Waterproof Glove Covers: Keep Winter Riding Gloves Dry in Wet Snow, Sleet and Rain
Waterproof glove covers (also sold as mitten covers or over gloves) are thin waterproof shells you pull over the gloves or mitts you already own, to keep wet snow, sleet and rain off them. Wet insulation holds less warmth than dry insulation, which is why a cover can make a real difference on a cold, wet day on a sled, an ATV or a late-season bike ride. Ours have waterproof seams, a windproof shell and grip patches on the palm, come in three sizes matched to your glove size, and pack into their own small bag. The warmth still comes from the glove underneath: the cover's job is to help keep that glove dry and keep the wind off it.
Glove cover, waterproof glove or heated glove?
| Glove cover over your own gloves | Heated glove liners | Heated gloves | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A thin waterproof, windproof shell worn over a glove or mitt | Thin heated gloves worn under your own gloves | A complete leather glove with heating built in |
| Keeps water out | Yes, waterproof seams | No, it relies on the glove over it (we recommend a waterproof one) | Built-in windproof, waterproof, breathable insert |
| Adds heat | No, it helps keep your glove dry | Yes, 12V, needs the right cord or controller | Yes, 12V, needs the right cord or controller |
| Best for | Keeping winter riding gloves you like dry when the weather turns wet | Riders who want heat inside their own waterproof gloves | One warm, waterproof glove for cold riding |
A glove cover is the answer when your gloves are warm enough but not waterproof. If you want heat, the two heated options are compared in heated gloves vs heated glove liners. The glove cover page does not cover use over heated gloves or liners, so ask us before you try that combination.
Why wet cold is hard on your hands
Most winter gloves keep you warm by trapping air in their insulation. Once wet snow or sleet soaks through the shell, that insulation holds less warmth, and wet fabric draws heat away from your hands faster than dry fabric does. Add the wind on the bars of a moving sled, ATV or bike, and a pair of gloves that felt fine in the parking lot can leave your fingers cold and stiff well before the ride is over.
So the hardest days on your hands are often not the coldest ones, but the days around freezing with wet snow, slush off the trail or sleet on the highway home. A glove cover adds a waterproof, windproof layer outside your glove, so the glove underneath has a better chance of staying dry and doing its job.
What our waterproof glove covers do
Our Dri-Tek Reusable Waterproof Glove Covers are mitten-shaped shells with a thumb and an elastic cuff, made to be worn over your existing gloves or mitts. From the product page and its sizing chart:
- Waterproof seams: the page lists 100% waterproof seams, and the chart shows heat-welded tape seams on the interior.
- Windproof shell: an extra layer of protection against wind chill on the bars.
- Sure-grip palm and fingertips: grip patches so the bars, a shovel or a tie-down strap are less likely to slip out of your hand.
- Thin Dri-Tek material: light and compact, with its own storage bag, so a pair rides in a tunnel bag, saddlebag or backpack until you need it.
- Reusable: built to last season after season, not a throwaway.
The page lists hiking, motorcycling, ATVing, cycling and skiing among their uses, and owners have used them on all kinds of trips, including a six-day trek in southern Iceland that one reviewer says kept them dry.
One rider hit heavy rain away from home and kept his gloves dry with the covers; he points out they are so thin they take up almost no room when packed. Another owner wears his over fairly thick gloves. A third likes them as a cheap fix for good gloves that are not waterproof, instead of switching to bulky waterproof gloves.
Glove cover sizing
Pick the cover from the size of the glove you will wear under it. The sizing chart on the product page:
| Your glove size | Glove cover size |
|---|---|
| X-Small, Small or Medium | Small/Medium |
| Large or X-Large | Large/X-Large |
| 2X-Large or 3X-Large | 2X-Large/3X-Large |
The page also lists the size of each cover:
| Size | Glove cover height | Glove cover width |
|---|---|---|
| Small/Medium | 33.5 cm | 16 cm |
| Large/X-Large | 35 cm | 17 cm |
| 2X-Large/3X-Large | 37 cm | 19 cm |
Winter gloves and mitts often run bulkier than their size suggests, and a long gauntlet adds length. The page does not say how much room a cover needs over an unusually thick mitt or a long gauntlet, so if yours are well outside the ordinary, ask us before you order.
