If you’ve never bought a pair of gloves from an outdoor store, then the first time can be more than a little bewildering. The vast numbers of gloves on the market, in a myriad of different styles and cuts, can make it exceedingly difficult to choose the right pair for you. This article (hopefully) presents a clear view of the different types of gloves available and the considerations to bear in mind when purchasing a pair for a specific task.

Glove Types
Liner - thin fleece or synthetic material gloves, great as a baselayer or on their own when walking or running.

Fleece - similar to liner gloves, but made from a thicker, heavier weight material. They are often combined with a windproof membrane and can have textured finger tips and palms for better grip.

Technical - similar in style to ski-gloves, they are the staple of the winter enthusiast: a waterproof or weather resistant shell, often with a brushed fleece lining. Some require liner gloves; others come with removable liner gloves included.

Ice Fall - a technical glove with the added feature of increased knuckle protection and insulation, thus they can be bulkier on the back of the hand.

Dry-tooling/Leash-less - dexterous, well fitted gloves that give a large amount of feel, but consequently less insulation. They tend to feature back of hand/knuckle padding and a shorter wrist-length cut.

Belay - supple, hard wearing gloves that have a good grip to maintain a strong hold on the rope!

Expedition - warm, heavily insulted mitts: the aim of the game being to insulate your hands from the bitter cold.

Usage
Whilst many of the aspects of glove choice come down to personal preference, the basis of selecting a suitable glove is determined by considering the environment and the activity for which you are likely to be using your gloves. In fact these can be seen to be the key steps in choosing the correct glove.

Environment
A few years back I made the mistake of using the wrong gloves for the environment I was climbing in. I was on a week’s ice climbing holiday to Rjukan, Norway – a steep sided gorge containing hundreds of frozen waterfall ice climbs – and had taken my Scottish winter climbing glove combination, of an outer windproof mitt and inner power stretch fleece liner glove. I thought this would be adequate, as the previous year a group of friends had visited and had found the conditions to be -10oC and everything was perfectly frozen. My visit a year later was a little different. The temperature for the whole week was consistently above zero during the day, meaning the steep, frozen icefalls released their captured water in a stream of bitterly cold liquid. My hands got soaked and I had the worse case of hot aches I have ever had.

Photo Below: Professor Falls IV, Alberta, Canada


What I should have done was to look at the conditions reports and weather forecasts before leaving, considered these, and, assuming that there would be some melting ice, bought a pair of waterproof gloves. These would have been far more suitable for the conditions I encountered.

Slow learner?
In fact a couple of years before climbing in Rjukan, a friend (who was a far more experienced winter climber than myself) took me up the first steep snow and ice route I did: the Chèré Couloir on the Triangle du Tacul in the Mount Blanc range. Needless to say I had an unsuitable pair of gloves for steep ice. We set off up the route and somehow managed to muck up the first pitch, my partner came to the end of his rope length five metres short of the belay bolts, meaning I had to lead through. By this point I was pumped from climbing my first steep ice and my knuckles were pummelled and frozen from resting against the ice. Somehow I quivered my way up to the bolts, placed my hands under my armpits and felt the painful rush of blood returning to my frozen hands. With another four pitches ahead I was already mentally and physically exhausted! I seem to be a slow learner and it wasn’t until after a few more years of getting frozen hands, and my trip to Rjukan, that I invested in a pair of gloves with decent knuckle protection and insulation.

The level of activity is also an important factor. If you are engaged in a more active pursuit and you are generating a large amount of heat from your body, then you will need less insulative gloves. Gloves that are too thick, for such activities, can lead to damp, sweaty hands. For slower tempo pursuits, or where you are likely to be static for any significant period of time, you will need more insulation to conserve the heat leaving your hands.

Comfort (warmth) vs. Dexterity
Thinking of situations like those above, the logical reaction might seem to be to buy the most padded, waterproof gloves available. However, you do need to be able to use your hands! Whether you are placing an ice screw or it’s being able to comfortably grip your ice axes, dexterity is a key factor to remember.

This is where personal preference enters into the equation. Some people’s hands get cold easily, thus want more insulated gloves. Other people’s hands never seem to get cold and as such can wear thinner gloves. Balancing the connection and feel of a glove, with the warmth and protection that it offers comes down to the individual. A satisfactory compromise is often only reached after a few years of trial and error.

Mitts vs. Gloves
Now what about mitts, I hear you ask? Yes I’ve only talked about gloves so far as, up until now, the same considerations have to be made for both gloves and mitts. Where mitts differ is that mitts tend to be warmer, as less of your hand is in contact with the outer shell of the garment, mitts have a smaller surface area over which heat can be lost. Gloves tend not to be as warm, but offer better dexterity. A compromise many people reach is to use liner gloves, with an outer mitt shell. This means that when dexterity is needed, the outer mitt can be removed and the liner glove used without exposing bare skin.

Packability
Although it is always worth carrying a back up pair of gloves, in case one pair gets dropped, soaked through or for extra warmth, it is worthwhile considering the size and weight that any additional pairs add to your pack.

Versatility
A final factor to consider is that if, for example, you are buying a pair of gloves with rigid knuckle protection, but intend to use them also for skiing, a more all-round type glove might be more appropriate.



Belaying Gloves
This article is directed at winter climbing- what about when you’re at the crag, you’re on belay and your hands are getting frozen as your partner’s taking what seems like a lifetime to lead their route. Well gloves that are designed to be worn when belaying are also available. These have a better grip than many generic fleece or waterproof gloves, along with remaining supple enough to feel the rope and give your hands the much needed insulation.

Browse our full range of gloves here.