UKC

My long serving skiing/winter climbing gloves have given up and I'm looking for a replacement.

Hestra gloves look good and there's a few older threads that recommend the Falt Guide, although I think they may have been discontinued (limited stock at most shops).  Also looking at the Army Leather Blizzard, which look good but expensive.  Interested to hear from anyone who has recent experience of either of them.

If I don't go for Hestra will probably get ME Super Couloir, which is the current version of the (20 year old) pair that just died

In reply to Sam W:

I have neither of those specific models, but I do have two pairs of hestra gloves - the deceptively cheap leather box mitts which have been great skiing and walking in -35 & some primaloft insulated finger gloves which I also love and use for warmer weather skiing and dog walking down to -15ish. My experience is that hestra gloves have been great

In reply to Sam W:

I've got a pair of Falt Guides. They are great, but a little stiffer than I hoped for. I don't have a lot experience with these types of gloves so maybe my expectations were too high. I bought them online after trying on a similar Hestra pair to confirm size etc. Couldn't find the Falts in the shops so it ended up being a blind buy and hope for the best.

I'm more happy with them than not, but if buying again I would probably spend more time to see if I can find a more flexible alternative.

Maybe I'm being picky.

In reply to Sam W:

Hestra keep doing what they're supposed to do. Climbing/skiiing Alps/Scotland in the five-finger gloves and now skiing/climbing/Scotland winter camping in the mitts with separate index finger. Good gear. 

Y

In reply to Sam W:

I have three pairs of Hestras and cannot rate them highly enough. I don't have experience of either of those models, but do have their army leather ski gloves. My feeling though would be that the army leather blizzard is a lot burlier than the ME Super Couloir.

In reply to Sam W:

Might not be as warm as Hestras, but pleased so far with Tegera 297 thermal waterproof work gloves. I must admit, I only just got hold of some but they seem very dextrous and yet pretty warm, with goatskin leather palm and nice fit. £16! I've seen them compared to BD Punisher and imagine they will make a good lead glove.

In reply to nickinscottishmountains:

Do you use these for climbing as well as skiing? My use would be belaying/easy ground, with a thinner pair for leading anything technical.

A bit more digging in their website and I've found the Ergo Grip Alpha, these seem to replace the Falt but have curved fingers and are listed for skiing/climbing, so might be a versatile option.

In reply to Sam W:

I don't use them for climbing, they're too bulky for that.

In reply to Sam W:

Have you looked here? https://www.snowshepherd.co.uk/

Don't stock hestra, as far as I can see but may do something similar 

In reply to Sam W:

I had the same dilemma last year and bought the Falt guides.

They are really good and have become really soft  with use.

I use them for hillwalking.

They are dexterous enough to do zips and switch on the torch, and I can put the dogs lead on which is a scregate carabiner to her lead.

Not 100%waterproof but what is.

Theygrio ice axes really well and could be suited to mixed climbing etc.

You can attach leashes which I have.

The only downside is putting them back onto wet hands. I have the sheepskin liner which tends to stick. This is overcome by wearing liner gloves.

If you buy some it’s worth getting a spare pair of liners, of which there are different weights.

Get too warm above 10 deg, but were cosy the other night in -5 with a liner glove.

In reply to Sam W:

Just looked and the climbers shop have them in size 7  8 9 and 10.

There’s a chart to measure your hands.

Mine are size 10 and I’ve an average sized male hand.

£116 but will last years if you don’t lose them. Buy some leashes.

In reply to Sam W:

I've a pair of the Falt Guides. Seen them in lots of shops still, e.g. Cotswold and Nordic Outdoor. Possibly bought them a bit big - size 10 while the ergo active fits me perfectly in size 9 (and in ME gloves I'm generally L). Great gloves for winter walking, skiing, and they definitely work for easy winter climbing.

A few issues though - not great for plunging in snow with their short cuffs and the leather also gets quite sodden. The seams on the outside of the finger get a bit in the way with fiddly carabiners etc. - still pretty manageable, but I do tend to whip them off and on sometimes, and then they're no longer under jacket sleeves etc.. The wool liners also lose quite a lot of wool fairly quickly. But Hestra sent me a replacement pair of liners, and powerstretch gloves also do the job under the leather shell.

All in all the leather gets very workable and will last for ages. But having said that I'm considering getting a pair of ME supercouloirs, hoping they'll be just a bit more dextrous (and like the look of wp lining and gauntlet).

In reply to Sam W: I've got a pair of the Super Couloir glove, and while they're warm I'm pretty disappointed.  I should likely try them a bit more, and see if they improve, but they're clunky, and the fit for me is wierd and they always feel ready to fall off.  The gauntlet might be better, but compared to ME Rando's or Super Alpines I'm a bit underwhelmed. 

For light gloves I've got and rate Hestra Ergo actives.  They get a lot softer with regular waxing, very dextrous, warmth a bit limited though

In reply to JLittle:

Have you tried re-waxing the leather on the Guides ? Use the actual Hestra product. Done it a couple of times over ~12 years and it stops the leather going sodden, restores the waterproofness, doesn't stiffen them up. Faffy for a half-hour, once it's soaked in it doesn't come off or stain or anything, just works. 

Might get you a few more years...

Y