Our final torture test of Gore Bike Wear's Alp-X Gore-Tex gloves found us on a dirt road ride under overcast skies, with the thermometer reading a balmy 14°F (-10°C). Were our fingers toasty? Far from it, actually, but after an hour and a half they weren't frostbitten, either.
To be fair, 14°F is pushing it, but other tests showed that the Alp-X Gore Tex gloves were more than capable of keeping our hands comfortable at a slightly warmer 20°F. More impressively, they do so without an excessive amount of bulk or resorting to the paired finger layout that's better at retaining heat but sacrifices dexterity.
Adding further protection is the Gore-Tex membrane, which has previously been proven to mostly live up to its claims of waterproofing and breathability. Our riding conditions proved far too cold to test either feature this time round, but should you be interested in donning these gloves for near-freezing but very wet conditions it's worth noting that there isn't much of a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating on the shell – the outer layers will eventually soak through unless you add a treatment.
Unlike other cold-weather gloves with loftier insulation, there's little squirminess under your palms when you grab the bars, lending better feel for the road and trail, especially in combination with the suede-like palm and grippy silicone rubber finger appliques. We wish Gore had pre-curved the fingers more (these are for riding, after all, not walking around) but the tough shell material is at least relatively supple, to minimize hand fatigue as the miles pile on.
Overall fit is spot on, with proper finger length and volume and a snug cut that won't leave you struggling to keep the gloves in place. Adding a heap of convenience and shutting out cold breezes is the gauntlet-style cuff, which easily fits over or under jacket sleeves with an intuitive two-way drawstring closure – pull one tab to tighten, the other to loosen.
The gauntlet-style cuff seals out drafts and are easy to adjust
Other nice details include microfiber snot wipes on the thumbs, thin but very dense pads at the outer edges of the palms, and reflective logos for nighttime visibility. Pricing is at the high end of the spectrum but at least the Alp-X Gore-Tex gloves come with good construction quality, functionality, and – most importantly –warmth.