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Louis Garneau winter gloves and balaclava review

The right accessories makes riding in the cold possible and even fun

Louis Garneau

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If you have made a habit of venturing out in the cold for bike rides you’ve probably gotten cold fingers and a runny nose. Successfully protecting yourself from the bitter cold takes an array of apparel but with the right pieces in your wardrobe you can do it. I have made the habit of venturing out after dark on cold winter evenings. It’s a constant struggle against the cold but I’ve found reliable accessories that have helped make it enjoyable. Louis Garneau’s Scope Balaclava gives my face and head protection to stay out for a couple of hours while the Verano and LG Super Shield gloves both offer warmth, dexterity and breathability.

Scope Balaclava
Louis Garneau

$40

Balaclava’s are relly useful on the coldest evenings when the wind is bitter and I know I’ll want to be able to pull something up over my face for increased protection. Neck warmers and neck tubes tend to get damp and frozen with condensation very quickly when riding hard so it’s tough to find something that really works effectively. The Scope Balaclava is made from a heavyweight material that really keeps the cold out. I was pleased that when I pulled it up on my face the material didn’t sit directly against my mouth so even when breathing heavily condensation didn’t build up and freeze to become an annoyance. Though it doesn’t have any vents like some ski masks it did exactly what I needed when heading into the wind or on a descent. Once warmed up it’s easy to make adjustments and the fit is fantastic with it sitting exactly as I wanted on my face even under a helmet.

Verano Gloves

Louis Garneau

$60

The Verano gloves are a medium insulated glove that provides warmth and comfort. Warm hands are a must to enjoy a long winter ride but you also don’t want to overheat which could then make your hands susceptible to the cold. The gloves have a comfortable fit with a fleece lining and high cuffs that really made sure no cold air seeped in. The Verano aren’t designed for the extreme cold but at between zero and -5 C where great for efforts with my hands temperature well regulated. The gloves have 3M reflective logos for visibility and a small area of mesh on the palm Louis Garneau call the Ergo Air concept helps to regulate temperature.

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LG Super Shield Gloves

Louis Garneau

$75

For colder riding, I have always found lobster gloves to be the solution. With enough dexterity to still control a bike with confidence but the additional warmth offered by a mitten, the LG Super Shield served me well when the temperature dipped towards and below -10 C. For warmth, the gloves feature a thicker inner fleece lining around the fingers than on the palm. With a waterproof and windproof exterior, my hands were well insulated against the cold. The gloves also feature the Ergo Air concept to help regulate the temperature in the glove but I did notice that on a few higher intensity rides my hands were a little damp by the end. Evidence of their effectiveness was I never felt it was too cold for a ride, even if it was just for an hour, this winter.

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