Ever spend an hour hiking in the winter and find your fingers quickly lose feeling? That’s your body telling you that it’s too damn cold out, and bringing your warm blood back into your chest. Numb hands can be frustrating, and for good reason. Allowing your hands to get cold reduces dexterity and feel—which is bummer, since you need your hands for pretty much any activity you want to do outdoors in cold weather.

Donning gloves and mittens might seem like a no-brainer solution, but the wayĚýyou wear and layer your gloves makes an enormous difference in just how much you can actually warm your fingers.

A Cold Core Means Cold Hands

Blood flows from your heart to your hands through the ulnar and radial arteries. When your core gets cold, your body contracts the muscles around those arteries, . This is a simple survival mechanism—your organs are more important than your fingers, so your body prioritizes warming your core.

The good news is that by keeping the rest of your body comfortable, you can keep blood flowing to your extremities.

Your cold hands may not be due to inadequate gloves;Ěýthey can also be caused by failing to wear a warm enough jacket, hat, insulated boots, or neck protection. The most effective piece of clothing to insulate your core is a puffy vest. Even if your layering system already feels full, a vest’s armless design may enable one to fit between a mid-layer and puffy jacket, where it will meaningfully increase core warmth, and therefore comfort for your hands, too.

I made this suggestion to a friend a few years ago. We were canoeing in frigid weather, and despite both of us wearing glove liners and insulated, waterproof gloves, he couldn’t keep his hands from getting so cold that he lost his grip on the paddle. I loaned him a thin puffy vest, he layered that inside his jacket, and his comfort improved almost immediately.

To Choose a Glove, Study the Insulation

I see lots of my friends form loyalties to certain brandsĚýwithout paying much attention to the details of the actual products. But as with most other items of gear, we can use information online to define and understand the merits of individual gloves.

Those cheap,Ěýhardware store gloves everyone loves? They are often made out of very basic spun-polyester insulation, the same kind that comes in those cheap, bulky box store sleeping bags. Just like cheap sleeping bags with supposed zero-degree Fahrenheit ratings that still leave you freezing in much warmer temperatures, the insulation in low-end gloves can be bulky and inefficient.

But while cheap, synthetic gloves can leave your fingers cold, quality synthetic insulation is ideal for gloves.ĚýNot only are spun polyester fibers capable of trapping more air in less volume versus goose and duck down, but synthetics are also capable of maintaining their loft—and therefore their performance—when wet.

Your best option is to seek out Primaloft Gold insulation. Gloves made with Primaloft Gold areĚýthinner and warmer than the cheap alternatives because they’re spun out of a much tighter-woven polyester.

There is also a variety of Primaloft Gold that uses fibers partially made from Aerogel, the lightest and most insulating material known to man. Aerogel insulates even when compressed, making it particularly suited to gloves because it keeps you warmĚýwhen you’re gripping something. Primaloft Gold made with Aerogel is called CrossCore Technology.

When it comes to synthetic insulations, we can also divine its relative warmth and bulk levels by looking at the density of the material used in a particular item, expressed in grams-per-square-meter (GSM). You can look at two different pairs of gloves made using the same insulation, and compare their relative warmth and thickness by reading their GSM numbers.

Want Warmer Hands for Cheap? Start Layering.

All this talk of high-tech performance probably sounds expensive. It doesn’t need to be. By thinking about gloves as a layering system in the same way you might for the rest of your technical clothing, you can achieve a ton of performance across a wide variety of conditions—without spending a fortune.

The most useful pair of gloves in my arsenal is probably . At $50, a pair of Packaways is made from 60 GSM Primaloft Gold with CrossCore Technology housed in an ultralight polyester shell with fake leather reinforcements on the palm. That amount of insulation and the shell material makes the Packaway Gloves feel similar to a lightweight puffy jacket.

On their own, they’re perfect for everything from summer trips in the high alpine to dog walks in mild winter weather. But layering the L.L.ĚýBean gloves delivers comfort even through extreme conditions. Here’s my glove layering system.

I begin with a base layer, just like long underwear when I’m dressing to go outside. I wear a $45 set of . The Hestras come with a nice bonus: touch-screen compatibility. The little capacitive touch screen pads may not allow you toĚýfire off long text messages at your usual speed, but they can provide the ability to pinch and swipe a map or take a picture.

How much additional warmth can a liner add? Hestra—a high quality glove maker from Sweden—pegs the number at up to 20 percent. You will feel a difference. To accommodate a liner, size up your main insulating glove by one.

Liner gloves aren’t very effective against wind, precipitation, impacts, abrasion, or lacerations. I fall down while skiing often, so I wear a set of ($150) as an outer shell over a liner and Primaloft midlayer glove. I then add a significant application of leather conditioner and waterproofing to the Uphill Skier gloves. Replacing Vermont’s removable lightweight merino insulation with the Primalofts and liners adds plenty of downhill to the Uphills, which keep the weather and snow from my crashes on the outside. How much additional warmth can a shell glove add to a system? Hestra says that a liner and shell together can add up to 50 percent more warmth to your primary glove.

You don’t necessarily need to use the same (fairly pricey) liners and shells I do. Liner gloves are available at your local big box store for very low prices. If you don’t like a leather shell glove, you’ll find that ones made from synthetic materials and waterproof membranes will actually deliver more performance at lower prices, at the expense of durability.

And you can apply this approach to any midweight glove already in your arsenal. If, for example, you bought those 50 GSM Primaloft Gold with CrossCore Technology Beyond Guide Gloves ($135) I wrote about two years ago and still wear regularly, then adding a liner and outer shell can reap the same performance increases.

Are Heated Gloves Worth the Money?

That depends. But it’s certain that a heat source dramatically increases the warmth of your gloves.

The traditional way to add heat to a glove isĚýto shove a chemical heat pack down the back of your gloves, so it rests on the back of your hand where the blood vessels running to your fingers pass close to your skin. Ěýover a liner glove can prevent the packs from feeling too hot.

I have a pair of that I pull out of my gear closet for really nasty activities like ice fishing without a shelter, or for the coldest of days on the ski hill. But electrically heated gloves aren’t perfect. My Prevail mittens cost $340, an arm and a leg for a pair of gloves.

What I paid for is quality and reliability. While the battery packs used in my gloves are pretty much a replaceable commodity these days, the wiring that generates the heat is not. More expensive options typically spread their heating wires over larger areas of the glove (in useful places like the fingers), and make them out of stronger materials that are less likely to fail due to fraying and bending.

Expect to replace your battery packs at least once every two years. Storing batteries charged can help ensure they last that long. But my Outdoor ResearchĚýgloves have held up in like-new condition since 2016.

The final thing I look for inĚýa pair of gloves: reliability. I don’t bother dragging heated gloves into the backcountry, or on any adventures where a failure might put my fingers at risk. With your hands and fingers so exposed to the cold, and so easily damaged by it, you want gloves that will continue to work if submerged in freezing cold water, after crashing through a snow drift, and even in the event of a badly timed ice axe or ski pole swing. Classic materials like wool and leather are capable of withstanding that kind of abuse, and will keep you warm when paired with high-performance synthetic insulation.

