Winter kit - booties / gloves / hats

[Dired]

Never too early! It's coming. Looking for some recommendations for deep winter gear. Please feel free to chime in with your favorite stuff.

Booties: want a thick neoprene membrane or similar with a zipper that will fit over size 49 sidi boot. I've been using an old pair of ginormous no name covers which have been acceptable, but last year they started to toe overlap.

Gloves: I have never owned a nice pair of 5 finger warm gloves - been using a rotation of lobsters, liners, windproof, and regular gloves. Is it worth investing in a nice pair? My winter riding is usually 35-50 miles, 4 hrs tops.

Hat: looking for a light/mid warmth cap that I can use with a helmet wind cover (Lazer z1 aeroshield). Big fan of my old gore windproof cap with a fold down ear/neck flap. I saw that rapha has a similar design - any other recommendations?

Thanks!

[reuben]

What do you call "winter" where you live? And how tolerant of it are you?

[Dired]

What do you call "winter" where you live? And how tolerant of it are you?I'm in NYC - mid 20s is probably the lowest I'll see.

[verticaldoug]

I'd invest in a winter cycling boots. The riding experience is so much better in winter boots. Sidi makes a nice pair.

Generally, my hands and feet go before anything else. I focus on these.

I'd keep regular gloves, but buy a outer shell glove to pull on as a second layer when really cold. Marmot made a really good goretex outer glove called the precip, not sure if they still make.

When super cold, you can add a bootie over your boot to go even colder.

I'm also a fan of wearing ski socks in the winter. I think the extra length on the lower leg helps the feet stay warmer for longer.

I grew up in Minnesota and messed my hands and feet up with the cold. I am super sensitive on the extremities.

NYC/Westchester are tricky riding in the winter. The weather goes to extremes around the freezing mark and you get slick conditions often on the roads.

[Dired]

I'd invest in a winter cycling boots. The riding experience is so much better in winter boots. Sidi makes a nice pair.

Generally, my hands and feet go before anything else. I focus on these.

I'd keep regular gloves, but buy a outer shell glove to pull on as a second layer when really cold. Marmot made a really good goretex outer glove called the precip, not sure if they still make.

When super cold, you can add a bootie over your boot to go even colder.

I'm also a fan of wearing ski socks in the winter. I think the extra length on the lower leg helps the feet stay warmer for longer.

I grew up in Minnesota and messed my hands and feet up with the cold. I am super sensitive on the extremities.

NYC/Westchester are tricky riding in the winter. The weather goes to extremes around the freezing mark and you get slick conditions often on the roads.I already own a pair of sidi boots as I mentioned... Looking for a specific recommendation on high quality bootie in a large size to fit over them. As far as gloves, I want a high quality winter gloves to add to my rotation.

[Bob Ross]

I'm in NYC - mid 20s is probably the lowest I'll see.

I've been an avid winter road cyclist in NYC for the past ~15 seasons, and for 14 of them I was completely underwhelmed by the choices for 5-finger gloves.

It would be very easy to concede and just get some Pearl Izumi lobster mitts, because those things are freakin' amazing...like, almost too warm for most NYC winter temps. My wife has owned a pair for at least 10 years, and she can go out in sub-20°F temps without any glove liners, just the PI mitts, and feel fine. I tried wearing them once on a ~25°F day and had to take them off after 20 minutes because my hands were overheating!

But I don't want to wear lobster mitts, I want 5-finger gloves!

I tried the Specialized SubZero two-part system. Meh. Worked great down to ~30°F, if I added a third layer (inner glove liner) I could go down to 25°, but after that, no bueno.

I tried the original Assos Winter Glove "System" the three-part assembly that included sexy high-tech glove liners, strange gauntlet-like 5-finger gloves, and then a weirdly thin and impossible-to-put-on-easily stretchy outer lobster mitt covering. The liners are fabulous: warm, comfortable, tough. The outer stretchy lobster mitt was shockingly effective (very warm) ...when you could finally get it on over any of the other layers. But struggling to put them on was an ordeal every time. And the middle layer, the actual 5-finger gloves, sucked. By themselves they were barely adequate at 40°, with the liners they only made it down to 36° or 37°, and even if you managed to get the entire three-layer system on it was only good to about 25°F.

Also tried a bunch of other gloves from Serfas and North Face and B-Forest. Nothing to recommend there.

Finally this past December I got turned on to the new Assos 2.4 glove liner, and the Assos ClimaCode 3/3 5-finger glove. This is the schidt. Finally, a 5-finger winter glove system that is not too bulky, easy to get on/off, offers complete mobility, and (most importantly) is comfortably warm for extended rides below 20°F

...of which I did exactly one this year, before the weather turned unseasonably warm.
But I'm all set for next season!

[Dired]

Finally this past December I got turned on to the new Assos 2.4 glove liner, and the Assos ClimaCode 3/3 5-finger glove. This is the schidt. Finally, a 5-finger winter glove system that is not too bulky, easy to get on/off, offers complete mobility, and (most importantly) is comfortably warm for extended rides below 20°F

Thank you! Exactly what I'm looking for.

[KonaSS]

Not saying these are the best. But they are the best that I have found and can personally recommend.

