+1 for Aldi mitts. They're cheap enough that you can wash them to death so they don't stink. The winter gloves are okay, though I prefer something a bit more technical for longer rides.
I've never really found glove padding made much of a difference to hand numbness, though. Maybe puts it off for slightly longer, but it's still going to happen after a few hours on the bike. More important is the compromise between hand numbness and sore bits determined by bar and saddle positions (you can only break even - the only way to win is to go darkside), and specifically the angle of the wrist as you hold the bars. If you're going off-road, suspension forks are an utterly wonderful thing, and I can't recommend them highly enough.
Silk glove liners can be had cheaply on ebay. I especially recommend them if you're of the sweaty disposition.
Unless you're riding a recumbent trike or something similarly stable, I recommend a minimum of cheapo mitts in case of an off - I have some Tesco Value cycling gloves that I bought on a cold day when I forgot to bring any, which are a fairly naff example of the species, but nevertheless provided excellent sacrificial protection when I had a run-in with some loose gravel. I wouldn't be without some form of hand protection.