The 9 Best Winter Cycling Gloves That Will Keep Your Hands Warm [2023]

CyclistsHub is supported by its readers. We may receive a commission if you buy products using our links (learn more).

These are the best cycling gloves suitable for autumn & winter. This selection includes full finger gloves that will keep your hands warm even in cold weather.

The best winter cycling gloves are the Castelli Estremo Glove. These are the warmest winter cycling gloves by Castelli. They are popular among road, MTB, and casual cyclists worldwide.

In this article, you are also going to learn what are the benefits of wearing cycling gloves, how to choose winter cycling gloves, how to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome and hand numbness, and much more.

If you are looking for half and full finger cycling gloves for spring & summer that are suitable for road, and hybrid bikes, visit my other article dedicated to the Best Cycling Gloves. For mountain bikers, I published a selection of the Best Mountain Bike Gloves.

---

What Are The Best Winter Cycling Gloves?

Below, you can find my selection of the best winter cycling gloves of various types.

Skip to the comparison table…

NOTE: The recommended temperature is based on the experiences of the owners and people that have used the gloves in various weather conditions. You can use the gloves even in lower or higher temperatures, but the warmth of your hands will also depend on how long your ride takes and how fast you will ride!

Castelli Estremo Glove (Best Winter Cycling Gloves Overall)

The Estremo Glove are the warmest winter cycling gloves made by Castelli. They are made for temperatures of 23°F (–5°C).

Their upper is made of GORE-TEX INFINIUM X-Fast fabric that is windproof and water-resistant. Thanks to it, your hands will stay warm, and you don’t have to be afraid of riding in tough, windy weather.

Thanks to the silicone print on the palm, you will also get a very good grip, so your hands won’t slip off your handlebars or brake levers.

Estremo Glove are comfortable, and you can also benefit from the wipe thumb to wipe off your nose when necessary.

The main downsides are that these gloves are not touch-screen compatible, so you won’t be able to use your smartphone with them. And, the Velcro can catch to other fabrics.

---

Pearl iZUMi Elite Softshell Gel Gloves (Best Winter Cycling Gloves for Women)

These gloves by Pearl iZUMi are available for both men and women. This is great news for women because the choice of winter cycling gloves for women is pretty limited.

Unlike Estremo Glove, these also offer gel padding, which will increase your comfort on longer rides.

They are also compatible with touch screen devices. This is useful if you want to use your smartphone to receive a call, for example.

Thanks to the wipe thumb, you can comfortably wipe your nose from – you know from what. Index and middle fingers have silicone print finishing to increase grip so your fingers won’t slip off brake levers.

The main downside of these winter gloves is that they are not as warm for temperatures below 32°F (0°C), and you can experience slight hand numbness.

---

Savior Heated Gloves (Best Heated Gloves for Cycling)

If you are a really determined cyclist who wants to ride even in very low temperatures, you will need heated gloves.

These offer 3 heat modes (low, medium, and high) that will take care of the warmth of your hands.

The battery lasts up to 5 hrs (low-temperature mode), and it is rechargeable, so you don’t have to buy new batteries every time the battery runs out of power.

The palms are made of non-slip material to maintain a good grip to control your bike safely.

Their main downside is that they are bulkier than standard winter cycling gloves. This makes the touch screen devices more difficult to use.

---

Kingsbom Winter Cycling Gloves

Kingsbom winter gloves combine an excellent price-performance ratio. Although they are not as warm as Estremo Glove, they are compatible with touch-screen devices, so you can answer calls, control your smartwatch, etc.

They have a wipe thumb to wipe off your nose (which is very useful in cold weather) and a silicone print on all fingers to increase your grip, which is needed for controlling brake levers.

Thanks to the gel padding, they are also comfortable, but they tend to be a little bulky, so make sure you choose the right size based on their sizing chart.

If you are looking for a good pair of gloves for an affordable price, you should give these a try.

---

Assos Rainglove Evo 7 (Best for Rainy Weather)

These gloves are not exactly made for very cold temperatures but rather for rainy weather. Thanks to the neoprene body, they are waterproof, so they are perfect if you live in a rainy area.

The other main benefit is that they fit well and are not bulky. This improves your ability to have your bike under control.

Yes, your hands will probably sweat because the neoprene is not breathable, but your hands will stay warm.

To wrap this up, go for these if the water is your biggest enemy.