Booties - Castelli Diluvio - XXL - They market these as rain booties, but are a thick neoprene. They are the warmest booties I use before I go to the dedicated winter boots

Gloves - 45NRTH Sturmfist4. Ok - it is a 4 finger glove, and not a 5. But very good!

Hat - Gore - they have a few different styles, I recommend their Windstopper beanie.

[efixler]

IMO, the 4-finger gloves, like the Sturmfirst, are actually pretty great.

Everyone is different, but in NYC I think you should be fine with a decent 5-finger glove, the Craft and Pearl Izumi ones are both good.

I've found a couple (https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/dhb-aeron-winter-weight-merino-sock/rp-prod164610) types (https://www.competitivecyclist.com/castelli-quindici-sock) of winter merino cycling socks that are warm without being overly bulky.

If you decide to go for shoes instead of booties, I'm a fan of the winter-style Mavic Crossmax SPD shoes. It's probably a side-effect of Mavic's troubles but these seem to be highly discounted if you can find them.

My generic merino neck gaiter is indispensable in winter and the variable coverage provides good thermal control around your head and neck area.

There are lots of brands that offer cycling jerseys/bibs/knickers. I've really liked Castelli and Pactimo. With the bottoms, I find that it's easy to be too warm, but ultimately everyone is different.

[TunaAndBikes]

I remember researching this and stumbling upon XC skiing gloves
Maybe it's worth a look, it's probably going to be less expensive than the cycling equivalent

[reuben]

I remember researching this and stumbling upon XC skiing gloves
Maybe it's worth a look, it's probably going to be less expensive than the cycling equivalent

Yeah, I have some Black Diamonds for backpacking in snow (don't ski, don't ride when it's 0F).

Examples:
https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/ski-gloves

[George_H]

Castelli Viva 2 Thermo Skully with either a 1) Louis Garneau H2 Helmet cover, or 2) a snowboard helmet. I agree with Kona SS on the Castelli Diluvio Pro Shoe Covers. Chemical hand warmers in my gloves and booties if needed. Nike Pro Warm Therma Compression tights as a second layer. Glove liners with ski gloves over them. I'm going to have to give Bob Ross's technique a try. And a Turtlefur fleece neck warmer.

https://www.freethepowder.com/collections/gloves

[NHAero]

Castelli Estremo were great here on Martha's Vineyard last winter, and I got them a tad large so in worst weather I slip a pair of Ibex liners inside. I have an Ibex beanie which is usual winter wear, and can put a light balaclava under or over if the weather requires it.

[Mark McM]

I've long suffered from cold feet in the winter. I've tried varies booties, winter boots, and even electric boot heaters (adapted from alpine ski boots). But the think that finally worked was Gore C5 Windstopper overshoes. Most cycling booties are made of either a few millimeters of neoprene, or a softshell fabric with a fleeced interior. The Gore C5 Windstopper overshoes instead uses a Primaloft quilt covered by a Windstopper layer. The Primaloft quilt is similar to that found in insulated jackets, and provides a meaningfull amount of loft of about 6 milliemeter, a thicker insulation layer than neoprene or a softshell layer. Now my feet stay toasty warm for hours. Pearl Izumi also has an overshoe with quilted insulation called the WXP Pro Barrier, which is also very good and perhaps a little more waterproof, but a little less loft than the Gore C5 Windstopper overshoes.

[Yoshi]

Assos gloves are awesome.

[Dired]

All the responses are much appreciated, thanks! I have a big cc order on deck. [emoji16]

[BdaGhisallo]

Spatzwear booties.

[Dired]

Spatzwear booties.Have you bought from these guys? The gloves look cool:
https://www.spatzwear.com/products/spatz-glovz-race-gloves-with-hidden-wind-blocking-layer-glovz?variant=31372871893076

[Gummee]

I've got a pair of Gore overshoes that work a treat: insulated and wind/waterproof.

M

[BdaGhisallo]

Have you bought from these guys? The gloves look cool:
https://www.spatzwear.com/products/spatz-glovz-race-gloves-with-hidden-wind-blocking-layer-glovz?variant=31372871893076

Yup. I bought the original Spatz booties and... well, it only ever gets down to the low 50s here in Bermuda so these things were overkill - much too warm. The second gen ones were much too warm too. Both models are exceedingly well designed and constructed. Your legs are sealed right up to the upper part of your calf. I see that a lot of the Belgian pros are using them in training when it's cold and rainy, even though they have to make due with team issued gear when they race.

The company is great to deal with and ship promptly when you order.

Even though they were too much of a good thing for me, I have never come across a better shoe cover in 30 years of looking.

[Dired]

Yup. I bought the original Spatz booties and... well, it only ever gets down to the low 50s here in Bermuda so these things were overkill - much too warm. The second gen ones were much too warm too. Both models are exceedingly well designed and constructed. Your legs are sealed right up to the upper part of your calf. I see that a lot of the Belgian pros are using them in training when it's cold and rainy, even though they have to make due with team issued gear when they race.



The company is great to deal with and ship promptly when you order.



Even though they were too much of a good thing for me, I have never come across a better shoe cover in 30 years of looking.Are they difficult to put on? Looks like it's a stretchy oversock, no zipper.

[saf-t]

My Lake winter boots have kept my toes happy for years now.