View Full Version : Winter gloves that dry fast/dont hold water
crazypete
02-18-2009, 17:20
Hey folks!
Having just finished a great winter mountaineering trip in the whites, one of my main complaints was that my winter Carhart gloves got wet after a few hours from snow melting and they take 2 DAYS to dry out on the shelf at home under the apartment heat vent.
Thats no good for any long distance cold weather backpacking. No good at all.
Has anyone found a pair of LIGHT winter gloves that dont seem to hold water and dry while being worn?
Ramble~On
02-18-2009, 17:35
Yes, There are tons of them. When you see the price tag on most of them......:eek: ! You'll gulp.
Most of the better known gear companies have a line of gloves.
Just Plain Jim
02-18-2009, 17:43
Try your local running stores they will carry different weight gloves. When it's really cold I'll wear light gloves and put fleece mittons over them.
hopefulhiker
02-18-2009, 17:49
I liked the OR gortex gloves, it was one application where goretex was useful.. expensive though..
for me, lightweight wool liner gloves with rain mitts work well!
Mountain hardware waterproof with liners. Not too warm though, but definitely keep the water out.
Skidsteer
02-18-2009, 18:26
I use a pair of SmartWool liners (http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___07982?CS_003=2477120&CS_010=7982), a pair of cheap Wal-Mart wool gloves that fit over them, and some Mist Overmitts from ULA (http://www.ula-equipment.com/mist.htm) . Layer as necessary. Around 5 oz. for all.
A cheap alternative to specialized gloves is to put on a vinyl examination glove as a vapor barrier, then a polypro or polyester (polypro if you can still find it, dries faster, holds less moisture, and weighs less, but burns and melts easily) liner glove, then a heavier rubber glove on the outside. Kind of like "Mickey Mouse Boots" for your hands.
Tipi Walter
02-18-2009, 18:46
My solution to this problem is to take two pairs of gloves, one lightweight and one heavier. Allow one to get wet and keep the other in reserve, just like you would a pair of socks for sleeping. This system works fairly well in snow/slush--one pair will get soaked and then if the temps go way down it'll freeze solid like cardboard. Time to pull out the other pair as now it's too cold for this pair to get wet. Hang the others out to dry.
SGT Rock
02-18-2009, 21:08
I use army surplus wool glove liners. They work by themselves in a good deal of the weather. I have a pair of goretex mitten shells I use occaionally over them. For camp I have some p300 fleece mittens.
shelterbuilder
02-18-2009, 22:39
I use army surplus wool glove liners. They work by themselves in a good deal of the weather. I have a pair of goretex mitten shells I use occaionally over them....
I've used this system for decades, and it's great. However, I've found that a pair of lightweight polypro glove liners gives this system a whole lot more versatility. The liners can be worn while hiking, but are thin enough to carry in a pocket (for on-and-off temperature regulating). If they get wet, you can wring them out and dry them on your hands or in your pockets. And they can be worn inside of the Goretex shells, too.
SGT Rock
02-18-2009, 22:42
I've used this system for decades, and it's great. However, I've found that a pair of lightweight polypro glove liners gives this system a whole lot more versatility. The liners can be worn while hiking, but are thin enough to carry in a pocket (for on-and-off temperature regulating). If they get wet, you can wring them out and dry them on your hands or in your pockets. And they can be worn inside of the Goretex shells, too.
I started with polypro liners and didn't like them. I lost them a day or two before I hit Cherokee, so I asked Dixi to bring me some of my old wool liners to use until I got to Hot Springs and could visit Bluff Mountain. I ended up liking my wool glove liners so much better I used them the rest of the way. I still use the same pair, although they have been sewn up in a few places with floss.
shelterbuilder
02-18-2009, 22:58
I started with polypro liners and didn't like them. I lost them a day or two before I hit Cherokee, so I asked Dixi to bring me some of my old wool liners to use until I got to Hot Springs and could visit Bluff Mountain. I ended up liking my wool glove liners so much better I used them the rest of the way. I still use the same pair, although they have been sewn up in a few places with floss.
I've been a fan of wool forever, and been a fan of surplus wool since my days as a poor college student. When polypro came along, I tried it, and found that I felt a bit drier and warmer with the poly/wool combo than I did with the wool/wool combo. And since I'm STILL poor (and since old habits die hard):D....
SGT Rock
02-18-2009, 23:01
I've been re-discovering how much I like wool recently. But that sort of demonstrates how hard it is to recommend clothing for other people. To me, making recommendations to people's clothing list when they ask for input on their packing list is always something I am wary to do.
shelterbuilder
02-18-2009, 23:15
I've been re-discovering how much I like wool recently. But that sort of demonstrates how hard it is to recommend clothing for other people. To me, making recommendations to people's clothing list when they ask for input on their packing list is always something I am wary to do.