---

Cevapro Winter Cycling Gloves (Best Budget)

Although these Cevapro gloves are marketed as running gloves, they are also suitable for cycling. They provide great value for money.

The manufacturer claims that they are suitable for temperatures down to –30° F (–35°C). This is a bold claim; they are not as warm. They are ideal for temperatures above 32° F (0°C).

But, they are well made, and the leather finishing provides a good grip so your hands won’t slip off the handlebars.

Their main disadvantage is that they are relatively bulky, so the gear shifting and braking are not as flawless as you would expect, and using a touch screen device is difficult.

---

Gore Wear C5 Gloves

Gore Wear C5 Gloves are ideal for rainy autumn weather. Thanks to the GoreTex membrane, they are waterproof and water-resistant.

Another advantage is their compatibility with touch-screen devices. This allows you to control, for example, a touch screen head unit, your smartwatch, or a smartphone.

I like their minimalist design. Their fit is pretty narrow, so they are ideal for people with narrower palms.

Of course, there is also a wipe thumb, thanks to which you will be able to wipe your nose without irritating your skin.

Their main disadvantage is the slightly higher price compared to cheaper alternatives.

Also available at performancebike.com and wiggle.co.uk

---

Pearl iZUMi Ride Pro AMFIB Lobster Gloves (Best Mitts Gloves for Cycling)

I admit, these are not typical mitts, but lobster mitts. However, this makes them the ideal compromise between purebred mitts and full finger gloves.

They allow you to change gears relatively easily. The index and middle fingers have silicone prints, so they are grippy and don’t slip off the brake levers.

At the same time, they will improve your visibility in the dark thanks to reflective strips. This increases your safety because more drivers will be able to see you (learn more).

The wipe thumb is also useful, thanks to which you can easily wipe your face from you know what.

These gloves also fit well, and it’s only a matter of minutes before you get used to them if you are switching from full finger gloves.

Also available at competitivecyclist.com and jensonusa.com

---

Bar Mitts Handlebar Shifters

I know, the Bar Mitts look ridiculous. But before you reject them, read on. They are one of the best ways to keep your hands warm even in cold weather.

The Bar Mitts are attached directly to the handlebars. They are compatible with Shimano*, Campagnolo, and SRAM shifters for road bikes. There is also an option for MTB and hybrid bikes.

You simply put your hands in Bar Mitts, and you can start riding. If it is really cold (below 23°F [–5°C]), you can use them in combination with one of the winter cycling gloves from this selection.

Their small disadvantage, when used without gloves, is that if you don’t have a long enough jacket, your forearm (eventually wrist) can get a little cold.

They are not compatible with Shimano Sora and other shifters that have outer cable routing.

---

---

My Verdict

The best winter cycling gloves are the Castelli Estremo Glove. They are well made and warm, so you can rely on them even in cold weather.

They are windproof and water-resistant, which is very important in winter to keep your hands warm.

Estremo Gloves provide enough grip so you will be able to control brake levers or shift gears safely.

Their only minor disadvantage is that they are not compatible with touch screen devices.

If you use them in combination with Bar Mitts (also available at competitivecyclist.com), you can be sure you won’t experience frozen fingers.

---

Why Should You Wear Winter Cycling Gloves?

Cycling gloves are useful for 3 main reasons. Below, you will learn more about them.

1. Keep Hands Warm

First, and the most obvious reason to wear winter cycling gloves, is that they will keep your hands warm. I underestimated the autumn and winter weather several times already, and it was not a pleasant experience. I had to end my ride after a few miles because, due to the frozen fingers, I could not shift gears and safely control my bike.

Your hands get cold as one of the first parts of the body because they break through the air when you ride a bike. The faster you go, the colder they get.

Furthermore, brake levers are often made of metal. Metals are good thermal conductors. This means they feel colder, which further contributes to freezing fingers.

Also, your body ensures enough blood circulation to vital organs to keep them warm in cold weather. This process changes the amount of blood circulating in your hands (and feet) and makes them cold (source).

If you want to ride in cold weather, good winter cycling gloves are a must-have.

2. Preventing Injuries

The second benefit is that cycling gloves help you prevent hand injuries. If you crash, you will probably use your hands to reduce the impact.