Wes Siler spends more time in gloves each winter than your average skier, and he barely hits the slopes. You can find him splitting wood and working on his trucks outside his Bozeman, Montana, home.

The post You Should Layer Your Gloves. Here’s Why. appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

We Don’t Need Another Spork

By Miyo McGinn, şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř assistant editor

Lobster-claw gloves are the spork of cold-weather apparel: hybrid gear that accomplishes none of its tasks as capably as the standalone equivalent. A spork is a leaky spoon with tines too short to spear anything; the lobster claw is—take your pick—a chilly mitten or a glove with lousy dexterity. Where skiing is concerned, I want a full-finger design when I know I’ll be doing stuff (ripping skins, swapping layers), and mittens when warmth is paramount. What I don’t want is a mashup that nods at both without delivering on either.

I also see no need for a single glove or mitten to cover both scenarios, since I always tour with two pairs of gloves anyway—one for the uphill and one for the down, when the first is too sweaty to keep my hands warm. If I’m already carrying multiple pairs of gloves, it makes sense for each to suit its intended use.

I prefer lighter gloves while skinning (my go-tos are ). The energy I’m burning means I don’t require a lot of insulation to be comfortable, and they offer better dexterity when transitioning. At the top, I switch to hefty mittens—preferably something waterproof and generously insulated. Bulk isn’t an issue, since the only task my hands have on the way down is holding on to my poles.

If you want warm hands, wear mittens; if you need nimble fingers, go with gloves. Sporks are better in theory than in practice.

These Gloves Are the Perfect Combination of Dexterity and Warmth

By Jake Stern, şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř digital editor

I’ve spent most of my career arguing against compromise when it comes to gear. If something’s labeled hybrid, almost always it’ll disappoint you twice. Take hybrid skis—neither light enough for going up nor stable enough on the way down. So I like my backcountry skis to weigh about two pounds, and if I had my way, my alpine skis would weigh fifty. Compromise is fine when you’re a student, when you have young kids, or in other instances when good enough will see you through. But it’s never better than the real deal.

It may come as a surprise then that I’m climbing up on my soapbox to tell you about my lord and savior come wintertime: the “Aren’t lobster claws a hybrid?” you ask. No, they’re a paragon of sensible design, warmth and dexterity made manifest in a tidy leather package. Whether you’re riding chairlifts, booting couloirs, or (God forbid) snowshoeing, you’ll inevitably need to reach into your pack or futz with a buckle or maybe even open a beverage. Lobster claws won’t hinder your motor skills, thanks to the free index finger, and will keep you warm while you wait for your partner to catch up.

Lobster claws are the preferred accessory of ski patrollers and mountain-warfare divisions. Why? Because they work better than five-finger gloves or full-blown mitts. My hands stay just as warm in a lobster claw as in a standard mitt, and I can just as easily buckle my boots or strap into my crampons as I can while wearing gloves. The claw’s trigger-finger design is unfazed by zippers or clips, and by keeping the majority of your fingers together, they trap more heat. What’s that? Your index finger is cold? If Tommy Caldwell doesn’t need one, neither do you.

The post Are Lobster-Claw Gloves the Hybrid Handwear We’ve All Been Waiting For? appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

If you search for “how to layer” on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř, you’ll get back nearly 20 articles plus a handful of videos that cover everything from layering while backcountry skiing to layering in a sleeping bag. We take the art of layering seriously when it comes to playing outside.

But what about layering for the everyday? Does layering only matter if we’re trying to climb a mountain or camp in the snow? Most of us spend the vast majority of our time going to work, walking the dogs, picking kids up from school, and cleaning up around our houses—and I’ve found that smart layering helps immensely in these situations, too.

The absence of info on layers for quotidian tasks got me thinking about what the ideal everyday layering kit might be. I live in New Mexico where we have wild temperature swings through fall and winter—from 20 degrees in the morning to 60 degrees in the afternoon—making my home an excellent spot to test how layers can keep us regulated and happy as we get through our normal routine.

Here’s my suggested list.

Baselayers

By baselayers I don’t mean long underwear. Unless you live in a truly cold spot and spend a big chunk of your time working outside, long underwear will be too hot. But it is important to think about your underwear, socks, and first layer up top.

Merino wool is the obvious choice for both underwear and socks. These days sock manufacturers like Smartwool make blended with a little nylon (to make them tough as nails) and lycra (so they’re easy to get on). They’re tailored perfectly so they don’t take up too much room in your shoe and keep your feet warm but not too hot. One pair will run you $20 or $30, but I wear my merino socks at least a couple days in a row so I only need two or three pairs. is also becoming more popular, and I’ve found it to be even softer, and maybe warmer, than merino.

I suggest because if you’re active at all during your day, your underwear is going to get sweaty, and you don’t want sweaty underwear when it’s cold. When I bike commute to work, as an example, my bottom is damp by the end of the commute but the wool still provides a touch of warmth so that my nether regions are not freezing when I walk into the office. That, and the merino dries super quickly so I don’t have to sit in my sweat for several hours.

In terms of a base layer shirt, my suggestion is to wear a short-sleeved shirt, no matter the material. It’s important to wear a short-sleeved shirt instead of a long-sleeved shirt, even if it’s brutally cold outside, because as you move between heated and outdoor spaces, you have more options. There’s nothing worse than being too hot in an overheated room, and you can strip down to a simple t-shirt, which is never a burden to wear. If you’re bike commuting or moving around, then go with merino. Everyone else can stick with cotton.

Midlayers

Midlayers are often the most used and abused layers when you’re out adventuring because you need some kind of warmth but nothing too thick. The same is true for everyday midlayers because they can stay on all throughout the day—under a heavier coat in the morning while you’re walking the dogs, on their own over the aforementioned t-shirt at your home office to fight off the money-saving thermostat setting, or when you need a little warmth to dash out for lunch.

My go-to’s are a button-down or a tailored sweatshirt. A thick cotton button-down pulls double duty because it’s the right amount of warmth but also looks plenty professional. Instead of dressing in the “investment banker bro” uniform of a thin button-down and vest, you just need this one layer to feel comfortable and look good.

The same goes for the tailored . Something that fits well and is medium thick will keep you perfectly regulated and get you through any Zoom or in-person meeting. I sometimes like to go with a synthetic sweatshirt, instead of cotton, if I’m going to be active any time during the day—like taking a longer walk to lunch, a stroll with my dogs, or a quick bike trip to get my kids from school.

Outer Layers

Waxed cotton, which is making a strong resurgence, is the perfect everyday outer layer. are stylish, waterproof (thanks to the wax), and insulated for warmth. If I layer an insulated waxed jacket over a thick cotton shirt and t-shirt base, I’m comfy all the way down to about freezing. Bonus: The more you wear your waxed jacket, the sharper it looks as you add a patina that’s uniquely yours.

