 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone,
I'm in the market for new gloves for skiing. I am using some Reusch gloves at the moment (goat leather palms, soft-shell in the back, Gore-tex and in Reusch's Warm category). Reusch has standard warm, extra warm and crazy warm so I went with the standard one, because I can increase their warmth with some thin liners from my previous mittens, which were way too toasty for me and that's the reason why I went for standard warm only.
I am very happy with these gloves: they never soaked, they are in good condition after 120 days of skiing, they provide the perfect warmth for most days here in Switzerland (only in -15 frigid days it's too cold or around and above 0 too hot). The problem is that, after the last few days in April, the start to smell (even after using the boot refresher with UV light) and I can't wash them because they have leather and the insulation liners are not removable.
Then I am in the situation where I am looking for similar gloves but with an insulation liner that is removable. That would allow me to wash the liner and also use them in spring without the liner, in most days with the liner and in frigid days with the additional thin liners that I already have.
Therefore, I want:
- 5 finger gloves (I don't need toasty mittens, as my experience in the past demonstrates).
- I prefer short cuffs to gauntlets. My ski jacket has wrist gaiters anyway, so don't need the long and bulky gauntlet, although I could take it if there's no other choice.
- Same with color: black would be preferable because it doesn't age as bad as white, but I could do white if needed.
- Leather palm.
- Waterproof (I guess).
- Removable liners (but not only the thing liner, also the insulation part).
Does such glove exist? Apart from the BD Guide, which seems to be too warm and probably too bulky, the only gloves with removable insulation liners that I have found are the Hestra's (Army Patrol and Army Heli Ski mainly), but all of those with removable liners are not waterproof. I have only skied once with non waterproof gloves; it happened to be snowing and I actually fell on powder snow. The gloves did not soak, so I don't know if waterproofing is really 100% necessary, but it would give me peace of mind, because I ski also when it's snowing and I can say that the snow here melts, at least on my jacket, and I am very happy it has a waterproof membrane.
Any thoughts in the forum?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Unless you expect to get seriously wet I'd avoid waterproof gloves. In cold weather they're pointless because the snow doesn't melt, in warm weather they make your hands sweat and get smelly. I don't feel the cold much in my hands so for warmer days I wear softshell gloves, specifically these ones - https://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/collections/mens-gloves/products/super-alpine-glove
I use the same pair for skiing, hill-walking and dog-walking so they get plenty use and they're wearing very well. Recommended.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'd say you already have your answer . HESTRA gloves, which have removable liners, of differing warmth as required, and are sufficiently water-resistant or waterproof. Or carry a thin waterproof over mitt or glove for days when the snow is really wet or it's sleeting.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@etsius, I am on my 2nd pair of Hestra Army Helis (I think!). The priors lasted since 2012 at around 50-60 days a year. Can't suggest I ski in all conditions as rain tends to de-motivate but they got used in powder as much as possible ha ha ha.
Basically, a massive improvement on anything I'd used before as I have quite sweaty hands and most previous gloves were retired after a single season due to the smell.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Simond sell the glove you describe about 40€. I have a pair for cold weather, better than anything else uner 100€ and probably better than a good many over that.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thank you for the replies. I could not find the Simond's outside UK but, for the rest, I'll give a try to some non-waterproof gloves. It's just interesting that for jackets we have to go waterproof (that's definitely my experience, I need a membrane in jacket and pants) but then, for gloves, the Heli Ski are just water-resistant, very popular and people don't seem to complain about them soaking.
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| etsius wrote: |
| Thank you for the replies. I could not find the Simond's outside UK but, for the rest, I'll give a try to some non-waterproof gloves. It's just interesting that for jackets we have to go waterproof (that's definitely my experience, I need a membrane in jacket and pants) but then, for gloves, the Heli Ski are just water-resistant, very popular and people don't seem to complain about them soaking. |
Just keep them well conditioned with Leather Balm.....and for what it's worth, they would be my choice.
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I like gloves with a membrane, but my hands don't sweat too much. I also have a pair of Hestra Helis (3 finger ones) and they are super comfi with lovely supple leather. They can get wet through in my experience and of course there is always the risk if snow getting in through the top so my tip is to carry a spare pair of liners (or just a cheap pair of fleece gloves which is what I do). If your liners get soaked through whip them out and replace with the fleece ones. They should keep you going for a good while with dry hands.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Angus Grizzly, thank you also for your reply. I would like to avoid carrying a spare set of gloves with me. When on piste (most of the days), I ski without a backpack, so maybe the solution would be something like this removable liner for the Heli’s with membrane: https://en-es.hestragloves.com/products/34180-020-heli-ski-czone-liner-offwhite.
I would have to buy it separately, but I am not a big fan of gauntlets (I prefer short, under the cuff gloves and wrist gaiters in the jacket to keep the snow away - and that’s why I was thinking on the Army Leather Patrol instead).
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Got some of the spring gloves from here. https://www.freethepowder.com/collections/gloves
( BC Glove). they were great on our 3 hour lockdown trip! Also perfect for in the snowdome. ( I don't suffer cold hands so would consider this lighter glove all season for me).