I hear ya! Decades ago, I taught a beginner's backpacking course at one of the local colleges, and, being one of the "po' folk", I was always looking for cheap ways to get out in the woods. You can imagine that many of my "cheap" suggestions didn't go over well with the kids who wanted their parents to spend hundreds of dollars on brand new, "straight-out-of-the-catalogue" equipment and clothing - stuff that made them look like backpackers, but was only going to be used a couple of times before they moved on to the next "cool sport".
Wool might not be a fancy new fabric, but by golly, it works well in the woods...and has for centuries.
Mrs Baggins
02-19-2009, 08:54
OR Windstoppers. Keeps my hands warm and dry and they're very lightweight.
crazypete
02-19-2009, 10:04
So it seems like the predominant choice is a layered glove system.
I had been trying to use a pair of waterproof gloves as my light/summer pair and a pair of "true" 1 piece winter gloves as my cold weather pair. It's so much easier to pop them off when it is a single layer and is so much more suited to other outdoor activities such as skiing.
I tried a layering system and had trouble pulling the gloves over oneanother...not too much...but just enough to not want to have to do it constantly, my clothes bag was full of loose gloves (superthin wool, waterproof sealskins, midweight softshell). Now I keep the WP gloves zipped up in the pockets of my rain gear and there's only one set of gloves sitting in my clothes bag.
I appreciate all of your comments and I've got an army surplus store within walking distance fo here so I'm gonna grab some surplus wool gloves just to try them. But I still would like to find a superglove.
Any suggestions on 1 piece gloves?
shelterbuilder
02-19-2009, 10:15
You need to remember that mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves, since, within the mittens, each finger can be warmed by the finger next to it. Glove liners (or gloves) inside of an overmitt should stay put when you pull off the overmitt, IF the overmitt is sized properly (a little large).
The Army used to make a wool mitten for shooters that had the index finger separated from the rest of the mitten - I don't know if they still make them. Wool is a wonderful material: if it gets wet, you can wring out most of the water, put it back on, and it will still keep you somewhat warm while it dries out.
So it seems like the predominant choice is a layered glove system.
I had been trying to use a pair of waterproof gloves as my light/summer pair and a pair of "true" 1 piece winter gloves as my cold weather pair. It's so much easier to pop them off when it is a single layer and is so much more suited to other outdoor activities such as skiing.
I tried a layering system and had trouble pulling the gloves over oneanother...not too much...but just enough to not want to have to do it constantly, my clothes bag was full of loose gloves (superthin wool, waterproof sealskins, midweight softshell). Now I keep the WP gloves zipped up in the pockets of my rain gear and there's only one set of gloves sitting in my clothes bag.
I appreciate all of your comments and I've got an army surplus store within walking distance fo here so I'm gonna grab some surplus wool gloves just to try them. But I still would like to find a superglove.
Any suggestions on 1 piece gloves?
Well, there's only one that I've used and it isn't "super". Neoprene. I've used a thick pair for cold weather canoeing and a thin pair for cold weather fly fishing. They're ok, but wet is wet, and you'll still get conductive heat loss from the wet nylon face fabrics. Again, you'll have to try them yourself to see what you think. Btw: They're heavy for the warmth they provide (but the insulation - nitrogen bubbles in neoprene) never gets wet.
crazypete
02-19-2009, 10:49
You need to remember that mittens will keep your hands warmer than gloves, since, within the mittens, each finger can be warmed by the finger next to it. Glove liners (or gloves) inside of an overmitt should stay put when you pull off the overmitt, IF the overmitt is sized properly (a little large).
The Army used to make a wool mitten for shooters that had the index finger separated from the rest of the mitten - I don't know if they still make them. Wool is a wonderful material: if it gets wet, you can wring out most of the water, put it back on, and it will still keep you somewhat warm while it dries out.
Can you wring wool out and have it still work when you have blown wind? My balaclava was stiff like a piece of wood from the ice from my breath.
shelterbuilder
02-19-2009, 11:02
Can you wring wool out and have it still work when you have blown wind? My balaclava was stiff like a piece of wood from the ice from my breath.
In the wind, it's better IMHO to have a Goretex-type fabric over the wet wool - it acts as a windbreak, while allowing the fabric to dry out. ICED wool is another matter - try thawing it out near (not too near) a fire, or, if hiking, stick it inside your shirt just long enough to thaw it out. Then wring it out and go from there.
If you try neoprene, be ready to keep the gloves on all day. You will sweat inside of them, and that makes it tough to get the gloves off and back on again. At night, turn them inside-out and take them with you into your sleeping bag - they'll be dry by morning.
Has anyone tried the Event rain mitts from Mountain Laurel Designs over a liner? They look like they would work and are certainly light (but expensive).
SGT Rock
02-19-2009, 20:55
Army trigger finger mittens.
Skidsteer
02-19-2009, 21:03
Can you wring wool out and have it still work when you have blown wind? My balaclava was stiff like a piece of wood from the ice from my breath.
Wool does a surprisingly good job of keeping in warmth even while wet.