On days below freezing, I’ll wear a down jacket. I have two versions that I rotate between, depending on the day. As the temps drop, I’ll start with a straightforward down jacket that I can layer over my waxed cotton. On days when I’m standing around and it’s truly bitter—like 20 degrees or below—I grab a midlayer and a that’s poofy and as warm as it gets.

I always have a in my bag as well. A good wind layer packs up to the size of an orange so I just stuff it away until it’s needed. I won’t use a wind layer on deep winter days, but I find them perfect in the fall when the breeze kicks up and tears right through my sweatshirt. By cutting the wind I can immediately feel 10 degrees warmer but don’t have to deal with the bulk of a big jacket.

For pants, I usually prefer something that has a reinforcement because the extra material adds a little warmth and because these pants look okay even when they’re dirty. I find it’s much harder to stay clean in the winter with snow and mud around constantly.

Shoes

Unless you live in a really rainy place like the Pacific Northwest, I usually suggest most people avoid shoes with a waterproof membrane during the summer. The liner doesn’t breathe well enough to vent the sweat off your feet and can make your feet clammy and potentially cause blisters.

But during the winter I love shoes with for several reasons. Most importantly, it’s cold outside so the likelihood of your feet overheating is diminished. Second, unlike rain that comes and goes during the summer, winter snow will stick around and pile up, so you have many more opportunities to get your feet wet. That, and when the snow does melt, the ground turns to mud, which can also wet out your shoes.

I like a low-cut hiker or running shoe because it’s a one-and-done option. These shoes look fine at work, are great for when you have to stand at a desk for hours, easily slip on for early-morning dog walks, and are comfy for an after-work walk or run.

Hat and Gloves

Your hands and ears are often the most sensitive, so it’s worth investing in a quality beanie and pair of gloves. For a beanie, always choose something simple in terms of design. I love a that never clashes and can hold its shape even after hundreds of uses. For , I suggest you invest in a thin pair made of merino. You want something thin so you have as much dexterity as possible and don’t have to constantly pull the gloves off to get anything done. You’d also be surprised at how well a thin pair of wool gloves can fight off the worst of the cold and keep your finger temp nicely regulated.

The post How to Layer For Everyday Life appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

The glove is a humble piece of equipment. It lacks the technical wizardry of a binding, the heft and drama of a ski, or the dynamism of an airbag pack. But don’t be fooled: Gloves are a critical safety tool and can add major style points to your kit. Whether you’re spinning inbounds laps or heading on a multi-day backcountry mission, the options below will keep you warm and dry, so you can focus on hauling uphill and ripping down, all day long.

The Winners at a Glance

• Auclair A-Peak 2-in-1 Mitt
• Gordini Cirque 3-Finger Glove
• Norrøna Lofoten Gore-Tex Thermo200 Mitten
• Rab Khroma Tour GTX Gloves
• Flylow Super D Lobster
• The North Face Montana Pro Gore-Tex Glove
• Eddie Bauer Guide Pro Glove
• Beyond Clothing Guide Lite Glove
• Black Diamond Spark Mitts

The Reviews: The Best Winter Gloves and Mittens of 2024

Auclair A-Peak 2-in-1 Mitt ($135, includes liner mitt)

Sizes: S-L (women’s)
Weight (per pair): 7.6 oz

Pros:

• Comes with a liner mitt
• One of the warmest options we tested

Cons:

• Doesn’t offer the best dexterity

Auclair has been making bomber gloves and mittens that withstand gnarly Canadian winters for over 75 years, and their new A-Peak 2-in-1 Mitt is a testament to the brand’s focus on quality and fit. This women’s-specific offering is part of the brand’s all-mountain lineup and a solution for ladies who struggle with cold hands. A goatskin leather shell and powder cuff keep the elements out, while warm Thinsulate insulation and a soft-to-touch liner add the coziness factor. But the mitt’s best feature is a removable inner mitten. This butter-soft fleece liner with added ripstop over the knuckles and the inside of the hand for durability proved to be a lifesaver on colder days. It easily snaps back into the shell glove, so you won’t pull out the liner everytime you take the mitten off. Sizing note: Our tester has small hands and found that the medium fit well without much room to spare, so consider sizing up.

Bottom line: An excellent choice for ladies who need an added layer of protection for cold resort days.

Gordini Cirque 3-Finger Glove ($150)

Sizes: S-XXL (men’s)
Weight (per pair): 8.3 oz

Pros:

• Lobster claw offers great dexterity for a mitten
• Low-profile cuff fits snugly under jacket sleeve

Cons:

• Lobster claw design may not be for everyone

The lobster claw really is all it’s cracked up to be, offering the dexterity of a glove and the warmth of a mitten. These became a go-to for lift-accessed skiing with lots of hike-to terrain, striking the right balance of warmth for uphill and downhill movement. They’re all leather, with well-designed articulation across the back of the hand for a great range of motion and reinforced panels on the fingers for extra protection. Bonus: the low-profile cuff fits neatly inside your jacket sleeves.

Bottom Line: This is a great daily driver for inbounds skiers and backcountry skiers alike.

Norrøna Lofoten Gore-Tex Thermo200 Mitten ($229)

Sizes: XS-XL (unisex)
Weight (per pair): 6.3 oz

Pros:

• Nice balance of warmth and dexterity for a mitten
• Slimmer profile makes these more versatile than your average mitten

Cons:

• May not be the best option for skiers who contend with wet snow

All of the gloves in Norrøna’s Lofoten line are sleek, simple, and stylish, featuring buttery-soft, durable goat leather and a wind- and water-resistant recycled polyester, nylon, and elastane blend. The latest addition to the lineup, the Thermo200 mitten, uses just the right amount of recycled insulation to make this a versatile, do-anything option that’s ready for wet storms and cold days, but not so warm that you suffer on the bootpack.

Bottom line: This is a do-it-all mitten for the frontside and the backcountry.

Sponsor Content
Seirus HeatTouch Hellfire Mitt ($499.99)

For customizable warmth on demand, you need to get your hands into the HeatTouch Hellfire Mitt—the warmest and most durable mitt by Seirus yet. With Heatlock insulation for unmatched warmth, this stylish mitt is designed to thrive in extreme environments. Plus, the advanced Dryhand insert provides breathable waterproofing to shield against rain, snow, and slush. But what truly sets the Hellfire apart is the exclusive Flexible Fusion heat panel. With the press of a button, this cutting-edge technology activates and distributes warmth evenly across the entire glove back and fingers for a next-level heating experience. With three heat settings to choose from, you have the freedom to customize your comfort zone like never before.

Rab Khroma Tour GTX Gloves ($150)

Sizes: XS-XL (unisex)
Weight (per pair): 5.7 oz

Pros:

• Excellent dexterity
• Ideal for backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering

Cons:

• May not be warm enough for inbounds skiers

Rab set out to offer supreme dexterity, ample warmth, bomber waterproofing, and adequate breathability in this backcountry-ready glove that performed in all conditions. Whether testers were tying in for glacier travel, rappelling into a line, or digging a snow pit, these gloves were workhorses. Elements like externally sewn seams on the palm and a naturally curved design ensured a secure grip and a big range of motion, while soft goat leather and a polyamide-elastane blend offered waterproofing, wind resistance, and warmth.

