Of all the issues I’ve faced while riding through winter, finding winter riding gloves has proven to be the ongoing battle.
You’d think that after investing in a set of REV’IT! Trocadero gloves in 2018, I’d have found the answer to my frozen fingers. Between their Thinsulate G (wut), tri-fleece (k), and hydratex (sounds fancy) liners and gauntlet design, anyone’s paws would be able to handle a ride around town at the very least…but no.
If you can get past how these gloves inhibit any feeling of your controls, they only remain effective for a substantial time at sub-35mph speeds. Did I mention you cant feel what’s attached to your handlebars. Why is it so hard to find a relatively affordable glove that keeps my potato fingers thawed while allowing me to feel if I’m touching my turn signals or a friendly caterpillar?
Can I spend more on the next set of winter gloves? Sure. Could I also invest in heated grips/barkbusters to help the performance for any glove I wear? Also yes, but there is an option that most touring riders are shouting about at this point. The best option left is Heated Gloves.
For the squids yeeting around in Mechanix gloves, heated gloves are wired directly to your battery and act just like the heated seat in a car. I think back to skiing and the world of difference a heating pad in your mitten makes on a windy morning. The problem with a heated gloves is mainly the cost. Looking over Revzilla’s product page will show most of these gloves averaging $150-175. Not too crazy compared to other winter gloves right? Wrong. Unless you want to have a dangly wire going to your battery or take the time to wire a new connector closer to your handlebars, it’s a pretty safe assumption that you’ll want the corresponding jacket or shirt to make the wiring easier and aid the effectiveness of the heating system. Let’s put it this way, a heated hand can only provide so much comfort when blood is being pumped through cold arms. This is why controlling the heat in your core is the most effective way to keep your extremities warm.
The last issue is really not an issue at all but more of personal choice: I love riding in the winter. Despite my frozen taquito fingers, I love the feeling of cold, crisp air running around me as I trundle down the road. Plus, I’m wearing my safest gear on these rides since they happen to be the warmest. All the armor, all the coverage, all of the Michelin-Man visuals for passerby’s. Also, if you’ve never taken a ride down a woody-backroad with snow surrounding you, it is a very special experience.
While this is more of a rant to vent some returning frustrations, I have no desire to stop my winter rides do to this discomfort. If anything, it’s another obstacle to overcome which fuels the moto-obsessed soul that I am! It’s like the person who purposely pushes their bladder for 30 more minutes because the twisties keep calling.
Will I stop riding in the cold because of this? Nope. Will I complain a bout it until I splurge on a heated system for my bike? Absolutely.
SJ Rider 