Has anyone tried the Event rain mitts from Mountain Laurel Designs over a liner? They look like they would work and are certainly light (but expensive).
Yes, sorta. The Mist overmitts that I use and the gore-tex shell mittens tha SGT Rock mentioned serve that purpose. The Event rain mitts look like they would do the job as well.
SGT Rock
02-19-2009, 21:10
http://www.fatiguesarmynavy.com/store/item/US0515/Military_Wool_Trigger_Finger_Mittens
You want to try different types of wool for mitts and gloves, and other stuff.
Some wool is warmer when dry, but not as good when wet.
take-a-knee
02-19-2009, 21:35
Has anyone tried the Event rain mitts from Mountain Laurel Designs over a liner? They look like they would work and are certainly light (but expensive).
I bought a pair of them, they weigh almost nothing but I haven't used them enough to critique them. They are light enough to just leave them stashed in your raingear year round along with a pair of polypro liners. Another alternative is the ULA Mist overmitts that Skids mentioned.
take-a-knee
02-19-2009, 21:36
You want to try different types of wool for mitts and gloves, and other stuff.
Some wool is warmer when dry, but not as good when wet.
Dachstein mitts (if they still make them) insulate okay when wet.
I think all wool insulates ok when wet, but some wool holds up alot better without felting, and also seems to dry alot faster. My Briggs & Little wool mitts are the best I have even come across. From what I understand they are made from a variety of sheep breeds we have here in Canada, including merino, but I understand for wet conditions the best wool is english breeds like Cotswold, and I think the Briggs & Little wool is mostly from those breeds.
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/
Skidsteer
02-19-2009, 21:54
I think all wool insulates ok when wet, but some wool holds up alot better without felting, and also seems to dry alot faster. My Briggs & Little wool mitts are the best I have even come across. From what I understand they are made from a variety of sheep breeds we have here in Canada, including merino, but I understand for wet conditions the best wool is english breeds like Cotswold, and I think the Briggs & Little wool is mostly from those breeds.
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/
Sheesh! Wool snobs. :D
Who me? Never met a sheep I didn't like. :D
sgt rock's link to trigger finger mittens is a good one, but you'll most likely want some sort of water/windproof shell over them - my hands get cold pretty fast in em if i'm holding something or it's windy. i've been checking out some 300wt fleece mitts. how do they compare warmth-wise to the triggers?
i've learned my gear motto - buy for winter in spring, summer in fall
I've done well in freezing rain with just the wool mitts sometimes, but other times, even just cold rain, some sort of rain shell is really needed. I haven't made rainshell mitts yet. I guess its pretty easy. It would be a nice simple project to do in the woods, as it would be small enough to sew by hand. Trace it. Cut it. Sew it. Turn it inside out. Wear it.
I too like a wool liner glove or mitten and a fairly lightweight mitten shell. I still have both wool gloves and trigger-finger mittens from my Army days almost 30 years ago now (gulp) and agree that they're hard to beat. Especially if you can get them at a reasonable price at a surplus store.
Even if buying at other places, finding a wool inner isn't the problem, IMO it's getting the idea shell. Water proof is nice, if you don't sweat out (neoprene). I have the ULA mist rain mittens, and my problem with those or an eVent equivalent is that, while they're very light, I'm not sure how durable they are. The ULA mittens are effectively the same material as dryducks (frog toggs) rain gear. I use trekking poles, and don't think they'll hold up to continued use that way.
Of course you can buy a beefier shell at a more traditional retailer (REI for example), but it's likely quite heavy. I'm still keeping my eyes open for the optimal mitten shell --- reasonably light, yet durable for the all-day mechanical action of using a trekking pole while wearing them.
Oh, I think the original poster noted the recommendation for a layered solution, but still wants some sort of one piece solution? I personally suggest dropping that idea. I really like the flexibility I have to wear (a) thin gloves only, (b) thicker wool or synthetic mittens, (c) thin gloves with shell, (d) thicker inner mittens with shell. It's just nice to be able to adjust to the conditions this way. In summer I take a smaller shell mitten and thin gloves only, still gives me three alternative configurations.
SmokeEater
02-20-2009, 14:28
I just bought a pair of black diamond light weight gloves. Hoping they will do ok on my section hikes.
Has anyone tried the Event rain mitts from Mountain Laurel Designs over a liner? They look like they would work and are certainly light (but expensive).
yes! i've been wearing them this winter with my thin army surplus wool liner gloves underneath! kept me very warm in the single digits.
Desert Reprobate
02-20-2009, 15:47
These are cheap and waterproof
http://www.aramark-uniform.com/newsletter/style.html?assort=public_assortment&style=7030
Lucy Lulu
02-20-2009, 16:20
I used a pair of the MLD mitts on the west coast last year. They were pretty good over my fleece gloves, until I really warmed up, and then it seemed that condensation just soaked them. I definitely could not wear them alone if I was too warm. On the other hand, they are very light, tough, and pack down to nothing.