Bottom line: This is a quiver-killer glove for ski mountaineers and backcountry travelers.

Flylow Super D Lobster ($125)

Sizes: XS-XL (unisex)
Weight (per pair): 5.7 oz

Pros:

• Burly design
• Best option for powder hounds

Cons:

• A tad bulky

Flylow upped its glove game this year, releasing a line of burly, feature-filled gloves and mittens that carry the same down-to-earth energy as the classic work gloves they sold in the brand’s early years, just with better engineering and design. This goatskin leather-and-polyester lobster mitt features a generous over-the-sleeve cuff for colder temperatures, catering to skiers who prefer to tuck their sleeves in. The three-finger design struck a nice balance between dexterity and warmth, and a wool-blend lining kept us warm even when our palms started sweating at the top of a line.

Bottom line: A lobster glove tailor-made for serious chargers who line up for first chair and rope drops in freezing temps.

The North Face °Â´Çłľ±đ˛Ô’s Montana Pro GTX Glove ($150)

Sizes: XS-XL (women’s)
Weight (per pair): 11.6 oz

Pros:

• Bomber glove for cold temperatures
• Over-the-sleeve cuff seals out cold and snow

Cons:

• May be overkill for some skiers

If you’re looking for ample warmth in a five-finger format, the Montana Pro GTX glove has you covered. Using a proprietary synthetic insulation with impressive durability, The North Face created a big-mountain glove for mid-winter weather. It’s fully featured, with an over-the-sleeve cuff, a soft patch of fabric for nose wiping, a wrist leash, and a pre-curved design for dexterity and comfort.

Bottom line: This is the glove you’ll want while heli-skiing in Alaska.

Eddie Bauer Guide Pro Glove ($189)

Sizes: XS-XL (unisex)
Weight (per pair): 6.4 oz

Pros:

• Great option for skiers who value dexterity over excessive warmth
• Very durable

Cons:

• Skews towards backcountry use over inbounds skiing

Eddie Bauer recently updated its longstanding Guide Pro glove, which had been our lead tester’s go-to glove for the last six years. It’s ideal for a skier who prioritizes dexterity and runs hot—it’s lightweight and low profile, fitting neatly into a jacket cuff and making it easy to tie knots, set up a tent, and pack a backpack. This glove shined in the backcountry for all of those reasons, but it’s also a great daily driver inbounds, especially if you’re regularly sidestepping or bootpacking to get to your favorite lines. Bonus points for durability: It took five years of heavy use before our tester needed to replace hers.

Bottom line: This is a lightweight, versatile, and highly durable option for ski mountaineers, patrollers, and anyone else whose ski days involve doing more than hanging onto ski poles.

Beyond Clothing Guide Lite Glove ($69)

Sizes: XS-XL (unisex)
Weight (per pair): 4 oz

Pros:

• Ideal for high-output backcountry ski missions
• Good value

Cons:

• Not insulated, so may not be the best choice for skiers who run cold

This non-insulated uphill glove will become your go-to for uphill travel and touring days. Made of soft cow-belly leather and a softshell polyester and nylon blend, the Guite Lite Glove offered enough wind resistance and warmth to keep testers comfortable moving uphill even when the temperatures were as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit, but they were breathable and cool enough to wear on sunny days that climbed above freezing. The leather palm offered great grip and durability on a mixed-climbing approach to a ski line, and the versatile gloves proved to be a favorite for cold hikes, rock traverses, and even winter bike rides around town.

Bottom line: The Guide Lite Glove is a versatile, durable touring glove.

Black Diamond Spark Mitts ($120)

Sizes: S-XL (men’s); XS-L (women’s)
Weight (per pair)t: 7.1 oz (men’s)

Pros:

• Fun colorways
• Great dexterity for a mitten

Cons:

• Not the warmest mitten in our test

Full disclosure: Our lead tester is not a mitten gal. She happily tested them, but turned to gloves or lobsters for her daily drivers. Then she met the Spark Mitts. It helps that they look good—all leather with great colorways, as we’ve come to expect from Black Diamond. But the well-articulated construction, with reinforced padding on the back of the hand, made these mittens feel almost as functional as gloves when unzipping bibs for a backcountry bathroom break or tightening ski boots at the top of a techy line. They were warm enough for most inbounds ski days in the Rockies, and a low-profile cuff helped them fit neatly inside our jacket sleeves.

Bottom line: If you’re a mitten lover who primarily sticks to the resort, you’ll dig the Black Diamond Spark Mitts.

FAQ

Are Gloves or Mittens Better for Skiing?

It’s mostly a matter of personal preference, though generally speaking, a pair of well-fitting mittens made of the same materials as a pair of well-fitting gloves will be warmer. Mittens keep your fingers together, which generates more warmth than when fingers are separated in gloves. But gloves generally provide better dexterity.

Are Leather Gloves Better than Other Gloves?

Leather is a durable material that is treated to withstand wear, tear, and weather. A pair of leather gloves or mittens will almost always last longer than gloves or mittens made of synthetic materials.

How Should a Ski Glove Fit?

A ski glove should fit snugly around your whole hand, with just a little bit of space at the end of your fingers to keep your fingertips from being jammed up against the end of the glove. The cuff of the glove should also cover your entire wrist.

Should Ski Gloves Be Waterproof?

When skiing, it’s inevitable to come into contact with snow, so ski gloves should be waterproof. Most gloves and mittens designed for snowsports are made with a waterproof, breathable barrier that prevents moisture from getting in while allowing sweat to escape. Gloves that are waterproof are also windproof.

How to Buy Ski Gloves

Ski gloves are not one-size-fits-all. Chances are high that your preferences are different from your ski buddy’s, and your own needs will change based on the weather and your objectives. A few things are constant, though: You’ll want to look for durability, dexterity, and a snug, comfortable fit. Leather palms offer better durability in high-wear areas than synthetic blends. Thoughtful seam placement and articulations on the front and back of the glove will help with fit and range of motion.

Then, think about your own specific needs: do you run hot or cold? Do you ski in Wyoming or California? Over-the-sleeve cuffs tend to be a little warmer and burlier, better insulated gloves are ideal for chilly skiers in colder climes. In the backcountry, you’ll want something breathable on the way up, and dexterity will be more important than at the resort. If you regularly storm ski, build jumps, or dig around to evaluate the snowpack, you’ll want to look for a glove with Gore-Tex.

How We Test

• Number of products tested: 25
• Number of testers: 3
• Locations tested in: Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Alaska, Oregon, British Columbia, Switzerland
• Range of temperatures during testing: -0 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit

Everyone has a different preference: mittens or gloves? Down or synthetic? Lightweight or heavy duty? Over or under the cuff? We tested pieces from every category and handpicked these standouts that will fit every type of skier and winter athlete, whether you run hot or cold.

