Gloves for the Cold Days

About two years ago I went out and got myself a new mountain bike, an '06 Specialized FSR. This was after riding my old ‘90 Rockhopper for more years than it should have been. Obviously I was going to need some new accessories, like a tool bag, helmet, and gloves. I’ve always been partial to the fingerless gloves, so that’s what I bought. The new gloves (Pearl Izumi) were a big improvement over my 20-year-old Spenco gloves (which I still have). However, they didn’t last nearly as long and I just threw them in the trash…but that’s another story.

Riding the trails in winter brought back the memories of the cool brisk air, damp trails, and frozen fingers. So, I went down to the local Performance Bike shop and bough a pair of glove liners to wear under my riding gloves. Wow, what a difference. My fingers stayed warmer and the liner actually helped pad the gloves more. I swear by glove liners now for the cold days on the bike.

My trailing running life didn’t really take off until about 9 months ago. I would run sporadically during the month, but until recently I wouldn’t really call myself a runner. Running in the Summer months and Fall in this part of the country (SF Bay Area) can be very nice, even hot at times. However, even though it doesn’t get the frigid weather here like other parts of the country, the days can easily linger in the 40s and any exposed skin feels the sting of cold.

A couple of months ago I couldn’t handle the cold fingers anymore and decided that gloves where in order. The only cold-weather gloves I had were knit or snow gloves…neither of which work well for hands that get sweaty. I remembered my glove liners and gave them a try. They worked great, not too hot and actually helped wick away the moisture because they are made from 100% polypropylene fabric that moves sweat away from your hands to help keep your fingers warm and dry.

Now, I know that there are trail running gloves made specifically for running, but these glove can cost anywhere from $20 to $40. Glove liners can be bought for less than $10 and are cheap enough to get a couple pair if they get dirty. If you run in temperatures where the wind chill factor can get into the 40s or colder, then I would recommend the more expensive running gloves. However, if you just need to cut the bite of a cool day, glove liners are a good and inexpensive option.