martin113 wrote:... Marigolds. Advantages, totally waterproof, easy to replace, light to carry. Disadvantages, bit hot on warm days, look naff but who cares. Also useful for doing the washing up when camping. Much recommended.
In case you didn't know, some shops (Wilko or Sainsburys probably) sell black Marigold-like gloves, so they need not look quite so naff.
I wear Sealskinz mittens and so far I'm wondering how other people manage to get them so wet.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
I had a pair of Pearl Izumi overgloves a few years ago. I liked them, they were nice for the ends of the season, the scrunched up small and were just the thing over fingerless gloves if you got caught out. I tried to get another pair but they had stopped making them. It seems they have started making them again and I'm interested but tripwire's link appears to be broken alas, I get "Authentication failed" when I try it.
Those Izumi things were not serious weather gear. I got caught in some hefty mid-West rain with them and they were as waterproof as dishcloths after about 5 minutes. Mildly windproof at best. Not for serious touring, more a light shell for your hands.
You only live once, which is enough if you do it right. - Mae West
I used to get bad eczema on my hands and spent a fortune on waterproof gloves to keep them dry. Most were useless.
The only types I found that worked reliably were the Extremities Tuff bags and a pair of ex-army lined leather gloves. The latter cost under £10 on ebay and are really good. Motorbike gloves might also be worth looking at.
Straight away you have created a whooping big leak point if you have an opening. It will let water in. I find that Sealskins work although eventually some moisture always finds it way down from the wrist. Membranes are fragile. Eventually all will leak. Test them straight from the box, many have a waterproof fabric but don't have taped seams.
If you go into a petrol station there are sometimes thin plastic gloves that are for use while filling up. I use these inside my motorbike gloves, so even if the gloves get wet my hands stay dry and warm and best is the lining doesn't pull out.. I suppose you could use these over normal gloves as they are quite large but then still maybe a problem with rain running down inside the sleeve.
it doesn't matter if you have wet hands, what does matter is warm hands to control brakes and gears. Buffalo mittens are my weapon of choice - they are flexible enough to allow fingers to move and operate levers and also warm enough even when soaking. they also dry fairly quickly. Mittens are much warmer than gloves. if it is sub-zero you could add a thin pair of liner gloves so you can whip the mittens off and handle metal without your ski sticking to it, but for UK use in cold rain i have found these mittens to be ideal.
