road test: rain gloves

[Lister Farrar]

Got these a while back , but gave them a good test in Tuesday's rain.

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_deta ... 4302886890

They're a lobster style, shell only (no insulation), taped seams, waterproof breathable fabric. $27

They worked great with light fleece gloves underneath. The liner gloves stayed pretty dry, even from sweat. No clammy feel like neoprene.

The palm material feels a bit slippery in the store, but was plenty grippy when wet on tape, hoods and levers.

Shifting was pretty good too, even with the back half of the lobster split, on the smaller lever on shimano sti levers.

They feel a bit baggy compared to regular cycling gloves, but it didn't seem to affect braking or shifting. But don't go too small or your fingers will ram against the end when you lean on the bars or brakehoods, and get cold.

I liked the shell-only design because they dry fast, can be taken off if the rain stops, or carried as insurance for unexpected temperature drops (coming down Hurrican ridge?), or worn with different weight gloves underneath. They roll up to nothing to fit in jersey pockets. I plan on using them for cross country skiing in the frequent wet snow days at Mt Washington over my xc ski gloves.

I haven't seen a single other seam taped glove. Usually you have to go to mitts to find this feature.

After the ride I rinsed them and filled them with water. I saw a couple of small leaks, but otherwise they held the water, not the usual sieve-like appearance of gloves when you rinse them after mtbing. Maybe useful as a wineskin on your next Okanagan icewine sampling holiday?

[AlW]

Picked up a pair of these a few weeks ago after seeing someone with them on a sunday ride.

I use them over my giro ambient gloves when the temperature is 4-7 degrees. In this range, my heavy gloves are too hot, and the giros by themselves are too cold. The shell adds some warmth up by eliminating the wind chill and moisture (although, 4 degrees and rain are conditions I try to avoid by remaining indoors.....)

Have to concur with all of Listers points regarding sizing, shifting, braking, etc.

[Lister Farrar]

(although, 4 degrees and rain are conditions I try to avoid by remaining indoors.....)

It's just beginning to get good then! Every ride in the rain is worth two dry ones, for fitness and character. Just ask any Belgian.

A ride in the rain, that is fairly comfortable (these gloves go a long way to getting that), is like an extra, a ride I shouldn't have been able to get in. Kinda like a bonus, in a protestant, suffering, gleeful martyr sorta way.

[AlW]

Lister,

Mine did fill with water today, but still kept the wind out so my hands stayed reasonably warm. The gloves underneath were already soaked so didn't notice until I tool a drink and the water drained out of the glove and up my sleeve. Brrrrrrr.

[Lister Farrar]

Not sure what I did wrong, but definitely a wardrobe malfunction. I had an inch of water in each glove. But until I turned them upside down, it didn't get out!

My sleeves were outside the glove cuffs, but there's a mesh section inside/under the arm that ended where I started feeling the damp, about the outside heal of my hand. I think somehow it was funnelling in from the top. Any others have water getting in?

[norman marcy]

Got the over gloves on Al"s strong recommendation. Warm hands on a sloppy sunday ride to day

Ten hours later and the cuffs of the gloves are just now starting to be dry Hello MEC! these cuffs should be made of some quick dry material not sponge

Definitely room for a business improvement idea here

[Brian S]

Definitely room for a business improvement idea here

Or just ride (on Saturday) when it wasn't raining.