10 best cycling gloves for winter: Keep your hands warm while riding

We were blown away by how well these performed in the rain and moderately cold temperatures – although water soaks into the material, it never gets through to your hands. They feel fantastic thanks to a merino layer next to your skin, while a waterproof yet breathable membrane layer keeps the damp out but lets sweat escape.

Being nice and stretchy they’re a dream to pull on and off, and a pattern of silicone dashes on the palms, fingers and thumbs ensures great grip at all times. That nice long cuff will keep your wrists warm either tucked under a jacket or over your jersey. As they look like ordinary gloves you’ll probably find yourself using them while out walking too, making them good value.

Designed and tested in Yorkshire, these will you see you through the toughest conditions. There’s a windproof shell that you fold over the fingers when it gets really cold or wet. You can then push it back into a pouch on the back of the hand when you don’t need it, giving you the warmth of a lobster-style glove with the dexterity of a five-fingered one.

Extra-long zippered cuffs insulate the forearms and keep the cold and wet out of your jacket. The grippers on the palms were best on test and we liked the slit on the index finger which means you can use your phone without taking them off.

Made from fleeced fabrics that are insulating and windproof, this pair does a great job of keeping out the chill and are designed for temperatures below 5C. They kept our hands toasty even on chilly early morning rides. While the DWR coating will help keep you dry in showers, your hands will get wet in heavy rain, although we didn’t notice our hands getting cold. The palms and fingers have grippers to keep you glued to the bars, and there’s some reflective detailing and a microfibre layer on the thumb to wipe your nose.

A waterproof membrane inside a tough outer shell keeps your hands warm and dry, and we think they’ll stand up well to months on end of winter abuse. Subtle padding on the palms keeps them comfortable, and the Velcro closure makes them easy to fasten.

There’s some reflective detailing to help you stay visible on dark roads, while slits on the knuckles in the outer fabric make it really easy to bend your fingers despite the tough construction. They dried well after wet rides and you can clip them together so you don’t lose them.

If you’re after a cheaper pair for commuting or weekend riding, you can’t beat these – at under £20, they’re a bargain. With a showerproof and thermal construction, they’ll keep your hands warm and dry in all but the worst conditions, and the elastic cuff makes them easy to get on and off.

Madison have also included several reflective details on the back of the hand and fingers. Grip and dexterity are great, with a layer of super-sticky grippers on the inside of the hand so you stay glued to the bars. They come with a lifetime guarantee, so we’re sure they’ll see you through several years of use. They do come up a little small though, so we recommend sizing up.

A great buy if you want to inject some luxury into your winter wardrobe. With a plush fleece liner and merino cuffs, they’re great at keeping your hands toasty and the cuffs are long enough to keep the cold off your wrists. The suede nose wipe is handy in cold weather, and the reflective logo and panel on the outside finger help when signalling. There’s also a tab to pull on the cuffs that makes pulling them on much easier. These are expensive, but they look and feel great.

If you get hot while riding or simply don’t like the feel of a bulky glove, this lightweight pair from Universal Colours could fit the bill. A super lightweight construction makes them perfect for mild autumn days, and as they are so lightweight with silicone grippers on the palms, your dexterity and bike control don’t suffer.

When the weather gets really cold, they will work really well as a liner beneath heavier gloves. Conductive strips on the index and middle fingers mean you can use your phone without too much trouble. We would again recommend sizing up with this pair.

The entire back of the hand is a reflective panel, so they’re perfect for staying seen on dark rides – just take a photo of them with the flash on your camera and you’ll see how effective they are. The reflective coating is also really waterproof, so they’ll stay warm and dry too. The inside palm has a textured silicone pattern which really improves grip, and they fasten with Velcro at the wrists. We did find they came up a bit small, so would recommend sizing up.

This “system” from Sussex brand Dissent 133 is a collection of four pairs of gloves – a light silk liner, a thermal pair, a windproof pair and a waterproof pair. You can combine and wear up to three at a time to suit the riding conditions. They come in a case and there’s a guide telling you which to wear based on the weather and temperature.

We combined the liners and waterproof layers on a wet autumn ride and found they worked really well, keeping the hands dry but keeping dexterity and control good. While it’s possible to wear three pairs at a time you may find the extra bulk reduces your feel and control slightly. The set is expensive but also incredibly versatile.

Diluvio means “flood” in Italian, and we think that name’s pretty apt. Modelled on scuba diving gloves, they are made from neoprene to keep your hands warm in rainy conditions. Though your hands do get wet, the gloves hold on to your body heat to stop them from getting cold. The long cuffs also help keep the wind and rain from going up your sleeves.

Braking and changing gear was no problem, even in the driving rain, and the textured grippers on the palms and fingers mean you never lose your grip. Though they work brilliantly during the ride, we did find them quite slow to dry out completely, so they’re maybe not the perfect pair for commuting.