Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

hey everyone

So up until now I've always used these gloves my dad had given to me from Costco, theyre Head brand and do the job just fine down to about 15 degrees, maybe 20 if theres wind. I also have generally cold hands.

On colder days, snowy days, misty/wintery mix days i am always miserable in these gloves. The final straw was my day at smuggs last season when the temperature dropped through out the day, best day of skiing in my life, but i lost the whole last hour or so because the summit Temperatures dropped way below zero, and wind was coming in, combined with damp gloves, took one run and was on the edge of frostbite! Bright red fingers turning white, could hardly move them and they were numb for hours.

Anyway im not rich enough to be buying one of those $150-200 premium mountaineering gloves. And most popular internet recommendations under $100 seems to be kinco

theres a similar brand called flylow that seems to have a similar quality and construction, a bit more ski oriented and colors that I like more haha.

Im looking at flylow's maine line gloves, 3 finger styles lobster/trigger mitt. I know mittens are always warmer but I HATE the loss in dexterity, the trigger Mittens seem like a good compromise.

Anyway any glove thoughts are appreciated. Like I said trying to keep it budget friendly.

I use lined leather Kincos and always have a pair of overmit shells handy in a pocket in case they aren't enough. Over the years my gloves have gotten warmer. In my 30s and 40s I rarely needed more than a liner glove but I don't push so hard anymore. This is for touring. For the resort a liner glove inside of a mitten inside of an overmit should be all you ever need.

Much like Al

For big cold days at the ski area I use a ragg wool glove and a big ol' mitten I can pull over it that leaves some room for air between the mitten and glove. The mitten doesn't have to have a ton of insulation. I have something from EMS I think, it's light in insulation but waterproof/windproof/breathable. Toasty with the glove. If I need the finger movement I can whip off the mitten and my hand is still in a glove with fingers. Pretty basic. I like the wool glove because I find it moves moisture better and traps air closer to my fingers for insulating as opposed to the tight fleece gloves.

Are you ever in NH? Ragged Mountain Equipment in North Conway makes their very own mittens and stuff for just this kind of weather on Washington. Good price, made in N.C., burly and dependable.

I have a couple pair of Hestra gloves that are well insulated. they cost a little more, but I bought both pairs around 2007 and they still work great. I also have some lighter gloves made by Swix. I think they are insulated XC gloves. I bought there Swix gloves on sale somewhere and they are nice to have for warmer days. whatever you do, don't buy down filled mitts or gloves.

https://www.freethepowder.com/collectio ... ucts/rx3-p

These look better to me than the Flylow's, which I think are basically a re-branded Kinko. My hands get cold easy too, and I've been looking a lot for a mitt or lobster mitt for next season... I'll go with this outfit, either lobster or full mitt. Real good reviews. Other brand I've considered is "Truck", another small start up.

phoenix wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:11 pm

https://www.freethepowder.com/collectio ... ucts/rx3-p

Woah, thanks for posting, Phoenix, this is a legit rec

I have a pair of Hestra's from 1999 that are still cranking to this day (replaced liners many times with various things) but they are $$$.

Don't want to hijack this thread, but what model of Hestra's did you get or recommend? Last year I got some BD Guide gloves, and my fingers were often cold. They never were cold with my old Montbell gauntlet gloves, which unfortunately fell apart. Since I liked the Montbell's so much, I'm looking for a 'gauntlet' glove that is warm, and someone suggested I look at Hestra.

I don't recall the names of the Hestra models, but 1 pair is white and black, the other is tan and black

Woodserson wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:52 pm

phoenix wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:11 pm

https://www.freethepowder.com/collectio ... ucts/rx3-p

Woah, thanks for posting, Phoenix, this is a legit rec

The ones I have been using for 2 years:
http://telemarktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1904

The recommendations for over mittens are spot on. You're really never going to keep your hands warm enough in gloves for all conditions. Being able to pull on some over mittens over your gloves is definitely the way to go. I've been toasty warm down to -40 below with good mittens and some hand warmers. I've never found a pair of gloves that's really comfortable at or or below about 20°.