So my wife helped out Santa this year with a pair of Lee Parks Pci deerskin gloves this year. These gloves are simply awesome winter (in California) gloves. Temp started in the mid to upper 40's, and never got above low 50's before I got home. Santa also left a set of Dyna coils for my Ducati.
I was riding the R1150R this morning for over an hour, and for the first time in 35 years of riding, the longer I rode, the warmer my hands got. Parks' claim that the Outlast material conducts heat from the grips around the gloves is quite true. While the outside is not as warm as the inside, there is definitely a warm feeling surrounding your hands. Keep in mind winter in SoCal is not winter in jersey. The have a really comfortable liner, and have two velcro straps for retention. The only downside is the bunch a TINY bit in my first finger joint, but no worse than any other medium weight glove. The feel is definitely better than typical winter gloves. Pricey for gloves but worth it, especially if you don't already have heated gloves.
Lee makes an outstanding product. I used Thurlow deerskin gloves for 20+years, didn't think I'd ever see anything better. Then a year ago at the Seattle International Motorcycle show, I met Lee for the first time.
Bought a pair of the long gauntlet, non-insulated, gloves and have been extremely happy with them. Very comfy from day one, and with the heated grips of the R, they're quite warm enough for spring and fall rides. They're fine in summer, even riding in Eastern Washington where it does get fairly warm.
My wife bought a pair of the deerskin gauntlets for me a couple years ago. And indeed dealt with lee himself. It is evidently common to get him when ordering. I have liked those gloves so much I wear them when it's too cold for uninsulated gloves.
I don't get caught in the rain, I ride in it on purpose.
JohnnyLunchBox wrote:It warmed up to about 36 last monday, so I took a ride. I need to find a better climate. Winter in NY sucks.
+1.
The problem is, when you live here and read the posts from guys riding year round in the cold climes ya feel like an old softy....oh wait, that's what I am.
I've had to switch gloves and that because of the cold. I use the gerbing electrics in the winter. I'm kind of a glove hound. I think I have 5 pair of motorcycle gloves. The lady in charge of such things at work gave me a pair of waterproof, thinsulate lined gauntlets, with the admonition to give them a good test. What could I do ? I rode them home in a driving rainstorm that night. The cold is only an issue where I live when the waterproofing fails. It has stayed around 39F, which is an acceptable temp for me. This year I've had enough rain to make even me happy. (and had a couple unhappy waterproofing failures) So if you're feeling like an old softy, go out and buy some of that phase change gear and see if it makes you feel better. I'm sure it would work for me.
I don't get caught in the rain, I ride in it on purpose.
I have a pair of Roadgear's Adaptive-Tec gloves that are similarly lined with Outlast, a phase-change material, and have been wearing them for 2 years now. I find them to be reasonably comfortable for spring and fall or for those mild winter days we experience in North Texas, but they are simply inadequate for serious cold weather use. At least for me. Even with heated grips and GS handguards, my hands get cold easily, and I can't wear these gloves below about 50 degrees F. And they become too stuffy at about 75 deg. F. YMMV ....
ya feel like an old softy....oh wait, that's what I am.