Gore Gore-Tex Insulated Gloves review: great on cold rides, but less so in heavy rain

The Gore Gore-Tex Insulated Gloves are best suited to cold and dry weather.

I found them warm, breathable and highly dextrous, which helps with using lever controls. They’re also PFC/PFAS-free, albeit in line with Gore’s specific definition.

While their waterproofing level is a slight weakness, and the sizing needs to be considered carefully, these winter gloves perform very well in the face of most deep-winter conditions.

Gore Gore-Tex Insulated Gloves details and specifications

The Gore Gore-Tex Insulated Gloves utilise the brand’s ePE (expanded polyethylene) waterproof fabric membrane (which is claimed to be free of PFC/PFAS chemicals “of environmental concern”) and combines this with synthetic PrimaLoft insulation.

The thermal liner isn’t removable, but features a soft, fleece-like fabric for added warmth and comfort.

A suede-style fabric is used on the palm, for wet-weather grip, although the palm is uniform – there’s no dedicated pressure-relieving padding.

The palm material (which spreads up the fingers) is touchscreen-compatible, and Gore includes silicone tabs on the fingers for added brake-lever grip.

The cuff is intended to overlap with low-profile jacket cuffs, and this is fastened down with a wraparound Velcro pull tab.

There’s no reflective section to improve visibility when holding the bar and indicating, although the hi-vis yellow outer fabric is bold and bright.

You can also have the gloves in black, which I tested, and in seven sizes (XS-3XL).

I tend to fit a size L or XL in gloves, and a size L proved a snug (but comfortable) fit, but Gore rightly points out that the gloves fit smaller than average (unlike the brand’s C5 Gore-Tex Thermo gloves, which are a little larger), so this is worth bearing in mind.

Gore Gore-Tex Insulated Gloves performance

Despite the gloves fitting slightly smaller than average, I’ve been impressed by them.

They fit snugly around the fingers (a fit style I prefer), while dexterity is very good – I could locate my Shimano shifters with greater ease and precision than I’m accustomed to with such thick gloves.

The PrimaLoft insulation works very well, and although Gore’s new ePE fabric isn’t quite as windproof as the older Gore-Tex fabric used on the C5 Thermo gloves, the difference is small and shouldn’t worry those who want (or need, as in the US in 2025) to only consider more eco-friendly fabrics.

The stitching is excellent and doesn’t rub on the fingers, and doesn’t let air sneak through to create cold spots.

I found I could ride with the gloves in a windchill below 0ºC and stay warm without getting clammy, indicating good breathability. They proved effectively water resistant too.

Caring for the DWR treatment is key here (I washed mine using a technical detergent), given PFC/PFAS-free membranes generally aren’t quite as waterproof as their forebears on paper.

You’ll need to make sure the Velcro strap is fastened down should you include them in a wash, even if Gore has wisely opted for a less snaggy version of the spiky side.

The palm material absorbed some water when it rained heavily, especially when the water was mashed into the fabric by my grip on the bar, but it didn’t make it through the inner lining in testing.

This meant the fabric’s effectiveness on touchscreens became less precise – it works best when the material is dry.

There might be better winter gloves out there for heavy and persistent rain (such as the Scott Aqua GTX LF glove, £69.99 / $74.99 / €74.90), but for the vast majority of cases, the Gore Gore-Tex Insulated Gloves will have you covered for warm comfort.

If you don’t want or need to opt for PFC/PFAS-free gloves, then the brand’s C5 Gore-Tex Thermo gloves perform similarly, for a few banknotes less.

Gore Gore-Tex Insulated Gloves bottom line

The Gore Gore-Tex Insulated Gloves are very good in the coldest weather, but are best suited to drier conditions where they can breathe.

While the fabric will resist rain well, I think there are better options for those wanting to ride in heavy rain regularly.

That said, those gloves tend to offer a little less dexterity than these, and this is a niggle if you know you’ll avoid downpours anyway.