IN BRIEF
Choose a winter glove by temperature first. Above 4°C, a thin windproof glove is enough; around 0°C, you need a waterproof membrane and proper insulation; below freezing, a “lobster” glove, which pairs the fingers two by two, holds the heat better. For this selection, we read the brands’ technical sheets one by one and kept seven models whose materials convinced us, from Decathlon’s Van Rysel EDR Winter (€29.99) to the Assos Ultraz Winter Gloves P1 (£105). Our pick for everyday winter riding: the GripGrab Ride 2 Waterproof Winter (£65).
| Van Rysel EDR Winter (Decathlon) | €29.99 · 3 to 8°C stated · windproof and water-repellent · 120 g Softermic lining |
| Castelli Perfetto RoS 2 | £85 · 4 to 14°C stated · Windstopper, PFAS-free waterproof membrane · fleece lining |
| GripGrab Ride 2 Waterproof Winter | £65 · listed for 0 to 8°C · waterproof membrane · Thinsulate insulation |
| Craft Siberian 2.0 | €50 · no temperature stated · windproof and waterproof shell · fleece lining |
| GripGrab Polaris 2 | £99 · listed for -10 to 8°C · 15,000 mm waterproof membrane · PrimaLoft Gold insulation |
| Assos Ultraz Winter Gloves P1 | £105 · -8 to 3°C stated · lobster glove · windproof and water-repellent |
| Sealskinz Barwick | €95 · “extreme cold”, no figure · lobster glove · waterproof |
The prices in this winter cycling gloves comparison are the brands’ own, from their UK online stores, as of 20 October 2026; Craft, Sealskinz and Decathlon prices come from their European stores, in euros. Temperatures are the ones each brand gives. Below the models, buttons lead to retailers whose price on the day may be lower.
To choose, we read the spec sheets closely. Protection first: a waterproof membrane stops the rain, while a fabric that is only water-repellent makes water bead for a while, then lets it through. Insulation next: insulation from a well-known brand, such as PrimaLoft or Thinsulate, holds the heat without making the glove too bulky. Then the palm, which has to hold the bars and brake levers, wet ones included. Finally the cuff, which has to close the wrist under the jacket sleeve. A glove that skips one of these points is not in this selection, or we say why.
From 4 to 14°C: cool autumn mornings
At these temperatures, a thick glove makes your hands sweat and gets in the way when braking. You need to block the wind, keep a shower out, and keep a slim hand on the bars.
Castelli Perfetto RoS 2: the slim glove for damp mornings
Castelli, the Italian road clothing brand, gives its Perfetto RoS 2 the latest Windstopper fabric by Gore-Tex Labs and a “PFAS-free waterproof ePE membrane” (PFAS are the so-called “forever chemicals” long used to waterproof clothing). The brand lists a fleece lining, grip details on the palm, a damping system that protects the median nerve, touchscreen fingertips and a stretch neoprene wrist that makes it easy to pull on. Castelli calls it “windproof, water-resistant, warm, and impressively slim”, rates it for temperatures from 4 to 14°C, and labels its water protection “Light Rain”: it is a glove for showers, not for a downpour. It is our pick for autumn: a real membrane, PFAS-free, in a slim glove. Below 4°C, move up to a glove from the next section. Price at Castelli: £85. Merlin Cycles sells it for much less at the moment.
Around 0°C: the everyday winter glove
Around 0°C, winter is often cold and wet. The glove has to be waterproof and insulated without turning into a mitten.
GripGrab Ride 2 Waterproof Winter: our pick for winter
GripGrab, the Danish cycling glove specialist, gives its Ride 2 Waterproof Winter a waterproof and breathable insert that makes it, the brand writes, “100% waterproof”, and an outer fabric treated to make water bead. The brand lists Thinsulate insulation on the back and in the palm, a padded, grippy palm, and a conductive patch on the thumb and index fingertips for touchscreens. On its store, GripGrab files it under its “Cold” gloves, from 0 to 8°C. It is the glove we recommend for winter: it has everything a winter glove needs, a full membrane, proven insulation and a padded, grippy palm, for £65. It comes in black and in a more visible hi-vis yellow. Price at GripGrab: £65.
