i got a pair of these and use them on and off the bike
Sealskinz Ultra Grip Waterproof Gloves
and one of these also on and off the bike
Sealskinz Waterproof Beanie Hat
and a pair of these..
Sealskinz Extra Cold Weather Waterproof Cycle Gloves
now i just need to find a way to keep my toes warm.
Sealskinz
The Sealskinz waterproof beanie is my current essential and probably favourite bit of kit ... absolutely dry all the time on and off the bike, no cold ears, toasty warm without being sweaty and fits easily under a helmet.
I wear their merino liner socks (or Embers Merino liners) under Sealskinz waterproof socks too - toasty and helps wick moisture away from your feet to improve warmth. Decent shoes help of course ! Got some lined neoprene waterproof trouser closure cuff samples from a certain kayaking trouser manufacturer which are a good 3-4 inches wide, lined in a soft velcro-adhesive fabric and have a huge wraparound velcro closure which secures them. I put these on over the Sealskinz socks and velcro tight so there's a collar of neoprene above the top of the sock. Closes things off even more and does a brilliant job of keeping water out of the Sealskinz socks in rain if you're wearing shorts (still haven't dug out the Winter trouser yet !) .. and dry feet means far warmer toes !
Hate wet feet - have a sneaky solution to pretty much rule out
all water ingress to socks in heavy rain without causing any muscle constriction, using a specialist diving-related product ... but need to test it and as far as I know no-one's tried it. Saving up for the component parts at the moment ... too many other things needing buying first and it would never be commercially viable - so a DIY special pet project !!!
Gloves
Don't get on with Sealskinz gloves personally. Way too sweaty / clammy for me - am always cold as a result when I stop and they take ages to dry. In mild Winter conditions I wear liner gloves under waterproof ones mostly because it is usually raining at some point too - in a drier biting cold you'd obviously need something more specific and heavier duty. Wore some Endura Deluge gloves for a week and found them far better than the Sealskinz ones, clamminess-wise. Long cuffs too so no gaps with your jersey cuffs :
ENDURA DELUGE WATERPROOF CYCLING BIKE GLOVES GEL PALM | eBay
Unfortunately I left the top of my rack bag open when hairing off for an appointment and they bounced right out of the bag. Found one (and one only !) under a muddy tyre track on the road near my home so that was a short-lived (and expensive) relationship !
Got a pair of Chiba Drystars coming instead this week .. will be happy to report back - they're on offer here and there at the moment (mine were sub-£20) and look very good value, but I've a feeling they may be a bit bulky. We shall see !
While we're on the subject of gloves, these arrived today off pre-order :
http://www.eglove.co.uk/en/category/77-ebike
Saw the others on a stand at the NEC show before the bike version came out and made a note. They are absolutely ace for allowing you to use your touch-screen / iPhone / Android without taking your gloves off. So if you're using SatNav on the bike or have to stop and make a call you don't need to take them off. The index finger pad works really well. They're nicely made and comfortable - but not waterproof or likely warm enough for really cold conditions.
Might be a good under-glove (or worn with one) for something warmer in Winter. Early days on these but would be great if they turn out good.