Last winter, on more than one occasion, I went on trail rides with ski gloves *not a good idea* problem is my hands got really warm, and then comes the sweat, which then soaks the inside of the glove with a nice ice cold sweat-wet … shudder.

Ski gloves aren’t exactly made for mountain biking or cycling as my inner “Captain Obvious” found out. Now, I would rather pony up the dough and wear the best cold weather mountain biking gloves I could find in below freezing temperatures.

Speaking of which, I found these bad boys to be the top pick: Pearl Izumi Ride Pro AMFIB Lobster Gloves.  I got a chance to try out a pair from a buddy and loved them.  Who would’ve thought – lobster gloves for cycling?!  I’ve only ever seen them for skiers and snowboarders,  until now.

Anyway, I actually own a much more reasonably priced pair of winter cycling gloves to practice trials skills and for short rides in the cold, the price is on-par with regular cycling gloves which was surprising, see it’s price: INBIKE Men’s Winter Cold Weather Thermal Windproof Gel Bike Gloves.  The value of these are really hard beat for the price and the reviews speak for itself.

Why They’re The Best Cold Weather Mountain Biking Gloves

The Pearl Izumi Ride Pro Lobster Gloves do one thing REALLY well: ultimate winter cycling protection for your hands.  But because they do so much more they deserve the BikeRiderUp recognition.  The quality is top notch, warm, but breathable so sweat doesn’t soak into the liner.

Here are some of its highlights, the last one is my favorite:

• Renowned cycling brand Pearl Izumi = quality products
• Lobster gloves allows better dexterity and grip, great for cold brake levers
• Hybrid mitten/finger glove, giving you the best of both worlds: warmth and dexterity
• Good padding and protection
• Comfortable
• My favorite feature: Technical yarn pulls sweat from the skin to keep you dry and but still maintains warmth.  DWR allows for breathability.

YES. No more nasty sweaty wet hands.  Personally, this sold me.  When I got a chance to test these gloves riding in Colorado Springs last winter, dreams came true.  Someone mentioned that they used these in the Chicago winters, and by the time your fingers start to feel cold you should be getting warmed up during the ride anyway.  That’s exactly how I felt!

So, there’s many other features I did not list and a lot of technical mumbo jumbo I don’t want to get into with the gloves.  Things like 130g Primaloft Gold insulation, Clarino synthetic leather palm, etc

If you want to know more specifics you can check out all the details on Amazon, the current price, and more user reviews here: Pearl Izumi Ride Pro Lobster Gloves.  Maybe you’ll get a better deal from your location.

Best Budget Winter Mountain Bike Gloves

As I mentioned I got to test out the Pearl Izumi Lobster Gloves, but I don’t actually own them.  That’s only because I live in Texas and don’t get the crazy winters like you guys in the north!  It’s not very often I go riding in Colorado like I mentioned, but when I do once in a blue moon I’m okay with what I have below.

I do own the INBIKE Men’s Winter Cold Weather Thermal Windproof Gel Bike Gloves because for the price and number of positive reviews, I couldn’t find a better deal for a budget minded freak like me.  Thing is, even if I could afford the Pearl Lobster Gloves, I would still own a pair of these.

Here’s why: they’re inexpensive, I live in Texas (it gets cold – but not THAT cold), they have adequate protection, and they do 80% of what the Pearl lobster gloves do.

And, don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of gloves out there, but for me these were the best balance between affordability and functionality.  That’s just my style.

I bought these last summer because I just wanted to get them while they’re not in season, which I think is the best time to buy cold weather stuff for decent prices anyway.  I don’t like getting ripped off of seasonal items just because it’s “during the season.”  It’s exactly why I got all my snowboarding equipment a few years ago during the summer!

So yes, I haven’t got test them out in the cold, but I know they’ll hold up well.

Just from how they feel, I know these INBIKE’s won’t make the cut for super cold Canadian or upper USA type of winters outdoor activities, but give them a shot if you’re in the southern states during the winter (I’m in Texas baby – believe it or not it does get chilly here during winters!).  I have not been disappointed and I love my pair.

These are great if it’s cold outside on a sunny and beautiful blue bird day.

Traits to Look for in Cold Weather MTB Gloves

I think we can all agree that in the cold, it’s the extremities that go first – especially the fingers and toes.

The bitter cold literally hits your fingers first while you’re grasping freezing cold handles and brake levers.  I’ve certainly had my fair share of cold rides and let me tell you it’s always the hands that take the blunt of the cold. Always!

When my fingers go it delays my reaction times for braking and shifting and even turning the handlebars – every thing gets a little more difficult.  Honestly, that’s a recipe for disaster.  Not to mention if you crash and fall on cold freezing hands and fingers… that just amplifies the pain!

So, here’s a few characteristic traits I look for when it comes to some cold weather gloves:

• Warm, but allows venting during strenuous activity
• Hence, Breathability
• Comfortable
• Wind protection
• Waterproof
• Dexterity
• Flexibility
• Padded palm protection

I also think I do the same for my feet when it comes to socks and shoes.

Do NOT Use These Gloves for Cold Weather Cycling

One important factor that seems obvious but gets overlooked is that ski and snowboard gloves should NOT be used for mountain biking in the cold.

Reason: Your hands get way too hot.  They’re designed for a different purpose so they really shouldn’t be used at all.  I do a lot of snowboarding when I can and prefer mittens over 5 finger gloves anyway.  I would love lobster gloves though too!

I also have a pair of cold weather running gloves and did the honor of tearing them up by wearing them on a trail ride.  There’s too many things wrong with using these as cycling gloves (and too embarrassing) for me to list.  Let’s just say the seems got torn up and there’s absolutely no protection other than from wind.  They were nice Nike running gloves too.

Point is, don’t use gloves that serve different purposes for cycling.  It’s not worth it!

Final Thoughts

I wear gloves no matter what the temperature or what conditions are like.  I want my hands protected as much as possible.

I guess something, even running gloves, is better than nothing.  But really, get a pair of decent biking gloves as safety is always paramount in any type of outdoor activities.

I really appreciated my buddy for letting me try out and borrowing his pair of Pearl Izumi lobster cycling gloves.  They really are the best in the business that I’ve tried.

Don’t go out without protection, RIDER UP.