Winter Motorcycle Gloves

Winter motorcycle gloves have a tough job: keeping your hands warm and dry at motorway speeds without taking away the feel you need on the clutch and the brake. This section covers the Rainers Denver, Teide, Road or Everest and the By City Iceland, Portland II or Cafe III, in versions for men, for women or unisex.

Three layers doing the work

• Outer shell: leather, textile or a mix, carrying the knuckle and palm armour.
• Membrane: a waterproof, windproof layer that stops cold air and water while letting some sweat escape. On a bike, the wind of your own speed chills you more than the temperature itself.
• Thermal lining: wadding or a fleecy fabric that holds the heat. More padding means more warmth but less feel at the levers, so find the balance your rides call for.

Cuff over or under the sleeve

Winter gloves designed for the open road usually have a long cuff, while urban and classic-style ones are often short. If yours is long, in the rain tuck it under your jacket sleeve: worn over the top, the water running down your arm ends up inside the glove. In dry cold, over the sleeve blocks the draught that creeps towards your wrist. Either way, check that the strap closes properly over thick clothing.

Not too tight

A winter glove that fits to the last millimetre restricts circulation and your hand gets cold sooner, so allow a little slack at the fingertips. There are dedicated cuts among the men's winter gloves and the women's winter gloves. If the cold still gets through on the harshest days, handguards keep the wind off your hands. For everything else (standard, armour, hand measurements), see the main motorcycle gloves category.