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DoryBreaux

Not the Pixar Character
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
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Nov 13, 2015
Posts
948
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Sleeping in a mop closet
A nod to two old friends...
I have a lot of gloves. I have a pair for spring days, I have a pair for normal winter days, I have a pair for photoshoots, I have a pair for the other end of photoshoots, I have a pair for snowy days, I have a pair for... you get the idea. While I usually buy two or three pairs of gloves a season (usually due to them "wandering off"), I've had the same pair of Dakine GoreTEX gloves for 5 years now. I got them in a bargain bin at a SnowBOMB show in 2012, and figured I'd get two or MAYBE three seasons use out of them. They've outlasted every piece of ski gear I currently own, served me through four jobs and two relationships (sort of). Every year I've said that they needed to be retired, but every year they kept keeping my hands warm and dry. Until last year. Last year I spent well past 100 days on snow, and they finally met the end of their life. Too many days scraping off rental skis that had caked with snow. Too many days digging through deep pow, errr, heavy wet sierra cement, to find a students ski that had come off and gotten buried. And way way way too many snowball fights with teams kids. While I was packing up my locker at the end of the season, I realized that my trusty old Dakines (and the Armada 3 finger mitts I used as backup) had seen their last days on the hill.
So thank you, gloves, for keeping my hands happy for so many seasons.

Now, all of that said, finding replacements is proving to be a GIANT PAIN IN MY ARSE!!! For every option I find, I find a reason to look at something else. Most people think finding skis is the most frustrating, but no. Skis you can demo. Skis you can find no end of opinions on. Skis are... fun. I LOVE testing/demoing skis. I can hop on a pair of skis and in two or so runs know everything I need to know about the ski. I can look at and feel the ski and take a pretty accurate and educated guess as to its durability and to the craftsmanship that went into building it. But not gloves. Nobody demos gloves, and for good reason. Can you get an idea of the fit from just sticking your hand in it? Of course you can. Can you tell the quality of stitch and material by feeling and looking at it? Obviously. But I've seen Hestras that soaked thru after half a season (with treatment) and Lekis that fell apart after a few weeks. Are these isolated instances? Probably, given how popular those companies are (the best marketing in the world cant sustain a crappy product when it comes to your warmth and dryness factor). But how do I know? How do I know my gloves are going to keep my hands warm and dry when I'm in the snow, often working, 6-7 days a week? I guess one just takes that chance and finds a brand or model they are comfortable sticking with?

Now that I've got the sentiment and ranting out, I'll pose some questions:
How do you choose your hand protection? Do you prefer warmth over dexterity? Function over fashion? Or do you just go with whatever is within budget and fits your hand relatively well? How many of us practice what we preach when it comes to hand comfort being one of the most important and overlooked parts of skiing, especially for beginners?
Lets talk about our hands, or more importantly, how we protect them whilst skiing.
 

RuleMiHa

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Posts
576
Location
Philadelphia, PA
How about a brand of gloves that is about a cm longer in finger length and a cm narrower in width, anyone aware if that exists?
 

surfsnowgirl

Instructor
Skier
Joined
May 12, 2016
Posts
5,768
Location
Magic Mountain, Vermont
I have several pairs of gloves. I'm all about function over fashion. I prefer black because they go with everything

I have

thin black liner type gloves for spring skiing,
thin black gloves for when it's not that cold out,
thicker pink gloves when I'm in the mood for pink
thicker black/orange gloves for when I'm teaching as the orange matches my uniform jacket
even thicker black gloves for when it's very cold out
Mittens for when it's really freaking cold out. I rarely wear them though because my hands heat up fast and mittens are usually torture for me as my hands get too warm.

I heart a pair of Hestra gloves

and these for when I'm working the lift line at my mountain and it's really freakin cold out

13062251_10153634753038014_351270580466300787_n.jpg
 
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fatbob

Not responding
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,288
Oh I thought this would be an opportunity for me to break out my notorious jazz hands - deployed when I know anyone is pointing a camera at me skiing.

Kinco plus a couple of layers of GWax glove balm for me - gloves and mitts. Leather palmed Nascar replica driving gloves from a bargain bin (essentially a pipe glove) in the spring. Liner gloves if its really cold.

If I gave a damn about what anyone thought about me maybe I'd upgrade to Hestra - they do have a suitably premium feel.
 

Posaune

sliding
Skier
Joined
Mar 26, 2016
Posts
1,914
Location
Bellingham, WA
I always carry three types of gloves in my pack when I ski:
  • Those cheap Head gloves that they sell at Costco. I wear them most of the time.
  • Well insulated mittens for the coldest days.
  • A pair of work gloves for spring time.
That takes care of most of my needs. Since I've bought several of the Costco gloves, I have at least two pair with me every time I ski so I can switch out if I get wet, which doesn't happen frequently. With the Costco gloves and the mittens I also wear a pair of glove liners which helps when you have to mess with things that need fingers that can feel something and adds more insulation than one would imagine, which is nice since I get cold hands easily.
 

Jilly

Lead Cougar
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,413
Location
Belleville, Ontario,/ Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Auclair's courtesy of the CSIA proshop. Gordini's from the rep. And I have those Head and a pair of Swany downfilled from Costco. Great for walking around the village at night. I wouldn't use them to ski in though.

Best - electric heated mitts I found in my husbands stuff.
 

DanoT

RVer-Skier
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
4,788
Location
Sun Peaks B.C. in winter, Victoria B.C. in summer
How about a brand of gloves that is about a cm longer in finger length and a cm narrower in width, anyone aware if that exists?

Check out Hestra gloves. Instead of S,M,L,XL sizing they use a numbered system which ends up offering more sizing choices. They still might not have what you need but Hestra might be a good place to start looking and quality is excellent.