Meet Our Testers

Abigail Barronian is a skier based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and a senior editor at şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř. She has a penchant for dawn patrol ski tours, bell-to-bell lift laps, long days in the backcountry, and springtime volcano ski missions.

The post The Best Winter Gloves of 2024 appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Most gloves are insulated with lofted synthetic materials. Versus down or wool, synthetics are less prone to soaking up water and provide more warmth with less thickness. Both merits are important, since your hands are going to be exposed to wet stuff more often and persistently than any other body part other than your feet, and because every every additional iota of puff around your fingers works to reduce your sense of touch.

In short, every glove represents a compromise. You can make them out of waterproof membranes and completely prevent moisture from invading, but the fragile nature of stretched out Teflon means they wouldn’t be a solution for rough work. That’s why so many ski gloves fall apart after just one season. And, sure, you can pile so much insulation into gloves that you’ll never feel the cold, but doing so will make them impossible to wear. That’s why your hands are always cold.

The material used for the shell and the warmth-to-thickness ratio of the insulation are the primary determining factors in a pair of gloves’ ability to keep your hands warm.

For its shell, gear company Beyond employs a thick, supple cow belly leather for most of the construction, and conductive goat leather for the tips of the thumbs and index fingers, so you can work the capacitive touchscreens on smartphones. The back of the thumb is also covered in suede, so you can wipe snot off your face.

The embossed honeybee on the back of each hand is a reminder to apply a when you first get the gloves and regularly throughout their lives. Leather on its own isn’t waterproof. But, because it’s porous, you can fill those pores up with oil or wax to prevent water from entering. Non-toxic beeswax remains in those pores a little more durably than most other substances, and cultivating bees is a boon for the environment. The mix also contains eucalyptus oil and lavender, which work to keep the leather soft. Just be warned: your entire house will smell like a bath bomb when you open the can.

Inside the leather is 51 grams of Primaloft Gold Insulation with Cross Core. The weight of an insulation is a measure of density, and represents the weight of a square meter of the insulation. Fifty-one grams is a little over half the density of the insulation typically used to construct an ultralight synthetic jacket (which should give you an idea of how thick these gloves are). But this particular insulation has an additional trick up its sleeve, because its fibers are woven from a blend of materials containing Aerogel, the lightest, most insulative material known to mankind. That enables those fibers to trap air internally, making it warmer than similar materials, and they continue to provide a significant amount of insulation even when compressed. This is the same stuff Sitka, a technologically innovative hunting brand, uses in its new Aerolite range of apparel and sleeping bags. The gloves then retain that insulation using wool liners. The Guides are the only gloves yet available with Primaloft Gold Insulation with Cross Core.

I’ve been wearing the Guide Gloves daily for two full winters now, for activities as mundane as walking the dogs, and in more challenging roles like snowmobiling and skiing. The coldest conditions they’ve seen have reached nearly negative 40, and they’ve kept my hands entirely warm throughout—without the aid of any sort of liner glove. I still try plenty of other brands and types of glove, in pursuit of ever elusive perfection and certain sport-specific features like flip-off fingers, but no other glove has ever been this warm.

Also notable is how well the Guide Gloves have held up to all that use. Now entering their third winter, they show no sign of wear: all the seams are intact, the neoprene cuffs aren’t pilling, and there’s not even a scuff on the leather.

They’re not perfect of course. The insulation may be thinner than anything this warm has any right to be, but they’re still heavily insulated gloves. You’re not going to be able to manipulate a trigger or shutter while wearing them, and despite their touchscreen compatibility, your odds of typing out a text are precisely zero. They’re also a simple general purpose glove that lacks speciality features, like a long gauntlet cuff or wrist leashes. Skiers, hunters, photographers, and climbers may require something designed specially for those activities.

But, if you’re just someone who wants warmer hands, then the Guide Gloves will almost certainly give them to you.

I remembered to write this article because I pulled the gloves and their bee balm out of the closet before heading up to the cabin for Christmas. It’ll be 18 degrees below zero when we arrive, but I’ll be able to unload the truck, and walk the dogs, without frozen fingers. But first, I’m going to apply another layer of that balm.

The post The Beyond Guide Gloves Are the Warmest I’ve Ever Worn appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

You have to be a little bit of a masochist to spend much time on Denali. In the early season (beginning of May),Ěýtemperatures regularly plunge to 20 below on the upper mountain. You have to be willing to suffer a tadĚýin that environment, but that suffering can get out of hand quickly without really warm gear.

When my team and I flew onto the Ruth Glacier on May 8 last year, we went prepared for serious cold. We didn’t reach the summit, but we did get a good taste of all the weather Denali had to offer. After two winters in Colorado testing every item, seeking out the best approximations of Alaska (mainly the lowest temps, strongest winds, and most exposed campsites the Rockies have to offer) to double-check that everything performed, I was confident in the gear I took up the mountain. Here’s what kept me warm and comfortable while climbing in Denali’s 40-mph winds and subzero temps.

Scarpa Phantom 6000 Boots ($949)

Choosing what boots to pack for a trip like Denali is tricky. You need a single pair that breathes well enough on the lower glacier, where daytime temps are in the fifties, and can still keep you warm on summit day when it can be 70 degrees colder or worse. I also wanted something with a toe and outsole precise enough for more-technical climbing. A good compromise between limitless warmth (and bulk) and a bit of precision was with . The Phantoms use PrimaLoft Micropile and EVA to insulate enough for 90 percent of the mountain, but on the coldest days I could slip the neoprene overboots over the top for extra insulation. My feet don’t typically have major issues with cold, though. For my climbing partner who suffers from chilly extremities, , with even more insulation and integrated overboots, were a one-stop shop.

Feathered Friends Down Booties ($119)

While the Phantom 6000s do have internal liners, they tended to get wet over the course of the day, especially on the lower mountain, where warmer temps made my feet sweat and mushy snow dampened them on the outside. So I got in the habit of slipping out of them as soon as we arrived at camp and finished digging, dropping the shells in the vestibule of my tent, slipping the sweaty liners into my sleeping bag, and sliding on my . Cozy 800-fill down felt amazing after a long day in constricting boots, and the removable weather-resistant shell made it easy to step outside to pee or hang in the cook tent without getting them wet and ruining my foot warmth.

The North Face Summit Futurelight Belay Mittens ($165)

If there’s any item to bring in excess onto Denali, it’s handwear. I brought three pairs of gloves, plus these beefy , so I could fine-tune my selection for the conditions of the moment and get a set wet without being totally out of luck. Unlike my feet, my fingers get cold quickly. And thanks to an internally split finger compartment, these mittens allowed just enough hand function if I needed to ditch my lighter gloves for something warmer midclimb. This is where gear confidence is key in the Alaska Range. If you know you can reach into your pack and have warm hands whenever you need them, you’ll feel exponentially better about your preparedness.