Mitten covers or glove covers?
The same cover does both. It is shaped like a mitten, with a separate thumb and the fingers together, so it goes over a five-finger glove or a mitt alike. Over a glove you trade some finger feel for drier hands. Over a mitt, it adds the waterproof, windproof outer layer that many fleece and knit mitts lack. Some owners simply call them rain mitts.
The page says the covers are designed to go over your gloves without compromising your dexterity. A mitten shape still changes how the controls feel, so check before you ride:
- Motorcycle: pull the clutch and front brake fully, and work the turn signals, horn and starter.
- Snowmobile and ATV: work the thumb throttle, the brake lever and any switches on the bars, including the kill switch.
- If you cannot work every control cleanly, go to a thinner glove underneath or leave the covers off.
What a glove cover does not do
- It adds little insulation. It is a thin shell. On a dry, very cold day, a warmer glove does more than a cover.
- It does not dry a soaked glove. Put the covers on when the weather turns, before your gloves are wet, not after.
- It does not seal your sleeve. Water running down a sleeve can still reach the glove at the cuff.
- It is not a fitted glove. The mitten shape means less finger feel than a glove alone, so check your controls as above.
- Dri-Tek Reusable Waterproof Glove CoversWaterproof, windproof shell over your own gloves or mitts
- Gen-X4 Heated Glove Liners12V heated liners for under your own waterproof gloves
- Gen-X4 Heated Gloves12V heated leather gloves with a built-in waterproof insert
- Dri-Tek Reusable Waterproof Boot CoversKeep boots dry in rain, slush and mud
Which setup should you carry?
- Your winter riding gloves are warm but not waterproof: a pair of glove covers in the bag, on before the wet snow, sleet or rain soaks through.
- You want heat under your own gloves: Gen-X4 Heated Glove Liners, and their page recommends wearing them under a waterproof glove.
- You want heat and waterproofing in one glove: Gen-X4 Heated Gloves, with their built-in waterproof, breathable insert.
- Wet feet too: our boot covers do the same job for your boots, and the page says to go up a size over motorcycle or work boots.
Late-season bike riders can find the full wet-weather kit (rain suit, boot covers and glove covers) in our motorcycle rain gear guide, and more tips for wet roads in six tips for riding in the rain. The glove covers and boot covers are in our rain gear collection.
Questions riders ask us
Are they waterproof or just water-resistant?
The product page calls them waterproof, with 100% waterproof seams, and the sizing chart shows heat-welded tape seams on the interior. As with any rain gear, water can still get in at the cuff if it runs down your sleeve, so check how the cover's elastic cuff meets your jacket sleeve before you head out in the rain.
Will they fit over bulky winter mitts or gauntlet gloves?
Start with the chart above and your glove size. The 2X-Large/3X-Large is the roomiest, at 37 cm high and 19 cm wide. For an unusually thick mitt or a long gauntlet, ask us before you order.
Do glove covers make your hands warmer?
Not by themselves. They add a waterproof, windproof layer that helps your gloves stay dry and out of the wind, which helps a good glove hold its warmth on a wet day.
Can I still grip the bars and work the controls?
The palm and fingertips have Sure-grip patches, and the material is thin. Check every control with the covers on before you ride, as above.
How do I carry them?
They come with their own small storage bag. Keep it in your tunnel bag, saddlebag or jacket pocket with the rest of your wet-weather gear.
Dites-nous ce que vous conduisez et l’équipement que vous avez déjà, par le clavardage sur n’importe quelle page ou au (647) 400-3081, et nous vous aiderons à faire le bon choix.
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