After 17 winters riding bikes with often cold hands, I stumbled upon gloves specifically designed for winter biking. I decided to order Bontrager Velocis S2 Softshell Split Finger gloves from Montreal retailer Dumoulin bicyclettes. The retailer advertised the S1 gloves as good up to -5 °C, and the complementing S2 as good for "intense cold". Upon arrival, I found them incredibly light for such a purpose. And then saw the label which shows that the S1 are designed for about 3 °C, while the S2 was for the intense colds of... around -5 °C!

I still tried them for one ride, but after just 30 minutes of intense riding with these during a snowstorm, while the outside temperature was around -4 °C, my hands were somewhat cold, even though my torso was quite hotter than it is when I'm inside. These are not necessarily bad gloves, but for my purpose, these are just as bad as my current gloves, and in no way worth their 95 CAD price tag.

I called the retailer for a refund, and I must say the Dumoulin bicyclettes agent I spoke to was very comprehensive. He granted a full refund, including return fees, and convincingly apologized for the inconvenience.

These may do their job in Bontrager's U.S.A., but if you're in Canada or another country with a real winter, ensure you understand the label to the right before buying.