Smartwool Mountaineering Extra Heavy Crew Socks ($25)

Socks, like gloves, are most effective in numbers. Expect them to get wet and need continuous drying, usually in your sleeping bag near your chest at night. I needed only three pairs of these for a two-week trip: a couple pairs in daily rotation that held their shape and didn’t get smelly thanks to their sturdy woven arch brace and merino’s odor-resistant properties, plus a pair sealed in a Ziploc bag specifically for summit day. The extra-heavy weight was necessary for the colder days (and I sized my boots specifically to fit them), but the breathable, wicking merino kept them from becoming totally useless on warmer days. Setting aside a set that had kept me warm for soggy hikes and windy climbs and unwrapping those summit socks once we made the decision to turn around was definitely bittersweet.

Therm-a-Rest Polar Ranger -20 Sleeping Bag ($750 and up)

Even in a place where the sun never fully sets during the summer, conditions change a lot at night. When the sun is just skimming across the horizon and ducking behind other peaks, all the heat that the sun baked into the snow and rocks during the day evaporates—fast. A sleeping bag like the (designed with the help of Polar explorer Eric Larsen), with 800-fill down insulation (which doesn’t wet out with a little moisture), is crucial for a good night’s sleep in extreme cold and wet. The hood’s magnetic openings made it easy to tuck my face away from chilly air, and on stormy evenings when I was killing time in bed, I could slide my hands out of the arm holes to read a book without unzipping the bag.

Patagonia Grade VII Down Parka ($899)

I brought only three different upper-body layers to Alaska: a lightweight active insulator, a midweight synthetic puffy, and a massive parka. The versatility that would come from adding an additional layer to this kit wasn’t worth the space it’d take up in my pack. But that parka was a doozy. The massive baffles kept the 800-fill down lofted and maximally insulating, and the extra coverage from the long hem and big helmet-compatible hood provided nearly instantaneous warmth during my trip. The snow skirt, elastic cuffs, and elasticized side panels ensured a snug, warmth-retaining fit, but there was still room for my other layers underneath when necessary.

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm Sleeping Pad ($230 and up) and NEMO Switchback Foam Pad ($55)

Two sleeping pads are better than one, especially on snow or ice. Your sleeping bag isn’t something to skimp on, and neither are your pads—without sufficiently insulating ones, your pricey down bag won’t be as effective at retaining heat. Most climbers you see on Denali use a super-insulating inflatable pad with a foam pad underneath. I went with the , which has a crazy-high 6.9 R-value (the rating for how resistant to heat flow, or insulating, something is; the higher the number, the more resistant to heat transfer) and the , which adds 2, bringing my cumulative R-value up to almost 9. Both pads pack down small (I carried the foam pad strapped to the side of my backpack, and the XTherm is about the size of a disposable water bottle). And, conveniently, the XTherm comes with an inflating bag that makes blowing it up a whole lot easier in the thin air.

Mountain Hardwear Compressor Pants ($175)

are one of those pieces of gear you never knew you needed until you tried them. On chilly overnights in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, they were an epiphany. Just slap them on over your ski bibs or climbing pants (no need to take your boots off—they have full-length side zips) for instant and appreciable warmth. In Alaska, they were perfect around camp at night or sitting in our group kitchen tent. They’re synthetic (using Mountain Hardwear’s proprietary Thermal.Q Elite insulation), so not as packable as down but more durable than down for sitting or kneeling. The 20-denier nylon ripstop fabric on the knees and seat held up to wear and tear.

40 Below Bottle Boot ($40) and Insulated Food Bag ($20)

Because of the technical route we chose for our trip, it was easier and more time-efficient to pack cook-in-the-bag dehydrated meals rather than bulky ingredients (not to mention the minimal cooking space higher on the mountain). With a stove like the , which has a wind-blocking design and efficiently sips fuel, getting the water hot was no problem—but once we added it to our food, we had to find a way to keep it warm while the food rehydrated (which takes extra time at altitude). The is a neoprene pouch that helps the cook-in bags, which are insulated with much milder climates and shorter cooking times in mind, retain heat while your chili mac rehydrates. A loop on top lets you hang the whole thing in the tent and keep it from tipping or getting crushed. The brand’sĚý is also a staple on Denali to prevent water from freezing. You’ll still want to keep fluids in your backpackĚýon really cold days, but the neoprene sleeve keeps your water from turning to a block of ice.

The post The Cold-Weather Gear That Kept Me Warm amid the Subzero Temperatures of Denali appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Glove technology advancement is a battle of increments: there are only so many things companies can do to improve upon standard formulas. But this year’s crop is lighter, warmer, and more dexterous than any before thanks to liner upgrades, sophisticated stitching, and enhanced tech.

Mammut Astro Guide Glove ($99)

The Astro Guide’s palm is made from ­goatskin leather, which contains a wax called lanolin that keeps the mitts pliable when they dry out after wet backcountry adventures. Polyester on the backs of the hands lets paws breathe, a Gore-Tex Infinium liner blocks wind, and articulated fingers yield outstanding dexterity. The result? Warm but not clammy hands in a range of conditions.Ěý

Black Diamond Mercury Mitt ($120)

It’s hard to beat the warmth of a mitt, especially one with 170 grams of insulation on the back of the hand (133 on the front). Goatskin leather in the palm boosts durability, and a recycled, ­four-way-stretch soft shell keeps the back flexible. One thing BD left out: PFCs. The brand’s proprietary water repellent kept our hands moisture-free without the toxic chemicals that stay in the environment when our skin tracks melt away.Ěý

Hestra Ergo Grip Glove ($125)

Hestra is renowned for comfort, durability, and pick-up-a-dime dexterity, and it delivers in spades here. The palm provides a natural curve ideal for gripping a ski pole or climbing rope. Gore-­Tex Infinium layered between the shell and the liner blocks wind and breathes at the expense of some waterproofing, though the glove is still plenty capable of fending off strong winds and light snow showers.

Outdoor Research RadiantX Mitt ($115)

Nobody wants cold hands, but skiing in an overstuffed gauntlet can feel like playing the piano with claws. Enter the waterproof RadiantX, which has an interior aluminum coating that reflects body heat with minimal bulk—and without compromising breathability. The result is more pliable but retains all the warmth of gloves in the next weight class up—and it still sheds deep powder thanks to a waterproof outer shell.

Seirus Heated Atlas Glove ($200)

Heated gloves usually involve clunky batteries lashed to your wrists within the cuffs and wire heating elements you can feel when clenching your poles. The Atlas loses weight by using one small lithium-ion battery and just over two inches of wire per hand. The lowest of the three settings offers six hours of moderate warmth. On a subzero day, we relied on the Atlas’s polyester insulation for a few runs before deploying the nuclear option, which lasted us over two hours of sweet supplemental heat.

Truck MX Master Glove ($40)

The MX Master has a full goatskin hull, making it warmer than the Astro Guide. This means it’s not quite as breathable, but the waterproof membrane between shell and fleece liner more than made up for it on mild lift-served spring days. Credit Truck’s direct-to-consumer business model for the serious bargain here.

