coming to work. You folks who live in a more brutal winter climate might not agree, but this is a great development

Happy Holidays,
Paddy
Buffalo, NY

Paddy,
http://www.rbhdesigns.com
Very interesting company, I will follow up.
Thanks for the lead.
Paul

I am just glad to have added something to this mix, I feel like an amateur with all you gear hounds so I am honored to have passed along this latest news. Doc Ryan is the one who origially turned us on to them, and I think that they make his VB mittens. This new product is just so neat for everyday wear.