Glove system advice

I led up and down Shasta a lot, so I figured out what was best for me. I was on cross country skis for the bottom half of the mountain, so I needed something between thin and medium to prevent sunburn and blisters, so I had some synthetic gloves for that. Then I needed some big overmitts, and they would go over the synthetic gloves in the event of a major storm or if digging a snow cave. So, I went with two layers. I don't think that you are going to want three layers as it might be overly complicated.

The synthetic gloves were good for ice axe grip and maybe even for a little rope handling.

I wore some tall OR gaiters, and they had Velcro openings. I would store my overmitts inside there when not in use. That represented more warmth for my ankle area, and it helped keep the overmitts warm as well. You don't want your overmitts freezing up.

–B.G.–

Sean:

I use a similar glove system: power stretch liners, 200wt fleece mitts and then a waterproof shell mitten.

Power stretch is a thickly woven mix of polyester? and spandex

Power dry is a thinner weave of polyester that would make for a very lightweight glove.

I really like the mountain Hardwear power stretch gloves.

a thin fleece liner glove, w/ 300 wt fleece mitts and a sturdy weatherproof shell should fit the bill perfectly- the old OR Endeavor was perfect imo, not sure what the replacement (or if there was one?) was.

I have MLD rain mitts and they are great for backpacking, I probably wouldn't use them for mountaineering duties; I also have Black Rock down mitts and other than a dedicated insulating layer for camp, wouldn't use them for mountaineering duties either

Thanks for the feedback. After some additional digging, it seems like a common mitt is a shell + insulation + inner. For example, the Black Diamond Mercury Mitt is a shell with a removable waterproof insert with a fleece liner that is insulated with Primaloft. It could either be the exact thing I'm looking for or a complete nightmare– not sure which. With this type of mitt, do I still need to purchase a power stretch liner? Or is it smarter to try to find a pure shell? It doesn't seem like there are many available without insulation.

http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/mens-gloves/mercury-mitts-BD801118_cfg.html#start=5

Personally I'd opt for a sturdy water proof shell (ie MT Baker), team this w/ a mid weight fleece mitt and a light glove liner- gives you multiple combos to use- just the glove liners, liners and outers, mitts and outers, etc

The mercury mitts are awesome but may be more then you need for summer use. They aren't light and don't pack that small. I use them for mid winter ski touring in Montana. I like how modular they are and will often carry the shell in my jacket and put it on over my fleece gloves when needed. I'll keep the insulated mit in my pack and wear it at stops if needed. The inner mit part is a lobster claw style wich some people don't like.

For fleece gloves my favorite material is Wind Pro (I have some rab and eddie bauer gloves made from it) which has a bit of a hardface treatment that makes the gloves wear better and offer a bit more protection from water and wind. These would also be my choice if i wanted something to bring for handeling an ice axe on a scramble in the summer.

They are sort of expensive and I also have some outdoor research pl 100 and backstop gloves (basically the pl 100 with a windproof material on the back of the hand) which are also good and a lot easier to find on sale but not quite as nice or hard wearing. The pl 300 is a great warmer fleece glove.

I find power stretch too thin unless you only use them inside another glove.

For more technical climbing or any situation where you are handling lots of wet snow/gear i'd want a glove with more water protection and a leather palm. I have some old bd punishers (a softshell glove) and guide gloves (a waterproof glove with removable liner) i use depending on how much warmth i want.

I also end up using kincos 1927kw lined work gloves a ton and they are really quite nice if you are on a budge.

Brand wise i'd check out Rab, Camp and Eddie Bauer First Ascent in addition to Black Diamond. Rab makes a really nice climbing oriented line, Camp makes some lighter options and eddie bauer has a few nice models that are often on sale. Outdoor Research also makes great stuff by they make so many models i can't keep them straight.

Having multiple pairs of liners is nice in wet conditions and use ample sno seal on leather (including the kincos).