The post The Best Gloves of 2022 appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

I’ll tell you a secret: The dad in your life doesn’t want things for Father’s Day. Yes, golf clubs are nice, and if you’re thinking of getting him a new mountain bike, you should definitely do that. But what he really wants is a little bit of order in his life. Because fatherhood is chaos. There are shoes everywhere. My basement is basically just a sea of Legos,Ěýstuffed animals, and Nerf guns. For some reason, someone put a hairbrush and scrunchies in the fridge. And don’t get me started on the car, which isĚýa superfund site. My family consists ofĚýtwo kids, a dog, a geriatric cat, a wife with an affinity for kitchen gadgets, and we’re all crammed inside a house that’s roughly the size of a cubicle in corporate America. That’s why I dream about books arranged alphabetically on shelves and a robot butler that follows my children around picking up all of the half-eaten sandwiches and dirty glasses they set down throughout the day. Bringing order to parental chaos is an uphill battle, but there are a handful of products that can help organize certain aspects of a dad’s life, from the garage to the campsite.

Organization for the Car: Decked D-Bag ($175)Ěý

Don’t think of the as an expensive duffel bag. Think of it as a go-bag for the most fun aspects of your life. This expandable hardshell/softshell haulerĚýwas designed to be packed full of gear, with a 42-liter outer bag that’s loaded with interior organizational features, like a tool roll that has slots for wrenches and screw drivers, and two zippered bags for loose items like batteries or snacks. The tool roll snaps onto the hardshell panel, but can snap out and roll up to be carried separately. There’s also a smaller duffel that snaps in and out of the bag too, likeĚýRussian nesting dolls of organization. The D-Bag is designed forĚýjobs thatĚýrequire tools, but I’ve found it’s perfect for holding all of my mountain bike gear (helmet, shoes, gloves, extra layers, snacks, tools, pump, and tubes).ĚýThe flat, hard-shell shape of the bag makes it easy to pack in your truck or trunk, so it can live inside your car.

Organization for the Garage: Front Runner Wolf Pack ($40)Ěý

People have been using the “bin system” for garage organization since caveman times, so the concept at play here isn’t groundbreaking, but the Ěýby overlanding brand Front RunnerĚýis a superior bin. It’s made from plastic that’s tough enough to stand on with lids that lock tight. The bins stack on top of each other like Legos, which makes storing and packing more orderly. At 31 liters, I think it’s the perfect size—big enough to fit an entire camp kitchen set up, but not too big that you start overstuffing it with crap you don’t need. I have two of these: oneĚýto hold all of my camp kitchen supplies, and the other holds my fire kit, kindling, matches, a small axe, and work gloves. If I could, I’d have a dozen of these stacked in my garage, each neatly containing a different aspect of my outdoorsy life.

Organization for the Backpack: Peak DesignĚýPacking Cubes ($30 and up)

Not all packing cubes are created equal. Peak Design’s are loaded with smart features andĚýare made from super-light recycled weatherproof and abrasion-resistant nylon. It has the typical main compartment for stuffing shirts or socks, but the back of the cube has a second expandable compartment that separates dirty clothes from clean pieces.ĚýIt also has an expansion zipper that doubles the size of the cube, but then zips back down to compress the contents inside. The small version fits nine liters of clothes (about 10 shirts) and the medium is twice as big. There’s also a shoe-specific pouch that rolls up tight when you’re not using it. When I travel again, I will organize my pack or roller luggage with these nifty cubes. (I can say nifty because I’m a dad.)

Sponsor Content
Organization for Workouts: GarminĚýfÄ“nix® 6 Pro Solar ($799.99)

If your dad is the best, his watch should be too. The fēnix® 6 Pro Solar premium multisport GPS watch has a solar charging lens with a customizable power manager mode to stay performance-ready for weeks.

Organization for the Campsite: NiteIze Gear Line ($20)

My family brings a lot of stuff to camp. I can somehow manage to wear the same shirt and pair of shorts for six days in a row, but my son burnsĚýthrough an entire wardrobe before breakfast. For a semblance of organization, we hang dirty clothes on the tent poles outside of the tent—not a good look. And then there are water bottles,Ěýlanterns,Ěýmugs, toys,Ěýand other random items tossed around camp. Enter the , a four-foot long ribbon of order with D-ring webbing and built-in carabiners. It lets me hang clothes, hats, and all of the little things that clutter a campsite. I wish the Gear Line was twice as long, but as is, it’s the perfect length to hang inside your tent or between two trees.

The post The Dad in Your Life Wants Order for Father’s Day appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

Foxgloves Gardening Gloves-Grip ($27)

These form-fitting nylon gloves are soft and light, with silicone dots on the palms for a secure grip. The snug extended cuffs protect your wrists from thorns and scratches and won’t gap open.

Jungmaven Campy Pants ($198)

The comfy Campy is made of a hemp-cotton twill that’s thick enough to armor against prickers but flexible enough for crouching and bending all day long.

Ěý

Stream2Sea Sun+Sting Soothing Gel ($4)

Between poison ivy and UV rays, summer isn’t always the happiest time for human skin. This gel combines aloe with wakame seaweed, green tea extract, and other natural ingredients to help calm and nourish.

Mountain Hardwear Sunshadow Hoodie ($80)

The Sunshadow offers breezy protection with stretch-woven antimicrobial fabric and a cut built for mobility. (Hello, armpit gussets.) A generous zip pocket in front is handy for holding your gloves or phone.

Merrell Hydro Mocs ($50)

This clog has it all: arch support, a heel strap, and a grippy sole. The foamlike plastic helps on wet, slippery ground, and you can hose it off when you’re done.

Ěý

Buff UV Insect Shield Sleeves ($27)

Tuck these lightweight arm covers in your pocket and you’ll have protection at a moment’s notice. The silky stretch-polyester fabric boasts UPF 40-plus sun blocking and an odorless insect repellent that lasts up to 70 washes.

Muck Outscape Low Sneakers ($100)

Muck’s pull-on neoprene Outscape has a breathable lining, a memory-foam footbed, and a nylon stability shank—perfect for days when you want more protection than clogs but less coverage than boots.

Ěý

Dramm Watering Can (from $12)

Dramm made its can out of thick injection-molded plastic, with a comfortable handle and a long spout for reduced spilling when watering hard-to-reach plants.

Hemlock Goods Bandana ($14)

Even classics deserve an upgrade. Hemlock Goods’ screen-printed bandanas showcase gorgeous hand-drawn patterns on 100 percent cotton.

Nisaku Full Tang Hori Hori Knife ($30)

Trowel-like digging knives are beloved by gardeners for weeding, digging, and even cutting small branches and roots. Nisaku’s has a full tang for stability and a stainless-steel blade that holds an edge nicely.

The post The Best Gardening Gear of 2021 appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.

It’s no secret that cycling can be an expensive sport. The bikes themselves can run well into the five figures. And then you’ve got to dress yourself. Clothing for road and mountain riding is rife with price inflation: $250 jerseys, $500 pairs of shoes. Maybe the craziest example is Assos’s new winter jacket.

