Gloves (PCT 2016)

I’ve always liked the shell mitt/liner glove combo. Lots of versatility, for many different conditions, in all four seasons.

I’m with Paul in using liner gloves and shell mitts for cold rain hiking. I hiked the PCT in’14 and had only six days of rain for the entire hike and count myself as being very fortunate for the great weather. With this years El Niño, expect the have wet weather as a constant companion and be ready for it.  Personally, if I were hiking the PCT this coming year I would have them in my pack from Campo to Sierra City +\- . Take a look at the Mountain Laurel Designs e-vent overmitts, I’ve been very happy with them as they keep my gloves dry and my hands warm.

I was quite happy that I brought my merino liners and some cheap TNF runners rain mitts when we got hit by cold rain on the JMT in late June.

Good point about El Nino! I’ve read a lot about the MLD rain mitts; are they the gold standard here on BPL? How does MLD compare to ZPacks Challenger mitts? I’m not so worried about $$, so please advise as to what you think is the best & lightest.

John,  I cannot comment on the ZPacks rain mitts because I have no experience with them but I have worn the MLD Event rain mitts  for years.   During a six day stretch of rain on the PCT this past August (30’s – 40’s F), my hiking buddies were very jealous of my rain mitts.  As their hands were cold and wet, mine remained warm and dry.  While hiking I seldom wore glove liners underneath them because I generated enough heat to keep my hands warm in the rain mitts but I did have a pair of Rab Meco merino glove liners which I wore more when in camp than on the trail.

Outdoor Research Flurry mittens and MLD event rain mitts are all I needed for the last three thru hikes. I do like wool glove liners but almost all I have tried got holes in the fingertips rather quickly. And a mitten keeps my hands warmer.

For adding only an ounce of weight, I normally carry my MLD rain mitts on almost any backpacking trip. As someone who often gets up a first light to start hiking, having them for warmth for the first hour of hiking makes things more pleasant. So yes, I carried them for the entire PCT. My coldest day hiking before northern Washington in late September was just after Wrightwood in Socal in early June. I never saw the sun and it never got above 42F.

Why I prefer rain mitts to fleece or other cloth? My windstopper fleece gloves got a little damp on a cold windy day and felt like wearing ice in that wind. Never have that problem with the MLD mitts. And they are surprisingly warm. Never needed the glove liners I added for Washington. Even in the snow storm at the border.

I carried outdoor research shell gloves the whole trail, used often enough to not bother sending away.  Added cheap liners in Washington.

Hands get cold when wet.  Carry something that will keep them dry.

Have never used the MLD rain mitts, but I like the Borah Gear eVent mitts I have and they are lower cost than the MLD. They are a simple, functional design, easy to seam seal and a lot lighter (1.55 oz measured, size Medium) than my old OR shell mitts.

I emailed MLD, and they said that they do not seam seal their mitts. For those of you who use MLD, do you seam seal them? I’ve done a bit of research, and a lot of people have complained that this is a PITA. I also wonder whether if I seam seal them at home, I might have to seal them again at some point on the trail.

What is your experience on this? I spoke with John Abela (HikeLighter.com), and he does not bother to seam seal his MLD mitts.

John,  I used the tooth pick method when I seam sealed my mitts and after watching this YouTube video, it took about 30 minutes per glove. It was pretty easy to do and left me wondering why people complain about it being such a pain, I just don’t get it. Being I did this while watching the Cowboys lose another game could account for having a good day may be part of it though.

I seamed sealed my mitts with a tooth pick also.  Made it easy to put just enough sealant where I wanted without spreading it out all around the seam.  I found it easy to do, but I don’t mind doing detailed work that requires patience.  I think many that have troubles, are trying to rush it too much in order to get it over with.

However, I didn’t originally seal them for the PCT; I did it 2 years later for the AT.  On the PCT, when hiking in all day rain, I found that my hands would get damp, but I half suspected it was a much from sweat as anything external.  In any case, my hands were always warm which was the important thing.  Not sure if it really made much of a difference since I had a similar experience on the AT after they were sealed.  But the mitts were well used by then, and the AT was much wetter.  Overall, I still was happy with warm hands even if they were damp.

I’ve tried to simplify things by eliminating two sets of handwear. Not having to keep track of two things is really nice. I’ll get back to that in a sec.

But I used to carry a set of power stretch liners – OR 400s or similar – and over mitts like the MLDs.

Now I’m more interested in waterproof mitts with a tricot lining. I LOVE THE Mountain Hardwear Plasmic Mitts – waterproof shell, tricot lining for “just enough” warmth for the majority of 3 season use. Turn them inside out to dry. 1.9 oz (measured weight, as well as claimed, for size M).

It’s just a really simple and functional setup.

Ha! I’ve had the same thoughts about the MB Rain Gloves I bought 2yrs ago. Same OUTDRY shell with tricot lining.

http://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=2404&p_id=1118219&gen_cd=1

But those MH mitts might be even better. Thanks Ryan!