How to choose mid-season or winter motorcycle gloves?

Choosing motorcycle gloves for summer is child's play. But what about the rest of the year? How do you choose the right pairs for winter and mid-season? It can quickly become a headache, for one simple reason: you have to make compromises. Comfort, freedom of movement, waterproofing, breathability, style and budget are all criteria that need to be carefully weighed when making your choice. Here's our advice!

Do I really need to remind you of the importance of motorcycle gloves? Apart from the fact that wearing them is legally compulsory, your favorite mittens insulate your hands from the elements, protect your joints from shocks, and incidentally prevent your palms from being used as sliders in the event of an impromptu slip. Gloves must therefore offer 3 types of protection: impact, abrasion and weather.

This triple objective applies to summer, mid-season and winter models. But why all this seasonality? Is it just a huge hoax organized by the glove lobbies? Of course not! The problem is simple. With a 4-season motorcycle jacket, you can juggle linings to cope with all weathers. Not so with a glove. Can you imagine riding with a summer model, a thermal under-glove and a waterproof over-glove? Hell, no. So, to combine efficiency and freedom of movement in all weathers, you need gloves adapted to each season. And while the specifics of a summer model may seem obvious, you're probably wondering about the differences between mid-season and winter. Well, that's the subject of this article!

1st thing to do: check that the model of your dreams is certified

Without this precious CE certification, there's no guarantee that your gloves are really effective (and incidentally, it's illegal to ride in them). Then there's the eternal question: leather or textile? While animal skin offers excellent protection against abrasion and undeniable style, it's not really waterproof... Opting for textile gloves means choosing efficiency over aesthetics. So, yes, you'll look less attractive, but you're guaranteed to feel the same over the course of your outings, which is not the case with leather, which will "wear in" (if you'll pardon the expression).

Another essential criterion for choosing your pair of winter gloves? Waterproofness!

For this, you can rely on Goretex technology. This jewel of science and unicorn hair meets the challenge of combining waterproofing and breathability. But the American company doesn't have the monopoly!Many brands have developed their own technology, such as Five'sDrytech membrane.

And what about keeping warm? Isn't that what it's all about?

The good news is that technology is at the service of our palms.Most winter gloves are built in the same way: thick, dense thermal insulation on the top of the hand, and thinner insulation in the palm extending up to the fingertips. This is the weak point of traditional gloves: the cold penetrates via the areas between the fingers. But we're about to see that brands such as Five have recently rethought the fundamentals.

Gone is the mantra "the thicker the glove, the warmer it is" - it's the materials that count! From now on, manufacturers tend to opt for a thinner lining on the palm side to facilitate grip. You can rely on patented membranes like Five's Thermo + or Alpinestars' heat-trapping Primaloft Aerogel to provide good thermal insulation without losing feel for the controls. By now, you should be seeing things a little more clearly. There's another criterion to guide your choice: the cuff. Its role is simple: it prevents frozen air from penetrating the sleeve of your jacket. So why on earth are there winter gloves without this precious feature? Well, these models are generally less expensive than the others.

----> Five WFX1 EVO WATERPROOF motorcycle gloves

----> Alpinestars WR-2 GORE TEX motorcycle gloves

----> Klim BADLANDS GTX Long gloves

How to choose winter motorcycle gloves that fit?

By determining the compromise between style, protection, comfort and budget, you should now be able to target the ideal pair of winter gloves. All that remains is to choose the right size. One thing to bear in mind: the air trapped between your hands and the glove provides part of the thermal insulation. So opt for a model that leaves space around and at the fingertips (around 2cm). The idea is not to float in it either! We also strongly recommend that you try your gloves on your bike. What's the point? To make sure you get a good "feel" for the controls (especially the front brake lever), and also to check that the connection with the jacket is correct. If you live in the Paris region, come and see us at the showroom to put on the pair you've been eyeing.

Let's face it, riding with heated gloves is the ultimate luxury. Lightweight, comfortable and with several levels of heating, you can now ride your bike as if you were sitting by the fire.You only have to readMichel' s adventures in the Millevaches to be convinced! You're free to choose a model with a built-in battery, or one that connects to your motorcycle's battery. You don't even need to be an electrical engineer to make the connections! What's more, to be even more effective, some glove models (Five brand) contain an aluminum foil that provides an extra level of warmth, even when the heater is not activated! Budget? Here's the rub: these high-tech models are generally more expensive than their traditional counterparts. Luxury comes at a price!

----> Gerbing XTREME XRL 3.0 heated motorcycle gloves

----> Five HG1 EVO WATERPROOF heated gloves

----> Five HG PRIME GORE TEX heated gloves

----> Heated motorcycle undergloves KEIS G102

Why cover mid-season and winter gloves in the same article? They have a lot in common! For example, models designed for autumn and spring outings must also be approved, waterproof and thermally insulated. Leather or textile? Here again, it's all a question of style. Bear in mind, however, that animal skin is unpleasant to wear in hot weather and not waterproof in the rain. Both situations are possible in autumn and spring. So what's next? Leather doesn't seem very well suited to this balancing act.

With versatility as the watchword, choosing a mid-season glove is above all a question of compromise. Not too warm, not too cold. But then, cuff or no cuff? In our opinion, the ideal solution is a long, fully adjustable cuff, as on the Adventure Five TFX1 GTX. This wide adjustment range means you'll fit your jacket perfectly, come rain or shine.

--->Alpinestars ANDES V3 DRYSTAR Gloves

--->Klim ADVENTURE GTX SHORT Motorcycle Gloves

--->Adventure Five TFX1 GTX motorcycle gloves

How do you choose the right size for your mid-season gloves?

By trying them on, of course. As the thermal insulation aspect is less than on a winter model, you'll leave less space at the fingertips (1cm).

• Tactile fingertips: almost indispensable. This device lets you tap on your GPS without having to take off your gloves. Pretty handy when you're under the weather, don't you think?

• The rain scraper: a must for adventurers. Still not widely available, this manual wiper is extremely practical. It saves you having to use the palm of your hand to get a clear view. And best of all? You won't scratch your visor in the process.

• Thermal under-gloves: ideal for tackling the first winter chill with mid-season gloves. The real advantage of this product? It's much more economical than a pair of winter gloves. So if you only ride very occasionally in cold weather, this is a wise purchase.

• Tactical gloves: perfect for motorcycle bivouacs. Going on a winter or snowy bivouac? It would be a shame not to enjoy the same comfort. This model - not designed for riding - is warm, waterproof, breathable and lightweight. It's the perfect choice for motorcycle tent enthusiasts.

Now you've got everything you need to choose your winter and mid-season motorcycle gloves. The tip to remember? Try before you buy. It's essential that the model you choose doesn't interfere with your feel for the controls. We wish you the best of autumn, winter and spring!

cover image: freepik.com