UKC

Hello,

I'm looking for some thin liner gloves to complement my winter glove/mitt arrangement.

I was wondering whether silk or merino liners are deemed best for warmth etc as a liner?

All opinions / ideas welcomed.

Cheers,

Ben

In reply to Ben Watts:

Warmth will, as with all insulators, depend on thickness, which will depend on the type of construction, but most silk gloves I've seen are knitted, like merino will be.

Then we're into the realms of durability, and, although silk has a reputation for being a strong fibre (e.g. use as a form of body armour against arrows by the Mongols), the fibre bundles are still pretty fragile, and fibres get snagged.

Decathlon do some fairly cheap silk gloves that fit me quite nicely. There are two types, though; one with individually-sewn fingers, and one with an odd middle-two finger design that didn't fit anywhere near as well. I bought a job lot as cheap stocking fillers last xmas...

These are my preferred type:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/forclaz-silk-glove-liners-id_8229542.html

Two pairs for £10. Can't see the other style on the website at the moment; maybe they agreed with my assessment...

For all the nice feel of silk or merino, I'm not sure that synthetics aren't more robust.

In reply to Ben Watts:

neither - they are too delicate. get a pair of cheap synthetic ones from primark or similar. I've had expensive liners before and they just don't last.

In reply to Ben Watts:


How about these for a fiver?

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/extremities-thinny-glove-1c310467?id_colour=...

In reply to Ben Watts:
I'd avoid a double layer of gloves if you are climbing. The liners will slide around inside the others and you'll get tired faster.
J

In reply to Ben Watts:

Can't comment on gloves specifically but I've experimented with various items of silk gear over the last couple of years and what I've learnt is that although they may be strong, their lack of elasticity is a big handicap.

Basically, the repeated washing and consequent wringing necessitated by expeditions destroyed my silk blend shirts and underwear; merino has never been a problem: due to silk's inherent lack of elasticity they all just ripped at the seams. With something requiring as much movement as a pair of gloves I'd be worried about that weakness.

In reply to Ben Watts: What highclimber said.

In reply to Ben Watts:

Silk every time. Your partner will thank you.....