I would consider these gloves if my old Hestras need replacing, maybe the SX Pro if you want short cuff with a liner.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@etsius, I can't recall where you are in CH but there's a decathlon near Geneva (obvs on French side) and they will deliver.
Anyway, I think Hestras with removable, washable liners are your thing. Gloves don't usually need to be waterproff as
a. you aren't doing the dishes in them
b. you aren't in contact with wet surfaces so much (vs e.g. your bottom, on chairs).
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| etsius wrote: |
@Angus Grizzly, thank you also for your reply. I would like to avoid carrying a spare set of gloves with me. When on piste (most of the days), I ski without a backpack, so maybe the solution would be something like this removable liner for the Heli’s with membrane: https://en-es.hestragloves.com/products/34180-020-heli-ski-czone-liner-offwhite.
I would have to buy it separately, but I am not a big fan of gauntlets (I prefer short, under the cuff gloves and wrist gaiters in the jacket to keep the snow away - and that’s why I was thinking on the Army Leather Patrol instead). |
The czone liner looks good. I wonder if anyone stocks them as I have found Hestra liners hard to get in the past. I agree with you about the gauntlets. I find them quite cumbersome so usually wear short gloves but these never seem to have removable liners.
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| etsius wrote: |
| ... I am very happy with these gloves: they never soaked, they are in good condition after 120 days of skiing, they provide the perfect warmth for most days here in Switzerland (only in -15 frigid days it's too cold or around and above 0 too hot). The problem is that, after the last few days in April, the start to smell (even after using the boot refresher with UV light) and I can't wash them because they have leather and the insulation liners are not removable. |
You could try using an anti-fungal powder (e.g. for athlete's foot or similar) on your gloves when they start to smell. I find it helps with boot liners.
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You know it makes sense.
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Stick them in the freezer for a few days to kill the bacteria.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Thank you again for your replies.
@endomanThe gloves from Free the powder seem quite nice, but they don't deliver to Switzerland apparently.
@Angus Grizzly, The Hestra Army Leather Patrol are short gloves with removable liner (the ones I will end up getting probably). I'm not very convinced about the lack of waterproofness, but they are available at good prices (end of the season) at the moment, so I can just try them and, worst case scenario, I use them as spring gloves without the liner and buy another pair with Gore-tex for the rest of the season. Best case scenario I use them as my only pair of versatile gloves.
I'll also try to eliminate the smell of my current pair of gloves with some of the methods you suggested.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@spyderjon, my bacteria are clearly from Newcastle.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Regarding waterproofness.
Ski gear (of all kinds) almost certainly isn't waterproof. In fact any decent sports gear isn't waterproof. It just has variable levels of water resistance.
There is a good simple reason for this - we have yet to develop a material which is both waterproof and breathable (mutually contradictory requirements, though it is improving...) As such anything actually waterproof is almost totally unsuitable for exercise as you just drench yourself in sweat instead. (imagine doing exercise in rubber gloves...)
Waterproofing is also less important for skiing as long as your gear will shed snow before it melts (generally you get wettest in spring because it is warm enough to melt, and if you ski and it rains you will find everyone looks like wet dogs because that cuts through all the gear  )...
For gloves you probably want ones that will stay warm even when wet, with spare liners to swap after lunch (n.b. silk glove liners are excellent for this, they provide minimal warmth but can be warn under almost anything being very thin) Wearing damp gloves is normally fine (they will get damp if exercising from sweat), but putting them on after a break is evil.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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To be honest, my hands never sweated as much as to have damp gloves because of it. The only thing is that, after so many days, the smell accumulates and I think it's nice to have the option to wash the liners from time to time. It's hygienic.
Regarding the waterproofness, it's true that I've been skiing under a snowfall with fleece liners only (I forgot my skiing gloves at home), and they were OK. It was probably dry snow. However, I've been skiing under a snowfall with wet snow that totally melted and soaked my jacket and pants and all my helmet and goggles were full of water drops, but because of the membrane of the jacket and pants, I was 100% dry inside - no water went through the membrane at all. And that security is a must for me, at least in jacket and pants.
I just wonder why if a company manufactures a zillion different models, some with membrane, some with removable liners... why not a single model with both features together?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| qwerty360 wrote: |
...
Ski gear (of all kinds) almost certainly isn't waterproof. In fact any decent sports gear isn't waterproof. It just has variable levels of water resistance.
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I remember well wearing some rather natty GoreTex mitts at a low-level coastal hill where it started to rain.
They were big powder gauntlet mitts, which I like as they overlap the jacket sleeves so you get a snow-tight seal.
Except when it rains.
In those conditions, my GoreTex jacket, which never claimed to be more waterproof than a bin bag, was entirely waterproof enough to
shed the stuff down the sleeves whence it entered the mitts at the gauntlet. There, the GoreTex mitts with taped seams proved that
although probably less effective at retaining water than a Tesco carrier bag, they were entirely waterproof enough to fill with rain.
I'd have really liked someone to try to tell me on that day that those mitts were not waterproof as I could
easily have demonstrated why such talk is at best unhelpful. And yeah, they stank like a Porsche which has had
fresh milk spilt in it for months afterwards,
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@philwig, you've clearly spilt milk in your Porsche, haven't you?
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