The Held Tonale 2 Gore-Tex gloves are designed as winter touring gloves, and after 600 miles of riding through a cold, wet start to 2026, that description feels accurate. They’re built from a mix of goatskin leather and textile materials, with a Gore-Tex waterproof membrane and a long cuff intended to seal out the elements.
They’re clearly aimed at riders covering serious miles in poor conditions, though they’d also suit winter commuting. My testing included multiple long rides for Lincolnshire Emergency Blood Bikes Service (LEBBS), often in grim weather, on a BMW R1250RT and Voge 900DSX.
Fit & comfort
Fit proved to be one of the more interesting aspects of these gloves.
I normally wear a medium, though I needed a large with these. Even then, the gloves initially felt tight enough for me to wonder if I should have gone up to an extra large. After around 600 miles they’ve begun to settle in and large now feels like the right size.
Breaking them in takes time. Early on they felt stiff and slightly prone to sliding down my hand, which made them feel as though they weren’t sitting quite right. Tightening the Velcro wrist strap helped, and over time the fit has improved noticeably.
Even now they remain slightly stiff over the back of the hand compared with some other winter gloves, however overall comfort has improved significantly as the miles have built up.
The long cuff works both inside and outside a jacket sleeve. It can be slightly fiddly to tuck inside, even after closing a zip on each cuff that opens to allow extra room when pulling the gloves over a jacket sleeve.
Cold and wet weather performance
These gloves are built for winter conditions and feature an integrated Gore-Tex waterproof membrane.
During January and February 2026 it was difficult to find a dry day to ride, which gave the gloves a proper test. On multiple rides of 100 miles or more in persistent rain they kept my hands completely dry throughout.
Cold-weather performance is strong too. The gloves are thick and have a 3M Thinsulate lining. I rode in temperatures down to around 2-3°C, and while I occasionally switched on heated grips to remove the chill, my hands remained comfortable during long rides.
Hot weather performance
These are very much winter gloves, and there are no specific ventilation features aimed at warmer riding. I would expect them to feel too warm once temperatures start to climb.
Riding experience
As you’d expect from thick winter gloves, feel at the controls is reduced compared with lighter options.
The stiffness during the early miles made operating switches and controls slightly awkward, though this improved as the gloves began to break in.
Photography: Jose Mas
Even so, they still dull some of the tactile feedback from the bike compared with thinner gloves.
Held say the gloves allow touchscreen operation, but I wasn’t able to reliably use my phone while wearing them. They did work with my GPS, although the process was fiddly so I usually removed the gloves for easier operation.
A useful practical feature is the visor wipe blade on the left index finger, which works well in wet conditions.
Protection
The Tonale 2 gloves carry a CE Level 1 KP safety rating.
Protection comes from hard knuckle armour combined with additional padding at the heel of the palm. The leather palm construction also adds durability and abrasion resistance.
Overall protection levels feel comparable with most winter touring gloves in this category and inspire reasonable confidence for everyday road riding.
Durability
After 600 miles of tough winter riding the gloves still look virtually new.
There’s no visible wear, nothing has broken and nothing has required repair. Considering how stiff they still feel, it’s easy to believe these gloves will last for a long time.
You can also extend the warranty to five years, which adds further reassurance.
Final thoughts
The Held Tonale 2 Gore-Tex gloves made a slightly awkward first impression on me. They’re stiff and take a long time to break in - significantly longer than many gloves I've worn.
However, their strengths become clear once they begin to soften up. They’re impressively warm, completely waterproof and appear extremely well built.
For riders covering serious winter miles, particularly in cold and wet conditions, they’re a dependable option. Just be prepared to put in the miles before they truly start to feel at home.
