YEAR-ROUND GLOVES
WE’RE ALL DIFFERENT. A couple of months ago, Lucy Wallace confessed here that trousers caused her more grief than any other item of hill clothing. For me (David), it’s got to be gloves. I can’t live with them, can’t manage without. They always seem to be the wrong shape in the wrong places, so thin that I lose the feeling in my pinky, or so thick and padded that dexterity is reduced to zero. Obviously, our hands are key points of contact, and badly fitting gloves (in my case, it’s often baggy fingertips) are not ideal for holding onto rocks, maps or flapjacks. Just like footwear, I prefer to purchase gloves in-store, to ensure a good fit.
Because gloves are always exposed and in contact with all manner of objects, durability is a key concern. With the exception of the famous, indestructible woollen Dachsteins, synthetics tend to be more robust, and dry more quickly than finely woven natural fibres. I’m sceptical about both siliconised ‘grips’ and ‘touchscreen compatibility’ – both are sorely tested in foul weather or low temperatures, where their performance seems to drop off markedly.
After many years of grumbling, I’ve come to accept that gloves are always going to be a compromise. There is no one glove to rule them all; and, besides, it’s often best to have redundancy – ie pack a spare pair (or two). Gloves are easily lost or blown away, frequently wet out, but if sized appropriately, they can be used in combination for extra protection, just as we do with other apparel. So, accept the limitations and layer up!
Some of the gloves reviewed here are mere liner gloves – base layers for the hands. Others offer far more protection from the elements, and some you can use in combination. Arguably, breathability is less of a problem for gloves because our hands are exposed to the elements and will often feel the cold first, but you may prefer to use a layering system if you overheat when walking uphill. Fingers and wrists have blood vessels close