Craft Siberian 2.0: the warm, simple classic
Craft, the Swedish sportswear brand, gives its Siberian 2.0 a windproof and waterproof shell fabric, a fleece lining and polyester insulation. The brand lists a silicone print on the palm, soft terry on the thumb, a Velcro adjuster and a reflective print. Craft does not name a membrane, although its spec sheet lists a polyurethane mid layer, and gives no temperature. The Siberian is still a warm glove, which Craft designed “for cycling in cold and wet conditions”; we prefer the Ride 2 in the rain, because GripGrab details its membrane and insulation. Price at Craft (European store): €50.
Van Rysel EDR Winter: the budget pick for dry days
For this glove from its road cycling brand, Van Rysel, Decathlon lists a 120 g Softermic lining, a comfort temperature of 3 to 8°C, a windproof and water-repellent outer fabric, Technogel inserts in the palm and a touchscreen function for a phone or GPS. Decathlon does not describe it as waterproof. At €29.99, it is a good choice for dry mornings, between 3 and 8°C. In the rain, a membrane makes the difference: the Ride 2 is then the better choice. Price at Decathlon France: €29.99.
Below freezing: deep-winter gloves
Below 0°C, fingers cool down fast, especially on descents. Two options: a heavily insulated five-finger glove, or a “lobster” glove, which pairs the index and middle fingers, then the ring and little fingers, so they keep each other warm.
GripGrab Polaris 2: our pick below freezing
GripGrab gives its Polaris 2 a waterproof membrane rated at 15,000 mm (the column of water it holds back) and a breathability of 15,000 g per square metre per 24 hours, in a three-layer construction. The brand lists PrimaLoft Gold insulation in the palm and PrimaLoft Gold Active+ on the back of the hand, a padded palm, a touchscreen patch on the thumb and index finger, and reflective details. On its store, GripGrab files it under its “SubZero” gloves, from -10 to 0°C, and its “Cold” gloves, from 0 to 8°C. For us, it is the five-finger glove to choose below freezing: a membrane the brand puts numbers on, top-end PrimaLoft insulation, and free fingers to change gear. Price at GripGrab: £99. Amazon sells it for much less at the moment.
Assos Ultraz Winter Gloves P1: the lobster for dry cold
Assos, the Swiss road clothing brand, rates this lobster glove from -8 to 3°C and describes “extreme insulation with windproof, water-repellent protection for the coldest winter conditions” in “a lobster-glove construction that maximizes warmth”. The brand explains that each finger is wrapped in its own internal sleeve inside the three-finger shell, and lists touchscreen compatibility. Assos does not mention a waterproof membrane: it rates the glove’s insulation and wind protection 5 out of 5 itself, and its waterproofing 3 out of 5. It is the glove for very cold, dry rides. In cold rain, the waterproof Sealskinz Barwick is the safer choice. Price at Assos: £105.
Sealskinz Barwick: the waterproof lobster
Sealskinz, the British maker of waterproof gloves and socks, sells the Barwick as its “Waterproof Extreme Cold Weather” cycling glove, in a split-finger lobster style. The brand describes a three-layer Aquasealz construction and a glove that is “fully waterproof and breathable”, with PrimaLoft Gold insulation, a PU suede palm, reflective details and an extended cuff; it gives no temperature figure. Being waterproof, it is the lobster glove you need to ride below freezing in rain or snow. Price at Sealskinz (European store): €95.
Winter cycling gloves: frequently asked questions
Five-finger glove or lobster glove?
The lobster glove is warmer: by grouping the fingers (two by two, or three in one shell on the Assos), it exposes less surface to the cold. Assos writes that this shape “maximizes warmth” in its Ultraz Winter Gloves P1. The trade-off: the fingers are less free to brake and change gear. Above 0°C, a well-insulated five-finger glove is enough.
Waterproof or water-repellent: what is the difference?
A water-repellent fabric is treated so that water beads on its surface: it holds out against a shower, then ends up wet. A waterproof membrane, set between the outer fabric and the lining, stops the water. Assos, for example, rates the waterproofing of its Ultraz Winter Gloves P1, described as water-repellent, 3 out of 5. To ride in winter rain, you need a membrane.
Does the cuff go under or over the jacket sleeve?
Under the sleeve. GripGrab writes that “it is recommended to wear your jacket sleeve over the glove cuff” for its Ride 2: water running down the arm then slides over the glove instead of running into it.
Can you use your phone with winter gloves on?
For a quick tap, yes: Decathlon, Castelli, GripGrab and Assos describe their gloves in this selection as touchscreen compatible; Craft and Sealskinz do not say so for the Siberian 2.0 and the Barwick. GripGrab adds, though, that its fingertip patches are “not tactile enough for typing long messages”.