The best-case scenario is that you hop on your bike and ride on it because nothing happens to you. The worse case is that you will abrade your hands and other parts of your body (eg elbows, knees, hip). Cycling gloves protect your palms from abrasions.

When I crashed for the first time, yes, you guessed it, I had no gloves. I abraded my palms badly. I had to take a break from my bike and wait until my hands healed.

3. Improving Comfort & Grip

The third main benefit of using cycling gloves is improved comfort and grip. Speaking of comfort, have you heard of carpal tunnel syndrome? It can lead to very unpleasant hand numbness. It is caused by a lot of factors, including compressed or overstretched nerves.

One of the causes of hand numbness in cycling is the wrong bike fit. Cycling gloves can reduce hand numbness. However, if this issue persists, make sure you visit your local bike fitter.

PRO TIP: Stretch your hands during bike rides.

Most winter cycling gloves also increase your grip thanks to finishing made of non-slip materials. Ensure the winter gloves feature this small detail so you can safely control your bike.

---

How to Choose the Best Winter Cycling Gloves?

Now you know why to buy winter cycling gloves. But how to choose them? Make sure you keep an eye on the following features.

Recommended Application Temperature

The recommended temperature of use of the gloves is very important. If your gloves are designed to be used in temperatures that are dozens of Fahrenheit degrees warmer, your hands will sweat and vice versa. If the gloves are not warm enough, your fingers will freeze.

I included recommendations based on the experience of people from various regions that used them in various weather conditions for each pair of gloves in the selection.

Also, remember that the longer your ride is, the warmer gloves you need. I think it is better to use gloves that are warmer than necessary than have frozen hands.

Fit

Gloves must fit. Too bulky gloves are not comfortable and will reduce your ability to change gears. Too small gloves will push you between your fingers, or you won’t be able to put them on at all.

Most gloves are available in different sizes (eg S, M, L, XL). These sizes are based on palm width. Each manufacturer has slightly different sizing, so always check the enclosed size chart to buy the right size.

Mitts vs. Full Finger Winter Cycling Gloves

When choosing winter cycling gloves, you can choose from mitts or full finger gloves.

To be honest, I am not a big fan of mitts because I mainly ride a road bike. I’ve tried them, and yes, they are a little bit warmer compared to full-finger gloves, but they limit my ability to shift gears.

Full finger gloves, on the other hand, provide better flexibility because your fingers are separated. This makes them better for road cyclists because road bikes use a different type of gear shifting than mountain or hybrid bikes.

To wrap this up, I would recommend mitts to mountain bikers and casual riders that own a hybrid bike and full finger gloves to road cyclists.

NOTE: There are also Bar Mitts that you attach directly to the handlebars of your bike. Learn more…

Comfort and Grip

“How am I supposed to try the gloves if I order them online?” Yes, I hear you. Well, you have to rely on other users’ reviews. My selection above includes carefully selected winter cycling gloves that their owners love to wear.

Don’t be afraid of investing money into high-quality cycling clothing. It is an investment that will pay for itself by your joy of riding a bike even in cold weather.

Also, make sure you buy winter cycling gloves that offer non-slip finishing so your fingers won’t slip off the brake levers. This is very important to safely control your bike.

Other Winter Cycling Gloves Features

Winter cycling gloves can offer a few useful features. The first is a softened material on the thumb, thanks to which you can wipe sweat without irritating your skin.

Some gloves are made of high visibility materials to increase your visibility at night. This is useful during short winter days when the sun goes down early.

PRO TIP: If you need to ride a bike when it is dark already, make sure you use a reflective vest combined with bike lights. A study showed that drivers were able to recognize more cyclists wearing the reflective vest plus reflectors (90%) than the reflective vest alone (50%) or black clothing (2%).

A very useful feature of winter cycling gloves is touch-screen compatibility. These allow you to control your smartphone, smartwatch, or touch-screen head unit without the need to take off your gloves.

During my market research, I also came across winter cycling gloves with integrated heating. They are a little bit more expensive than standard, nonheated gloves, but they are perfect for more extreme conditions (temperatures below 14°F [–10°C]).

Full finger cycling gloves also offer a silicone print on the brake fingers to improve grip so your fingers won’t slip off braking levers. This may help you prevent crashing due to high speed.

---

Winter Cycling Gloves FAQ

---

This post is regularly updated to provide the most up-to-date product tips. If you find a product that is not up to date, please, contact me.