How to use Windstopper gloves most effectively? The Cold hands due to cold/wind question had a number of good recommendations, including using gloves with Windstopper branded material. My ski gloves are worn out so I purchased this silk weight Windstopper pair of gloves (WARMER - not WARMEST or WARM) last week to see if it could measure up to ski gloves.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VN86J6

They did not even come close. Commuting between 17-25 MPH on an electric bike in pedal assist mode (high cadence, low effort) at 50 degrees or so for 20 minutes, my hands are cold, and do feel the wind a little. My 10 year old thick ski gloves are much warmer. The upside of this pair of Windstopper gloves is that my fingers are fully mobile, as compared with my thick ski gloves which reduced finger dexterity to the point where it reduced reaction time for shifting and ringing the bell.

This morning I tried using regular bike gloves worn under the Windstoppers, and that at least kept my palms warm, but fingers were still cold.

What is the best way to use Windstopper-based gloves. Do they require liners to be effective?. If so, which brands/models are appropriate for which temperatures?
They'll never provide as much insulation as ski gloves, on their own - they're not designed to.

They're intended to block the wind (so minimising the convection heat loss due to high airflow) but still allow you to breathe (which implies you still get the heat loss due to evaporation).

A wicking/insulating liner underneath will add some straight insulation too; if it isn't wicking or fairly open weave you'll lose breathability, but on the other hand an open-weave glove the wind would otherwise cut right through will actually be useful with these over the top.

For comparison, I sometimes wear a windproof shirt for running, usually in the winter: if I wear it over a singlet and it sits against bare skin on my arms, it doesn't add much (or any) warmth. If I wear it over a baselayer, it adds lots, while still being lighter than an equivalent softshell and more breathable than a hardshell.



tl;dr - use a thin, breathable insulating liner. Wool will probably work well.

Oh, and pay attention to the cuffs and your sleeves: any part of your arm not covered, even if it doesn't feel cold itself, will be losing heat that should be reaching your hands.