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I sometimes see people cycling around in winter with no gloves. It’s bewildering to me how they don’t seem to be getting frostbite, or at the very least feeling acute agony.
Most of us feel the need for some hand protection when it’s cold. I personally suffer from extremely cold fingers and feet, and if it was practical to wear a duvet on my hands in the winter, I would. But of course, duvets, or even (more realistically) thick mitts, just aren’t practical for cycling.
There’s a balance to be found with cycling gloves. Presumably, if you’re using them at all then it’s cold enough to do so. They need to protect your hands from wind, rain and low temperatures, without being bulky and impeding your control of the bike.
And it’s highly irritating to have to take your glove off to use the phone. The amount of times I’ve done this, and the glove inevitably falls into a puddle while I’m faffing about, or my fingers become too cold to use the phone anyway.
The answer? Touchscreen cycling gloves. A must-have for anyone who wants to use their phone quickly and easily.
Gloves You Can Use Your Phone With
When you use touchscreen gloves for the first time, you might wonder how you ever functioned without them. Most people’s smartphones are usually within a short reach, and often mounted on the bike when cycling. A phone is no longer just a phone. We use them now for virtually everything.
So, how do touchscreen gloves actually work?
Capacitive touchscreens (used in smartphones and tablets) react to a small electrical charge when touched with a finger. Essentially, they’re using the electrical properties of the body.
Touchscreen gloves have conductive material, usually on the thumb and index finger, but sometimes sewn into the whole glove. This material absorbs the electric current coming off the screen, working just as your finger would.
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Best Touch Screen Gloves for Cyclists [TOP 7]
When looking for gloves, you’ll inevitably have specific needs. This could depend on how much you feel the cold, how visible you want to be, your budget, sense of style and so on. With this in mind, we’ve put together a list of some of the best touchscreen gloves available.
Whatever it is you’re looking for, we’re sure there’ll be a glove to suit you.
Thermal Waterproof Touchscreen Gloves for Cyclists
1. Sealskinz Unisex All-Weather Gloves
Materials: Outer: 52% Polyester, 27% Polyamide, 18% Polyurethane, 3% Elastane; Middle: 100% Polyurethane Membrane; Inner: 100% Polyester
Windproof? Yes
Water-Resistance: Waterproof
Touchscreen Friendly? Yes
Temperature Suitability: “All temperatures”
Price: £46.27
Sealskinz have earned themselves a reputation for excellence with a range of products that give outstanding protection from the elements, and these gloves are no exception.
Made entirely from synthetic materials, the thermal touchscreen waterproofs provide superior and precise control through the zero liner movement, pre-curved fingers and the polyurethane suede palm adding extra grip. There is also a useful fleece thumb wiper.
These gloves offer exceptional quality. Being 100% waterproof, windproof and breathable, they’re ideal for varying temperatures and will keep you dry and protected without compromising on dexterity.
Read the full Sealskinz All-Weather Cycle Glove review (including a waterproof test here.
Winter Cycling Gloves with Touch Screen Functionality
2. Rapha Winter Gloves
Materials: 85% Polyester, 10% Leather, 5% Elastane
Windproof? Yes (Insulated on the back of the hand and fleece inner-lining)
Water-Resistance: Water-resistant (DWR treated)
Touchscreen Friendly? Yes
Temperature Suitability: Ideal for 0˚C to 5˚C
Price: £80
These insulated gloves, at the higher end of the price range, are designed specifically for cold weather riding. And Rapha certainly haven’t scrimped on the insulation.
Lined with a warm fleece fabric on the inside, the gloves also feature insulation on the back of the hand and pillowing on the fingers to prevent bunching.
For total comfort, the palm has gel padding, and is made of anti-grip and durable suede material which also allows you to use your phone without taking the glove off.
The slim-fitting, knitted Merino wool cuff locks in heat at the wrist and there are two reflective details for visibility when signalling. And if that’s not all, there is also a handy nose wipe on the thumb.
Billed as water-resistant, with a ‘water-repellent treatment for wet weather protection’ – the emphasis of these gloves is on warmth in temperatures as low as freezing.
