PolyPro Gloves

[Montego]

I have a questioned. I will be starting a flip-flop from HF NOBO to Mt. K, then SOBO to Mt. Springer, starting May 7th. I am not going ultra-light though I am trying to keep my pack weight down around 30-40 lbs. Should I consider bringing PolyPro gloves w/PolyPro liners or just the liners? Does it stay warm/dry enough not to even think about it? Any help with this will greatly help my planning with what to bring. Thanks :confused:

[take-a-knee]

I would take a pair of polypro glove liners and a pair or rain mittens like OR used to make. I think Mountain Laurel Designs is making a copy of those mittens for a tidy sum.

[River Runner]

Take-a-knees advise sounds good. If you don't want expensive rain mitts, try the ULA overmitts - they're made of material similar to Frogg Toggs and were well rated on BackpackGearTest.org.

[take-a-knee]

Take-a-knees advise sounds good. If you don't want expensive rain mitts, try the ULA overmitts - they're made of material similar to Frogg Toggs and were well rated on BackpackGearTest.org.

Thanks for the tip on those RR, I haven't seen those mitts, they should work fine, all you are doing is walking in them.

[Peaks]

Starting May 7 at Harpers Ferry. I doubt that any gloves are needed. But, if you want to carry a pair of lightweight gloves or liners, they don't weight much.

[DAKS]

liners with rain mitts sounds fine. you can always wear yer' extra pair of wool socks on yer' hands too as long as you have the rain mitts on to keep 'em dry?! it might be dirt baggin', but it works!

[JAK]

If gloves are too thin they can make your hands colder than wearing nothing. Still you might consider thin wool liners as a starting point, as you can wear socks as overmitts if you get a cold nasty rain, or use your pockets.

[JAK]

LOL. What he said.

[Appalachian Tater]

If gloves are too thin they can make your hands colder than wearing nothing.

Huh???????

[JAK]

If they get wet I mean. Try it sometime with really thin gloves, single lined.
Some leather gloves are the worst, but other gloves also, if they are too thin, single lined. Glove liners are OK as liners, not but not alone. Thin wool you might get away with, but polyester or polypro I think you would need to layers or they will be cold when wet.

[Tinker]

Take-a-knees advise sounds good. If you don't want expensive rain mitts, try the ULA overmitts - they're made of material similar to Frogg Toggs and were well rated on BackpackGearTest.org.


I would be a little skeptical of the Frogg Toggs material used in gloves using trekking poles as I do. Might not be rugged enough for big miles. Polypro glove liners are fine if it's dry, but not if it's wet and cold, or windy and cold. To be sure, you'd be wishing for some gloves with a waterproof/windproof shell, though maybe not on the first leg of your flip flop.

[Mocs123]

If you want more warmth that PolyPro liners check out these 100 weight fleece gloves from Lands End of all places. I love mine and they weigh less than many liners.

http://preview.tinyurl.com/2jlc6h

[River Runner]

I would be a little skeptical of the Frogg Toggs material used in gloves using trekking poles as I do. Might not be rugged enough for big miles. Polypro glove liners are fine if it's dry, but not if it's wet and cold, or windy and cold. To be sure, you'd be wishing for some gloves with a waterproof/windproof shell, though maybe not on the first leg of your flip flop.

I guess much of that would depend on how rainy the season turns out to be. For occasional use the ULA overmitts should be fine. For regular use, obviously something more durable might be in order.

I would definitely still want some sort of gloves even starting out in May at Harper's Ferry. Evenings, mornings, and rainy days can still make for cold hands. Which is why the liners seem like a good choice.

I was assuming he wanted something to start out with & would go to a heavier glove when he ran into winter conditions (maybe in the Whites?)

I've never understood counting on wearing wool socks as glove substitutes. Seems I'd need the extra socks for my feet or I wouldn't be packing them. And I wouldn't want to chance my dry sleeping socks getting wet by wearing them on my hands during the day. :confused: In a real pinch I might wear them as such, while I tried to hike out to where I could get warm, but I wouldn't count on doing this to start with.

[Mags]

I love wool liner glovers. $5 a pair (or less), pretty durable. Light and warm. I use them in all seasons.

For 3 season use, I throw a silnylon rain shell over them.

[Jack Tarlin]

You won't need gloves in the mid-Atlantic states in May, but I'd carry a pair in the White Mountains at just about any time of year, including summer. Polypro liner gloves cost about 6 bucks and weigh virtually nothing. Bring 'em.

[Skidsteer]

I would be a little skeptical of the Frogg Toggs material used in gloves using trekking poles as I do. Might not be rugged enough for big miles. Polypro glove liners are fine if it's dry, but not if it's wet and cold, or windy and cold. To be sure, you'd be wishing for some gloves with a waterproof/windproof shell, though maybe not on the first leg of your flip flop.

They're rated for about 1000 trail miles by someone whose opinion I respect. Not too bad for $20.00

[Montego]

Thanks to everyone that contributed your much needed ideas. I do have a nice pair of very warm insulated (though not waterproof) gloves that have served me well in past winter hikes out West where it tends to be drier. My chief concern was keeping my hands warm on those cold, rainy, windy hiking days using a hiking pole(s)/staff.

I looked at PolyPro liners on eBay (real cheap) that seemed like they would work, however, just didn't know if a set of waterproof overgloves would also be needed. I expect that I'll be wet, at times, so that isn't a real concern, just would like to stay reasonably warm.