I usually wear a hole through my gloves where my thumb contacts the ski pole. With Hestra I wore a whole through the removable, replaceable liner but not the durable goat leather outer glove. So I had the option of a new liner or the ski bum duct tape fix on the old liners that no one can see.

For really cold days I have Hestra heated gloves. They are very expensive but work great.
 

RuleMiHa

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
Posts
576
Location
Philadelphia, PA
Relative to what?

My fingers measure almost an eight in length but my hand is very narrow around and a 6.5 works best. Yes, I've heard the ET Phone Home jokes!

I've never had a glove that fit well, so I figured since we were talking about gloves, I might as well ask.
 

jmeb

Enjoys skiing.
Skier
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
4,490
Location
Colorado
My glove quiver is relatively simple, inexpensive, and durable. I prefer "work" style gloves, with decent amount of leather and reinforcements. Warmth >> Dexterity for me, so if I'm on the edge one day I'm defaulting to mittens.

I'm gonna sound like a fanboy I know...

- Head neoprene gloves from Costco. $8. For warm days in spring, winter running, fall/spring cycling, backcountry skiing.
Gloves-6.jpg

- Free the Powder SX glove. $79 (got 2nds for $59 with nothing noticeable). Everyday ski glove for mild-ish days. Mix between Hestra and Kinco. Durable. I use the liner alone when going uphill touring sometimes. High quality, awesome customer service. Treat them beginning of every season with Sno-Seal.
sx-glove-6-7-1_grande.jpg

- Free the Powder mitt. $79. (Mine are first generations and were 2nds...so $39). My cold weather glove for days at <10F. Same great construction quality and durability. No removable liners means I have to pay more attention to drying out at end of day if i plan to wear them the next.
rxm-6-7-1_grande.jpg
 
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oswaldr2

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Jul 18, 2017
Posts
466
Location
Denver, CO
I built my glove quiver around temperature ranges because I don't enjoy cold hands, but more so that I really don't like my hands being sweaty and having to take them off on the lift. One could argue it's overkill, but I tried to find decent quality gloves in each temperature range that would last for a long time and were still in the $50-$90 range per pair.

0-20 = Mitten/3 Finger Heavily Insulated (200g+) - I personally use Hestra C-Zones 3 fingers
20-30 = Moderately Insulated Glove (150g - 200g) - I personally use Outdoor Research Southbacks
30-40 = Lightly Insulated Glove (100g) - I personally use Black Diamond Glissade
40-50 = Spring Type glove. I use an Outdoor Research Super Vert Glove, this is more of an Alpine glove but works well for Spring skiing but not waterproof.

Fit is always an issue, I typically try to find one company whether it be Evo, Backcountry, REI, Moosejaw, etc.... that has a good return policy and order multiple brands and multiple sizes. Then I return all but the one that is closest to perfect. Ideally I work with a company that provides $7 return labels, or I can return to a brick and mortar. I will order a half dozen gloves at a time until I find the right fit. But I also do that with all my gear too!

Oh and if I can't find the perfect fit, I'm always going to error on the side of slightly larger. I can get over a little extra finger fold or the glove being a little too wide. Now fingers or palms that are too tight, I'm always going to think about that tightness every time I put them on and am riding the chair lift.
 
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givethepigeye

Really, just Rob will do
Skier
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
1,705
Location
Charleston, SC
hmm.... a thread about glove quivers. Ill have to snap a pick when I get home. I have literally zero tolerance in cold hands - my feet can freeze off but hands......that's crazy talk. Consequently have searched, tried, given away and kept almost all types - Hestra (gloves, mittens, heli, vertical...), Kinco, Flylow.

I find that I have a very narrow comfort range - too warm and leather - and hands get clammy and then cold. That said, I wear the Hestra Vertical or Flylow/Kinco full leather most of the time. Take off on lift rides if gets too hot and let my hands breathe a bit. Pow day or super cold - Hestra Heli glove with or w/o light wool glove liner. Ive tried the mittens - no bueno for me, tried the 3-finger - but my index finger froze for some reason.
 

Michael Kane

Kano
Skier
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
473
I to have a glove quiver and only use Hestras. But then I have a serious gear problem. Maybe we need to start a support group.
 

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givethepigeye

Really, just Rob will do
Skier
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
1,705
Location
Charleston, SC
hmm.... a thread about glove quivers. Ill have to snap a pick when I get home. I have literally zero tolerance in cold hands - my feet can freeze off but hands......that's crazy talk. Consequently have searched, tried, given away and kept almost all types - Hestra (gloves, mittens, heli, vertical...), Kinco, Flylow.

I find that I have a very narrow comfort range - too warm and leather - and hands get clammy and then cold. That said, I wear the Hestra Vertical or Flylow/Kinco full leather most of the time. Take off on lift rides if gets too hot and let my hands breathe a bit. Pow day or super cold - Hestra Heli glove with or w/o light wool glove liner. Ive tried the mittens - no bueno for me, tried the 3-finger - but my index finger froze for some reason.
IMG_0092.JPG
 

BC.

NEPA ShopRat/Skier
Skier
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Aug 27, 2017
Posts
2,035
Location
Lake Wallenpaupack, PA
3rd the vote on FTP......Free the Powder gloves/mittens out of Park City. The are cheap enough to test them out. I tested them out a few years ago......I now have 3 pairs. I wear them exclusively for warmth, dexterity, and a great fit. I prefer gloves. (My wife and daughters wear FTP mittens)

I just recommended them in another thread this morning.

They sell direct from their website....They are always a great price.....especially on new but old product. They have great customer service.
 

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