Best DURABLE glove?

[Dale Wambaugh]

It has been cold here lately and I've been wearing my light hiking gloves quite a bit and they are showing wear faster than I expected.

So the question is: do you have a favorite light, general purpose glove that has good durability?

Thanks!

[Ito Jakuchu]

I was in the same position until literally one week ago. Have great general purpose thin but strong trekking gloves but they are getting a bit too cold now. I came across the Rab M14 climbing gloves. They are not lined but they give good protection/are warmer and they work really great for trekking.

They have the best dexterity of any glove I have ever worn. Breathable but quite water resistant material on top (Polartec Power Shield Pro), with a very nice grippy leather on the palms. There is some extra cushioning on the edge of your palm and the pinky finger which is apparently for climbing tools, but it falls in the perfect spot for my trekking poles as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIDDWoOqLYw

If they are not warm enough they have a warmer lined version as well I think, called the Alpine glove.

[David Chenault]

Wells-Lamont deerskin.

[W I S N E R !]

+1 on the deerskin.

I just bought a new pair a few nights ago.

[Ian]

JRC is not only american made but from Centralia for the double win. I believe they used to be called Churchill Glove Co.

http://www.jrcglove.com/page/HISTORY.html

They make a lined elkskin glove for Altai. I've sent a super sweet letter to Ms. Claus asking for a pair this year.

http://altaiskis.com/buy-products/clothing/lined-elkskin-leather-gloves/

[James holden]

anything leather or synthetic leather palmed

these ones are decently priced and tougher than most hikers would need … 20$

http://blackdiamondequipment.com/en/climbing-gloves/crag-glove-BD801858CBLTSM_1.html

;)

[Justin Baker]

I've been using the same pair of fox river rag wool fingerless gloves for a couple years now. I've scrambled over rocks, pushed through brush, carried big pieces of firewood, and they have hold up well for being wool gloves.

Or you could use those sticky rubber palmed gloves with the knit backing that landscapers use.

[Sumi Wada]

Outdoor Research "Flurry" gloves.

[Dale Wambaugh]

Good deal spotting, Eric. That's the sort of glove I had in mind– pleather palm and a basic second skin. I'm liking that carabiner hole in the wrist too– I'm almost phobic about losing a glove. Shipping is free at Black Diamond right now as well :)

$20 is nothing in the glove market. I'm amazed that you can spend hundreds with no effort.

[W I S N E R !]

The advantage of real leather vs. gloves with synthetics is being able to use your hands to tend the fire.

[James holden]

i bought a set for one of my climbing partners earlier in the year …

shes use it in peru hiking that inca trail thing as well as in the amazon and she loved them … she also used them for tough mudder …

not to mention belaying my lard AZN azz …

for 20$ … and you may find deals and coupons on other sites … its not too much more than hardwear store equivalent gloves ….

;)

[Dale Wambaugh]

Thanks, Justin

I've always thought of ragg wool items as classic outdoor gear. When I was doing a lot of cross country skiing in the 70's and 80', I was wearing ragg wool gloves with leather palms, beanie cap and sweater too.

[Dale Wambaugh]

I bookmarked the JRC site. They have some great deals on seconds too.

[Dale Wambaugh]

I was actually looking at mechanics style gloves and the Crag is in that realm, minus the crazy graphics and colors. I have plenty of cold weather stuff. The Crags look like a good candidate for use with trekking poles. BD does make a Trekking glove that is similar.

I found some BD WoolWeight gloves that look like a slicked up version of the Ragg wool gloves with leather palms.

BTW, Sunny Sports has a bunch of gloves on sale, including the Crag and WoolWeight.

[David Chenault]

Those BD gloves are horrid. The velcro wrist closure is super stiff and chafes like mad.

[James holden]

dale …

i use the mechanix gloves for the last few years just fine …

just a warning, like all leather (synth leather) they arent quick drying

as to chaffing with the BD crag gloves … my partner never noticed any issues, and she used them alot … each to their own

;)

[Anonymous]

"+1 on the deerskin."

Make that +2, with pig skin as a close second.

[Tad Englund]

Dave are you talking about picture #1 or #2?

#1

#2

[David Chenault]

#1. They have the best fit for my skinny fingers.

[Tad Englund]

Dave, the nice thing about those gloves is you can get them at Costco in a 2/pack.

I find I have to break in the little fingers because the seam flops over my middle knuckle while bent and if I don't massage the seam the other way I get a terrible pain in my knuckle. After about 3 wearing’s the problem seems to be fix it self.
I think it is caused by my fingers being too skinny to force the seam the other way (thus the manual manipulation).

Sorry for the thread drift, but I have used these gloves for years (mostly at work or in the yard) and it happens on every new pair.

[Anonymous]

Kevlar fabric gloves?

I mention these because i've recently been experimenting with using 100% kevlar sleeves with thumbhole as off/on arm insulation and so far, i really like them.

The sleeves i have are double knitted (two layers), and they are super warm, and obviously very tough.

Kevlar has a weakness though, UV degradation . But i'm assuming where you live/hike, at this time of year, UV is probably pretty weak and probably not much of a factor.

Not sure if they sell gloves like the sleeves, but if they did, might be worth a try if they are not expensive. The sleeves i bought were i think 9 dollars each off Amazon.

Btw, what kind of gloves are you currently using?

[Justin Baker]

Leather gloves are awesome, but they kinda suck when wet and take forever to dry. Maybe not such a good choice for the pnw? In winter I always have at least one leather glove for messing around with the fire.
If i'm going to be doing a lot with my hands when its wet, like climbing rocks or pushing through brush I like synthetic work gloves. If I don't need to protect my hands much I'll go with the fingerless wool gloves, which have been very durable for me. Of course sometimes its way to cold for fingerless. I've been temped to try the ragg wool leather palm gloves but they are more pricy.

[Ian]

I have a couple pair of leather gloves which have Kevlar lining. Great for not getting cut by a knife and such but for back-40 use, I don't think that they'd be any better than a pair of regular leather gloves.

Are the sleeves you are using for biking/motorcycles?

[David Olsen]

I use a lot of these polyester string gloves.
http://www.toughweld.com/products/7588-string-knit-glove

buy em by the dozen. use inside a buckskin glove or other shell as a liner.
Use by themselves, works pretty well when wet.
Double them up in the cold as they are stretchy.
They make okay sun gloves on glaciers.

Avoid any that have cotton in the blend.

Being white, they do show dirt, but at less than $2 a pair you can change oil in them and discard them when you are done.
I sprinkle pairs around, the cars etc.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

CABELA'S has a very big selection of gloves.

Personally I like GTX shells that can accept pile liners. Pile liners can be found even at K Mart or Wally Mart. Always take a spare set of liners.

OR also makes some very durable gloves.

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