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  1. #1
    Registered User gravityman's Avatar
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    Default Ultralight Gloves

    I was wondering what other people use as gloves. I have mountain hardware glove liners, and my hands freeze all the time.

    I'm looking for something that will keep my hands warm in the wet snow with a good wind. You know, the kind of day that you really wish you weren't hiking in.

    Thanks for any suggestions. One thing that I tried was wearing latex gloves under the liners. This worked well for wet snow, but the wind still stole all my warmth.

    Thanks!

    Gravity Man

  2. #2

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    The best winter hiking or skiing gloves are those the lobster men/women use in Maine, boiled wool. You get a quality pair, slightly large. Boil them for a few minutes then put them on and let them dry on your hands. If it works, and it does, for pulling up lobster traps in the North Atlantic, it will work for hiking.

  3. #3
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    Default

    For gloves, I use Fox River poly pro liner gloves most often. When it gets cold out, I bring out a pair of 300 weight fleece mitts from MEC. A pair of Goretex overmitts come with if it will be cold and rainy. When it is really cold out or I think I may be dealing with a lot of snow, I have a pair of Black Diamond guide gloves. Heavily insulated, very tough, and snow and ice proof. Definitely not lightweight. But, when gets below 20, lightweight goes out the window.

  4. #4

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    While working a ski-season in mt. bachelor i used a combination of fleece glove with a water/windproof Outdoor research overmit. That combo always kept my hands dry and warm, even in wet snow. Basically, the following combo:

    http://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...ory_rn=4501423

    plus

    http://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...ory_rn=4501423

  5. #5

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    When temps drop and snow and ice are on the weather/conditions menu, weight must take a sideline to safety. Frostbite SUCKS. A good case of frostbite in the hands prevents you from doing a lot of stuff that can keep you from a bad case of hypothermia and eventual death, especially if travelling alone. Keeping hands and feet warm and dry is critical. Stop screwing around with half-measures and protect your hands properly. Mittens outperform gloves by a wide margin in keeping hands warm. A pair of lightweight fleece mittens backed up by a pair of waterproof overmitts is a good system. That said, on my thru-hike I used wool gloves through september and into October. They were sufficient.
    Andrew "Iceman" Priestley
    AT'95, GA>ME

    Non nobis Domine, non nobis sed Nomini Tuo da Gloriam
    Not for us O Lord, not for us but in Your Name is the Glory

  6. #6
    Registered User gravityman's Avatar
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    Default Thanks...

    Yeah, thanks for the less than useful advice iceman. Gesh...

    There are tons of options. I know what i need to keep my fingers from getting frostbite. I've done plenty of winter mountaineering (5 Mt. Washington ascents in winter, plus several mountains out here in colorado) and know what I need for that. I don't need that for the shoulder seasons when it is wet and snowy.

    I wasn't looking for something that was sufficient. I was looking for someone that would say "These are the BEST solution ever!"

    Ultralight backpacking would never had been "invented" with your attitude.

    Gravity Man

  7. #7

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    Boiled wool is the BEST SOLUTION EVER.

  8. #8
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    Blue Jay,
    For us southun boys, who R skert o'the cold. Where would one get boiled wool gloves? Never heard of 'em til you mentioned them. I'd at least like to check'em out.

  9. #9
    Registered User gravityman's Avatar
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    Default

    Thanks Blue Jay. Even a stronger statement than what I was looking for. I only was looking for BEST to be capitalized

    Gravity Man

  10. #10
    Section Hiker 350 miles DebW's Avatar
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    Default boiled wool

    For us southun boys, who R skert o'the cold. Where would one get boiled wool gloves?

    Dachstein mittens are boiled wool. Wonderfully warm and almost windproof. You can get them at Campmor.com for $25. Or you can try boiling your own. Boiling makes them very dense so wind can't get through.

  11. #11
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    So the boiling makes the wool dense and windproof? Hmm. never heard that. So if you were going to do your own you should buy big wool (Rag?) mittens/gloves. Then boil them and dry them on your hands per BlueJays previous instruction. Do I have the right idea?

    I checked out the mittens at Campmor. They sound substantial. Would they be itchy (and thus require a liner)?

  12. #12
    Section Hiker 350 miles DebW's Avatar
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    I wear mine without a liner and they are not itchy. To get the density of a Dachstein out of a normal mitten I would think you would buy them quite large and let them shring alot, but I haven't tried this.

  13. #13

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    Deb is exactly correct, it figures from a Boston Girl. I like Moreno Wool because it does not itch. Smartwool (the great sock people)makes very good mits. Again boil em a minute or two, put them on your hands as soon as they cool enough so you don't scauld. They shrink to fit and you've got a light weight, wind proof, breathable, warm when wet, mitton or glove. A century of Lobstering in the North Atlantic can't be wrong.

  14. #14
    Section Hiker 350 miles DebW's Avatar
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    I've had my Dachsteins for 25 years and they show no wear. Wonderful mittens. Usually too warm for hiking unless it is below 0F or windy. Great for camp wear, ice climbing, above treeline travel, or those extra cold days.

  15. #15

  16. #16
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    Default

    REI got anything like that?

  17. #17
    Section Hiker 350 miles DebW's Avatar
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    Default

    Originally posted by WillK
    REI got anything like that?
    No

  18. #18
    2005 Camino de santiago
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    Talking Spare Socks?

    I just use my spare pair of socks as mittens if itmgets that cold, but I try not to do winter hiking

  19. #19

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    Although REI doesn't have these boiled wool gloves, they do have solutions which work just fine in cold temps. The solution i mentioned above with thick windproof fleece gloves and waterproof overmitt shells will keep your hands warm and dry in cold temps and can be purchased as REI.

  20. #20
    Registered User gravityman's Avatar
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    Default Estimated weight?

    What is the estimated weight of your gloves/overmitten combo?

    Thanks...

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