All clothing is cycling clothing. You can—and should—ride in whatever makes you comfortable. But technical riding apparel exists for a reason. Shorts with chamois pads reduce chafing, especially on long outings. Lightweight jackets provide a measure of protection against wind and rainĚýbut stow easily in jersey pockets when not needed. Those same jerseys, with their said pockets, also offer storageĚýand are designed withĚýfull-length zippers for temperature management.

That does not mean you need to spend top dollar for a quality cycling kit. There’s a large range of apparel thatĚýboasts aĚýmore reasonable price tag, and the sacrifices to features and performance are marginal. Here are some of the best bargains in cycling apparel—items that are affordable and work well regardless of price.

Bib Shorts

The Black Bibs ($40)

Bib shorts are the foundation of any kit. I use them for road and mountain biking, alone or layered under shell shorts or pants. Good ones tend to be expensive, though, which makes theĚý even more impressive. I’ve endured chafing from plenty of cheap bibs over the years. But I have not heard a single person—from former pro racers to new cyclists—utterĚýa bad word about these. They’re made by the retail arm of Starlight Custom Cycling Apparel, which designsĚýclothing for cycling teams, and feature the same gender-specific, dual-density CoolMax chamois pad as the brand’s Alpha bibs. They also boast a high-compression Lycra for proper, bunch-free fit and muscle support. What I’m most impressed by is the range of offerings across an inclusive size range: XS to 3XL for women and XXS to 4XL for men.

Jersey

Bontrager Circuit and AnaraĚý($75)

There are a few less expensive jerseys out there: ($55) or the dirt-cheap ($10). But I like the slightly pricier Ěý(for men) andĚýĚý(for women), which boastĚýlight, fast-drying fabrics that won’t pill in the wash, aĚýslim (but not race-tight) fit that won’t flap like a sail, and thoughtful features like a security zip pocket. OftenĚýjerseys come in just a few colors, but the Circuit comes in ten, and the Anara comes in eight. All styles feature minimal Trek/Bontrager branding, so you can avoid the rolling-billboard look.

Ěý

Warmers

Castelli Pro Seamless ($30)

Castelli is known for its premium (and often pricey) apparel, but itĚýwins the affordable award in this category. The is a knit Ěý(for the arms or knees)ĚýmadeĚýfrom a stretchy, socklike polyester-Lycra fabric that is slightly lighterĚýthan conventional thermal fleece fabrics. Still, it’s surprisingly warm, and the price is hard to beat. The seamless construction means no points of irritation or chafing, and the curved cut on the knee warmer won’t bunch up behind your joints when pedaling. This productĚýlacks an elastic gripper but comes in two sizes that offer reasonable coverage.

Jacket

Endura Pakajak ($70)

Scotland-based Endura is renowned for its foul-weather gearĚýbut also for itsĚýsimple, durable designs. The fan-favorite is all thatĚýand one of the most affordable wind shells you can find. There’s no magic to it. Endura just gets the basics right: a lightweight ripstop fabric treated with a PFC-free DWRĚýfinish, a full zipper, a long-cut tail to protect you from rear-tire spray, and mesh vents under the arms. It’s windproof and water-resistant, so it’ll stand up to showers (though notĚýdownpours). It also packs down tight to fit in a jersey pocket, enablingĚýyou toĚýtake it on any ride.

Gloves

Giro Trixter ($20)

I ride in full-finger gloves allĚýsummer, even on the road. I like the extra grip on brake levers, and I don’t like palm padding, which almost all half-finger gloves have. SoĚýdon’t think of the as “just” a mountain-bike glove. It slips on with no bulky wrist closure, the fabric back is lightweight and vents well, and the microfiber palm has good grip and a touchscreen-compatible thumb and forefinger. Bonus: it comes in five colors and six sizes, so you can find one that fits your style and needs.

Road Shoes

Shimano RC300 ($120)

Road shoes are subject to some of the worst price inflation in cycling gear (looking at you, Lake and Sidi). That’s why I like , which is often listed as the RC3. The fiberglass-reinforced nylon sole isn’t as stiff as carbon fiber, but that sole stiffness on its own is not a major performance factor, . The RC300 offers severalĚýadvantagesĚýto boot. Unlike numerous shoes at this price, it features fore-aft cleat adjustability to accommodate the midfoot cleat position that many riders find more comfortable. It’s also available in standard, women’s, and wide lasts, in sizes 36 to 52, which means it’ll fit a lot of people. Inexpensive road shoes sometimes sacrifice comfort, in partĚýdue to cheaper closure systems. But the RC300’s Boa L6 covers the entire midfoot with a single micro-adjustable dial that doesn’t lead to hot spots. The synthetic leather upper lacksĚýadequateĚýventilation, so if you tend to ride in hot weather, consider the white version—it’ll show more dirt but won’t absorb as much heat as the black.

Mountain Shoes

Specialized Rime 1.0 ($110)

The is built for versatility on and off the bike. ItsĚýnylon composite midsole is stiff enough to keep your foot from wrapping around small mountain-bike pedals (a large-cage pedal helps even more),Ěýbut it’s not so stiff that hike-a-bike sections areĚýpainful, and the street-shoe style won’t scream “bike nerd” in more casual situations. There’s a chunky outsole for grip and a rubberized toe to protect against rock strikes. Specialized didn’t overthink the closure system: it’s just laces and one midfoot strap. And while the shoeĚýfits all two-bolt clipless pedal systems, it comes with a treaded cleat insert so you can start riding it with flat pedals and upgrade to clip-ins later.

Helmets

Specialized Align II ($50) and Lazer Chiru MIPS ($65)

These are two of the most affordable helmets to get a five-star rating from Virginia Tech’s well-regarded helmet-testing lab, the only independent entity in the U.S. that tests for both linear impact and rotational energy management. The road-ish and mountain-bike-oriented both feature MIPS liners and one-hand quick-adjust fit systems. They’re also available in three sizes and a bunch of colors.

All helmets sold in this countryĚýhave to meet the same pass-fail Consumer Product Safety CommissionĚýstandards, and theĚýAlign and Chiru test out as well as or better than helmets that cost hundred of dollarsĚýmore. So what’s the catch? These are heavier than high-end versions, the fit systems aren’t as elegant, and they have fewer vents. But that’s pretty much it. If you like the look and fit, you can save a ton of cash.

Sunglasses

Tifosi Dolomite 2.0 ($70)

Every pair of shadesĚýI’ve had from this underappreciated company has been durable, comfortable, and offered clear, distortion-free optics for a lot less than you’ll pay for fancy brands. The comes with three sets of polycarbonate lenses—one for sunny days, one for overcast conditions, and a clear one for night riding. The full-wrap design provides great wind protection for fast road or mountain descents. But the aesthetic isn’t so racer boy that they look weird off the bike. And if full-wrap bothers you, the classic-looking Ěý(from $25)Ěýmay be more your speed. Both are also available with prescription lenses (the upcharge varies) through Tifosi’s Rx program.

The post The Best Affordable Cycling Apparel appeared first on şÚÁĎłÔąĎÍř Online.