Long Term Review: CRAFT Siberian Gloves

• Every experienced Chicago rider knows that as the mercury dips and the winds kick up and the clouds hover menacingly for every early morning ride, there are two especially troublesome areas to protect: the hands and feet. We'll look at one solution for the former today.

  Not hailing from a frigid climate, but insisting on riding through all weather conditions, I've had to experiment with many different strategies for preventing hand numbness due to the cold and wet. There are many good looking and affordable gloves made for walking around in cold weather; in fact, most insulated wool gloves will do fine even in temperatures below freezing. Some opt for ski gloves, which are also plentiful and often very affordable. However, a well designed pair of cold weather cycling gloves will have some very unique features that will keep you warm, comfortable, and safe for hours on end.

  GRIP
  Many winter gloves with synthetic shells lack a rubberized palm, or if they do have a grippy palm, the material is often not breathable. The Siberians have reinforced synthetic leather palm covered in little rubber dots for gripping the handlebars. After two years of heavy winter riding, mine are still sporting 90% of the original dots. Grip is especially important when the conditions are wet.

  

  SHAPE
  Many winter gloves are sewn on a flat last, whereas the Siberians are sewn on a curved last. This puts less stress on seams and provides a little more comfort around the edges. As winter gloves are intended to run tight, this can be an issue for longer late autumn rides.

  PADDING
  Personally, I prefer unpadded cycling gloves, opting instead for a resilient road feel. Most of the CRAFT gloves fall into this category. The Siberian has a thin palm, but is heavily insulated everywhere else. The crucial joint between the thumb and forefinger does have double thickness, however; this is is for riding in the hoods. One complaint about some of the other CRAFT gloves is the lack of this reinforcement.

  

  FINGERS
  Most winter gloves are just too bulky for cycling. Even the Siberians tilt towards bulky in my view; the upside is that each finger is well insulated for temperatures below freezing, but grasping a handlebar is very different in these gloves; I feel as if I have a little less control. More importantly, I'm always fiddling with things in the winter: zipping and unzipping jackets, pressing computer and cell phone buttons, turning on lights, and (unfortunately) fixing the occasional flat. It's for this reason that I prefer the uninsulated CRAFT Tempest gloves in slightly warmer conditions. One nice touch on the Siberians are the rubberized dots and slight reinforcement placed on the first two fingers. I guess the idea is that this helps a little when shifting and braking, but I wore mine off on one hand rather quickly as I tend to do a lot of on-the-go tire brushing when the weather gets bad.

  

  VISIBILITY
  This is a minor issue, but a nicety that comes on all the CRAFT gloves. The Siberian has reflective screened logos on the middle finger and cuff, and reflective red piping along the back of the gloves.

  

  NOSE WIPE
  Once a rarity, this feature has become de rigeur on nicer cycling gloves. All of the CRAFT gloves have a terry thumb, ensuring that you avoid unsightly nose drips, or worse: mucus mouth.

  BREATHABILITY
  This is one of my favorite features of all the CRAFT gloves. Having used Assos, Pearl Izumi, Castelli, and Nalini over the years -- I've not found a full line of gloves with as good a balance between windproofness and breathability as CRAFT. The only problem that I have encountered with the Siberians is when the gloves become too wet, either due to perspiration or precipitation. If this happens, and the temperature is below freezing, things can go downhill fast.

  WIND & WATERPROOFNESS
  Strangely enough, I have found the thinner Tempest gloves to have betting windproofing than the Siberians. It is for this reason that I have opted for the odd strategy of layering the two gloves when it gets really cold. But for most conditions, the Siberians are fine. The gloves are certainly not as waterproof as some (ie neoprene, Gore) -- but the tradeoff here is breathability. The Siberians are terrific in light rain and snow, even if you are riding hard and perspiring. However, they will quickly become soaked in a downpour.

  DURABILITY
  I've had mine for two years, and ride nearly every day all year round. They have spent a couple of hours a day on my hands between October and March, and are still in great condition. The velcro wrist strap still works perfectly; the insulation is great; and I've not torn a single stitch. These are extremely well made gloves.

  

  WARMTH
  The Siberians are lined with a soft fleece, covering the full fingers and back of the hand. Worn alone, I find the Siberians to work best between 10°C and -5°C. Any cooler, and you will probably need to add either a liner, another shell, or chemical hand warmers. Or all three. Any warmer, and they can get a little too toasty.

  CONCLUSION
  At $75, The CRAFT Siberians certainly aren't inexpensive. But if you're looking for a super durable, fairly versatile pair of true winter cycling gloves, they are fantastic. Folks with especially poor circulation might want to consider either a lobster-style mitt like the CRAFT Split Finger Glove or something with better insulation, like the Ibex Tuck. When used in conjunction with a thin liner, the Siberian should be able to handle a wider range of weather conditions than even the hardiest Chicago rider.