Winter gloves

The first thing you notice about Craft's Siberian Split Finger Glove, other than the fact that they look like something only a giant lobster could wear comfortably, is their weight. They are incredibly lightweight for a full winter glove.

I was expecting to be wowed by the Glacier Glove Premium Cyclocross Glove. I like a thin glove. I like to be able to feel the handlebars in my palms, like to be able to feel the brake and lever levers at my fingertips.

This presents a problem in the winter though, especially as I suffer from poor circulation in my extremities, so I need well insulated gloves to stop my fingers from falling off. As a result, I've been on a constant quest to find a glove that ticks both boxes.

The Vortex Windgrip gloves are slim fitting and windproof gloves that are reasonably comfortable on the bike.

I prefer my gloves thin - I like a good feel of the bars and controls when I'm riding - but that does often mean a compromise in the amount of insulation a glove can offer, especially at this time of year. The Vortex gloves use a windproof fabric over the back of the hand and fingers that stops icy cold air in its tracks.

The GripGrab Urban Softshell Gloves are possibly the best winter gloves I have ever used.

GripGrab is a Danish company, they've been around for a couple of years, and now the online retailer Wiggle is bringing them into the UK. They only make gloves and other accessories like overshoes and hats, and their range is comprehensive. There's a glove for most conditions and weather types.

These female specific cool weather gloves are aimed squarely at demanding women riders looking for long ride comfort in inclement conditions, but the Gore Bike Wear Power Windstopper Softshell Lady Gloves come without the full-on weather protection of the Countdown Gore-Tex or the extra warmth of some of the higher end unisex/men's gloves.

The Craft Siberians are well-made mid-weight gloves that provide decent warmth without being too bulky.

My only real negative criticism of these gloves is the name. If you call something 'Siberian', surely the implication is that it's designed to keep you warm in the most extreme winter conditions. That's the message I get, anyway. Don't get me wrong, these are good gloves, but they're not right up there among the warmest you can lay your hands on.

Sealskinz waterproof performance Leather Road Cycle Gloves might not roll off the tongue but they're amongst the best winter gloves I've used in a very long time. Their sharp two-tone black/grey livery is very appealing - I only wished the Scotchlite detailing was a bit less subtle.

Castelli's Estremo gloves are a warm, windproof and very comfortable option for the cold weather.

If you don't know, I'm sure you could guess that 'estremo' is the Italian for 'extreme', and Castelli have certainly made these gloves to stand up to the cold.

The outers are made from Windstopper X-Fast fabric that does exactly what its name promises. That includes the cuffs which are plenty long enough for tucking your jersey sleeves inside to avoid getting cold wrists.

Castelli's Diluvio gloves are basically wetsuit gloves, made for cycling. They work too, keeping your hands toasty despite being fairly thin. They're totally windproof, but a side effect is they're as breathable as, well, a wetsuit. They start to pong fairly quickly and they're expensive compared to gloves from wetsuit manufacturers.

Campagnolo's Challenge Gloves are toasty down to about zero degrees, are windproof and water resistant, but they're not 100 per cent waterproof.