Hot!
- Keeps hands warm and toasty on winter rides
- Protection from the cold allows you to wear thinner gloves
- Velcro closures for quick on/off
- Fits standard and flared drop bars
- Weather-resistant outer keeps moisture out
- Reflective elements for added visibility in low light conditions
- Lightweight for a full range of temperatures
Not!
- Can’t access brakes or gear lever when using the drops
Price: $85.00
Color: Black
Size: One size
Temperature Rating: 15-35 degrees F
How Obtained: Company sample
Availability: Online and retail
RBR advertiser: No
Keep Your Digits Toasty
For me, cold hands and feet are always an issue when temps dip into the 40s or below. I’ll throw the flat bar pogies on my fat bike, but I never tried them on drop bars. Then 45NRTH sent me a pair of their new Draugenklaw Drop Pogies to test.
The pogies were simple to install, and I never needed to refer to the directions. I just slipped them over the bar end and up over the hoods. The bar end portion has an elasticized opening for a snug fit, and the top uses Velcro closures to secure the pogie to the handlebars (see picture below). A 45NRTH logo faces out, making it easy to determine left or right, and it acts as a reflective element when riding in lowlight conditions.
I tested the pogies on two bikes. First was my Trek Domane gravel bike with standard drop bars and Di2 electronic shifting. The second was a Salsa Cutthroat bikepacking bike with flared bars and SRAM manual shifters. I quickly got used to riding with the pogies and never got caught moving my hand in and out. The styling is lightweight and slim but has plenty of room for shifting and braking. By shifting the top part of the pogie up or down, I found that I could regulate the temperature inside.
The weather-resistant softshell fabric keeps the wind and precip at bay. The inside has soft fleece that keeps the warmth inside, allowing you to wear thinner gloves. I even removed my gloves, and my bare hands stayed toasty in cold temps. The pogies use far-infrared yarn, which collects the body heat and then releases heat. This internal fabric keeps hands nice and warm.
The company suggested the temperature range for these pogies is 15-35 degrees F; my testing was from the 20s – 50 degrees F. Before trying these pogies, I would opt for my fattie or MTB on frigid winter days with flat bars and pogies. I no longer have to worry about cold hands and have extended my outdoor road and trail riding season on a drop-bar bike.
My only negative comment about any brand of pogie is that you can’t shift if you pull your hand out and ride in the drops.
Bottom Line
45NRTH Draugenklaw Drop Pogies are excellent for keeping your hands toasty warm during the winter season. I’ve been able to extend the frequency of riding outside on cold days and the length of time.
Sheri Rosenbaum regularly contributes articles and reviews products for RBR. She’s an avid recreational roadie who lives in the Chicago area and a major advocate for women’s cycling, serving on the board of directors and volunteering with the Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club. Click to read Sheri’s full bio or visit her web site sunflowersandpedals.com.
45NRTH makes fine clothing. But BarMitts makes a similar model for $30 cheaper, and Rockbros makes a fine model for about $25 on amazon (minus the fleece). I’ve used them for years and find them incredibly warm and durable. They make an inexpensive version of just about every piece of cycling kit – I like their shoe covers, which are fleecy.