WW4M: HandUp Gloves

 This is another "WW4M" post. That means "What Works For Me" and it may not work for you. So, take that with the following words into consideration.....

HandUp Gloves "Sunrise Fade" ColdER model gloves.

Today I'm going to review a pair of Winter gloves from Handup. Now, as with anything winter related, you really need to understand who is giving the advice/review because we all are very different people with very different expectations, needs, and limitations. I hesitate to even write this stuff down because someone will inevitably say that they plunked down their cash on these gloves and 'they suck', so 'don't listen to Guitar Ted'. 

So, "Spoiler Alert"- These gloves will absolutely suck, be worthless, and really will not be any good at all for one or more of you reading this. Okay? 

Now for the rest of you, I shall continue.....

First off, the main attraction to any HandUp glove is that they are available in short runs in wild to mild graphics and each one has a fun term or saying which can be seen when you put you hands together. I get it, that's cute and all, but if the glove doesn't function, well, then.........who cares about The Cute? I certainly don't. I'll tell you what I think about how these worked in a moment, but first, "The Disclaimer"

I decided to purchase these from Andy's Bike Shop since I needed a good cold weather glove and Andy's carries HandUp Gloves, plus I work there, so I get a discount. Okay, with that out of the way, I will note that in a HandUp Glove I wear an "XL" for size. Sometimes I find that a Large works in other brand's sizing, so I am guessing I am on the borderline with Large/XL gloves from most companies, if that helps you out with sizing at all. I would advise to go a size larger than you think if you are on the fence with sizing like I am. Better to have that 'dead-air' space than to have a glove be too tight in Winter. 

HandUp makes no claims as to the use of any fancy, oddly named, acronym-ed fabrics or any high-tech amaze-a-matic functionality. You get an 'extra fleece layer' and that's it. At least, that's all you're going to find on their webpage for these. So, I had no real big expectations here, since there weren't any expectations set. But I did find a few things to be true as I wore these. By the way, I've used these on rides from the mid-30's to down around the teens Fahrenheit. (From around 0°C - well below freezing Centigrade) 

"Chill" is spelled out when you put your palms together.

First, they don't totally block wind, but they do a really great job there. These are not GORE-Tex-like, in that regard, but these are half the price of a GORE-Tex Winter glove too. HandUp did get the critical 'nose wiper section'down correctly. A Winter glove without a 'nose-wiper section' is a worthless Winter glove, in my opinion. No.....no palm padding. I like that. But if you think you gotta have that, these are not for you. Also- no touch-screen sensitivity. So, if you have to do the 'swipey-swipe' thing during rides, these also may not work for you. 

Something to note: I follow a guy on Instagram who is a cyclist and he was complaining about having ice-cold hands when his new Pearl Izumi gloves got sweat-soaked. Okay, so here is some basic knowledge, in case you don't understand how cold weather riding works. It comes down to a few basic rules. 

1. Sweat-out your gear = Freezing body parts.
2. Vapor barrier use is key
3. Layers are key (Natural fabrics are best)

So, if you have sweaty hands, (and many of us do), you are going to freeze your paws off once you sweat out in these gloves, most likely. So- what to do? Well, you can do a natural fiber layer, like a thin wool liner glove, or you could do a silicone glove, then put on the HandUp glove (vapor barrier), or you could use a pogie, like Bike Iowa Pogie-Lites, or a BarMitt pogie. (Basically layers again) Oh, and let's not forget that carbon handle bars are WAY warmer than metal ones in Winter, and anything metal, (even brake levers), will suck heat right out of your hands. (Yes- this works for pedals as well)

Your personal 'temperature range' will also dictate your set up. That's why I posted the stuff above about folks saying I don't know what I am talking about, because they are generally not thinking through the process you have to go through to find what works and what doesn't. The "Easy Button" approach is a highway to failures, and then negative comments. So, HandUp Gloves may not be "The Answer" for you, but they could be part of the answer for you. I - nor anyone else- can tell you that. You need to do you. 

And Finally: I like these gloves. They work for me, and they do okay at keeping wind at bay. This keeps my hands warmer. I will sometimes use a pogie with these for really cold weather, but keep in mind that I have been known to end up riding with no gloves at all, even without pogies, in Winter. My hands stay pretty warm once the blood starts flowing. By the way, these HandUp Gloves have stayed together well, the stitching is robust, and they go through the wash well, as long as you don't use a dryer and let them hang-dry. So, these should work well enough for me for several seasons of use. 

Note: I purchased the HandUp Sunrise Fade gloves with my own damn money and was not paid, nor bribed for this review.