Reflective + Waterproof Touchscreen Gloves
3. PROVIZ REFLECT360 Waterproof Cycling Gloves
Materials: 80% Polyester, 20% Cotton
Windproof? Yes
Water-Resistance: Waterproof
Touchscreen Friendly? Yes (index finger only)
Temperature Suitability: “All temperatures”
Price: £44.99
These all-weather gloves have a 100% reflective outer shell to give you high visibility at night, making them a great commuter option along with any other reflective gear you might be wearing. They also have comfortable padded palms, over which the silicone web gives enhanced grip even in the rain.
And speaking of rain, there’s an internal waterproof layer to these gloves made from a Korean Hipora insert consisting of a three-layer microporous silicone coating structure. These layers combined give exceptional protection against water.
The Korean Hipora insert to these gloves maximises breathability whilst regulating temperature. This, along with the microfleece inner lining, Velcro-adjustable cuff and high-vis element, make them fantastic winter gloves for commuting or otherwise.
Read the full PROVIZ REFLECT360 Glove review (including a waterproof test here.
Budget Touchscreen Gloves for Cycling
4. Elite Cycling Project Malmo Waterproof Cycling Gloves
Materials: Synthetic
Windproof? Yes
Water-Resistance: Waterproof
Touchscreen Friendly? Yes
Temperature Suitability: Temperature Suitability: Ideal for 0˚C to 5˚C
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As a budget option, these gloves still have a host of attractive features. They’re available in black, or high viz green for those wanting greater visibility.
Constructed from a windproof outer shell and lined with thermal insulated Thinsulate fabric, with a waterproof membrane in between, these gloves are designed to be waterproof and warm.
The palms are padded for comfort and protection and have a reinforced grip which is also extended to the fingers and thumb. They also have a close-fitting cuff with a Velcro fastener to give a watertight fit around the wrist.
This is a good commuting glove for those who want to stay protected in the winter, without paying a small fortune.
Touch Screen Cycling Gloves
5. Chrome Industries Midweight Cycle Gloves
Materials: 70D Nylon Ripstop, synthetic PU leather palm, Polyester lining
Windproof? Yes
Water-Resistance: Water-resitant (70D has a DWR coating)
Touchscreen Friendly? Yes
Temperature Suitability: Ideal for 0˚C to 10˚C
Price: £47
If style is your thing, then these gloves have it in abundance. Here, Chrome Industries have designed a very good-looking glove that has all the features you need for winter riding.
Available in black or olive green/black, these gloves are not only stylish, but tough and functional. The fingertips are touchscreen sensitive and they have comfort padding on the palm and thumb.
These gloves are designed for cold weather, thick enough to stay warm but without being bulky, with a waterproof layer to keep the rain at bay.
Cheap Touchscreen Cycling Gloves
6. Ozero Cycling Gloves
Material: Polyester
Windproof? Yes
Water-Resistance: Light rainprotection
Touchscreen Friendly? Yes
Temperature Suitability: Ideal for 5˚C to 10˚C
Price: £17.99
Another budget option, the Ozero cycling gloves are affordable and versatile. With soft thermal linings designed for use in temperatures as low as -10°C (without extreme wind), they’ll be a warm and welcome addition to your winter wardrobe.
They also have excellent grip, with Anti-Skid Silica Gel dots on the palms and first two fingers. The index finger and thumb are touchscreen sensitive.
These gloves have a waterproof shell, but they’re billed as water-resistant as the seams are not waterproof. They should however, keep you perfectly warm on cold days with the odd shower. They’re also light enough to offer flexibility on the bike, and off.
Grippy Touchscreen Bike Gloves
7. GribGrab Ride Winter Cycling Gloves
Materials: 95% Polyester, 5% Polyamide
Windproof? Yes
Water-Resistance: Moderate rain protection
Touchscreen Friendly? Yes
Temperature Suitability: Ideal for 0˚C to 10˚C
Price: £26.99
These performance gloves are close-fitting but insulated with a fleece lining and also have extended soft fabric cuffs for the wrists. Offering warmth without bulk, they are crafted for deep winter riding and are 100% windproof with a water-resistant back panel.
There is a high-vis neon yellow option (as well as black), with reflective detailing, so they’re great for visibility. The palm has a DoctorGel gel-pad and also features silicone prints to enhance grip.
Whatever the temperature, you’ll stay cosy in these high-tech gloves. And though they’re not waterproof, they will withstand short spells of rain and road spray.
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