Cold-Weather Motorcycle Gloves: Choosing by Season, Conditions and Size

For cold-weather riding, choose gloves that block the wind, keep rain out without trapping sweat, and still let you feel the controls. Then size them with room for warm air or a liner, because a tight glove can feel colder. One thing up front: our partner store does not sell heated, insulated or waterproof winter motorcycle gloves, and we say below what it does sell.

Why cold feels worse on a bike

Wind chill is how cold people feel outside, and it depends on wind as well as air temperature. The US National Weather Service formula works from air temperature and wind speed, at or below 50°F (10°C). At 0°F (-18°C) with a 15 mph wind, the wind chill is -19°F (-28°C), and exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes.

On a bike, your own speed adds wind over your hands. Our sister site works out the wind chill at riding speeds in its guide to winter motorcycle gloves, heated and unheated.

Match the glove to the season

One UK test team splits riding gloves into summer, three-season and winter. It notes that few makers sell "three-season" as a category, and describes a three-season glove as one for everything except peak summer and the depth of winter. Summer gloves are lighter styles for warm-weather rides.

Ready to shortlist winter gloves? Our guide on how to choose winter motorcycle gloves walks through it.

Wind, rain and sweat

• Wind: Leather is windproof by nature; textile gloves need a windproof insert.
• Rain: Leather is not waterproof, and a soaked leather glove is heavy and slow to dry. A glove sold as waterproof should have a waterproof liner and sealed seams; without sealed seams it is usually labeled water resistant.
• Sweat: Breathable waterproof inserts let sweat escape, which matters most on long rides. Not every waterproof insert breathes.

One glove maker gives leather the edge for warmth, while saying insulated textile gloves that are windproof and waterproof can suit wet weather. For how leather compares with other materials, see are leather gloves warmer than other gloves?

Warmth vs feel at the controls

More insulation is not always better. The same maker says how a glove is built matters more than insulation weight: put more on the back of the hand and the fingertips and less on the palm, so you can still feel the grips and levers. A UK test team also warns that the warmest winter gloves can feel bulky when you need fine control.

If your bike has heated grips, a less insulated glove often works better with them. For long rides in deep cold, the maker suggests electric gloves, and fairings and hand guards help too. Our sister site has heated motorcycle gloves compared.

Sizing gloves for cold weather

Cold-weather gloves need a little room. A small air gap between hand and glove insulates, and a glove that is too tight may feel cold.

• Liners: Gloves worn over a liner need to be a little roomier. Our guide on how to wear glove liners under your gloves covers fit and layering.
• Built-in linings: For its Thinsulate-lined gloves, the store says the lining takes up a little space, so choose the larger size if you are between two.
• Going up a size: One glove maker advises a size up for winter gloves in general. A retailer adds that insulated gloves should go up if the smaller size causes pressure.
• When you try them on: Hands swell in heat, so gloves that feel snug in a cold shop can be tight in summer. Gloves you only wear in winter can be judged with cold hands.

Start from your measurement and brand chart in motorcycle glove sizes by brand. If you land between two sizes, see between two glove sizes.

Cuffs: over or under the jacket?

Longer cuffs keep cold air and rain out of your sleeves. One glove maker suggests a gauntlet below 45°F (7°C).

Sources disagree on where the cuff should go:

• A UK retailer says winter gloves are best worn under the jacket cuff, so they must be long enough.
• A gear maker says a gauntlet can go over the sleeve to stop airflow or under it to let some air in, and a review site says most gauntlets are made to go over the cuff.

Try both with the jacket you ride in. Our guide on choosing the right glove length covers cuff types.

What our store sells for cold weather

[PRODUCT BLOCK: 2-3 full-cuff leather motorcycle gloves suited as a three-season base for liners; no warmth claims]

Leather Collection motorcycle gloves cover vintage, race-style, summer, color and classic black styles. None is sold as a winter, insulated, heated or waterproof riding glove. MotoSpeeds' glove range is racing gloves, also with no winter or heated option.

The store does sell lined winter gloves with Thinsulate, cashmere or shearling, but it describes them for cold days, everyday wear, commuting and driving, not for riding. For deep cold on the bike, look at heated or insulated riding gloves from riding-gear makers.

After a wet ride, wipe leather gloves with a damp cloth to remove salt and grit, then dry them at room temperature, away from heaters.

Frequently asked questions

Are leather gloves good for cold weather?

Leather blocks wind, but it is not waterproof and dries slowly once soaked. The store says the warmth in its lined gloves comes from the lining, while the leather blocks the wind. Leather alone is a wind layer, not insulation.

What should I wear on my hands when riding in the cold?

Wear a windproof glove with a long cuff that seals against your sleeve. Add a liner if you need more warmth, sized so the glove still has room. For long rides in deep cold, heated gloves or grips are the next step.