UKC

Looking to draw on the knowledge and experience on here.
I'm thinking of some new gloves to go with the ME Couloirs I have.
My choice at the moment seems to be between the BD Punisher and the OR Warrent. Does anyone have experience of both gloves and be able to offer some insight before I spend another £100 of hard earned money?

I'm looking for something dexterous enough to lead in (the ME Couloirs arnt quite as dexterous as Id like) while at the same time staying dry and warm...

In reply to Scott Anderson:
ME Super Alpines? They're a decent leading glove. Reasonably warm yet dexterous.

I have OR Lodestars but wouldn't necessarily recommend them as they've barely survived a short season... (material on back of hand is really thin and has torn after a couple of routes).

In reply to Scott Anderson:

punishers / enforcers are good, both dextrous and warm enough.

In reply to Scott Anderson:

Cheaper gloves, and get some overmittens? Mittens on over the top on belays, keep hands warm, no hotaches when climbing. It works for me when it's really cold, but then I refuse to pay £100 for gloves so find other ways!

In reply to NottsRich:
I tried lots of cheaper gloves and found some or all of the following issues - they were too cold, they leaked or they didn't wear well.

I wear mittens on belay and for that I use a cheap but warm pair.

In reply to Scott Anderson:

I have both BD Punishers and OR Warrant. The BD Punishers win comfortably, on the basis that they keep water out and don't get sweaty; the wrist closure is compact and fits inside the cuffs of softshell jackets; they are warmer and less bulky; and they're more dextrous.

I've never had wet hands with my punishers - the same is not true of the Warrants.

I always wear a thin liner of some sort inside my gloves, but the Warrant are distinctly uninsulated on the 'gripping' side (as opposed to the outside. Without a liner they are distinctly nippy.

BD have now got rid of the silly little pad on the palm that used to break free and wander off around the glove, so now all is good.

Finally, punishers are cheaper

In reply to Scott Anderson:

Scot I've used the BD Punishers are they are really good but not for Scotland as the fit is really tight and dexterity is ace but if you do take them off and your hands are anything less than dry then your going to struggle getting them back on. Brill for dry Alpine climbing. My go to winter Scottish gloves are Rab Guide, warm dexterity is good and more practical in wet conditions.

In reply to Scott Anderson:

Another vote for punishers, good balance between warmth and dexterity , I find them a little awkward to get on initially but other than that they have been great this season in Scotland, didn't get wet or cold

In reply to Scott Anderson:

Pretty happy with Outdoor Research Arete - still dry after 3 winters and cost £40 on sale. Nice long gauntlet.

In reply to Scott Anderson:

BD Punishers every time - I've got six pairs of the things ranging from "on their last legs" to brand new. Warm, dexterous, great fit, hard wearing.

Best glove I've ever had.

In reply to Scott Anderson:

Another vote for the BD Punisher.

In reply to george mc:

Punishers all the way.

In reply to Scott Anderson:

So the bd punisher users out there, and any others for that matter, which of the following are you using them for, and what else are you using:
A) plodging & daggering up snow slopes from the gearing up boulder to the bottom of the route (hot & hard work, hands in snow)
B) belaying
C) seconding or leading easier pitches
D) leading crux pitches or pitches near/at your limit
?

In reply to hpil:







All of the above.

In reply to hpil:

All of the above

In reply to climber34neil:

Aw now that's the sort of feedback I was after!! Got to love this forum

I have to say sounds like BD is winning hands down (pun intended)

In reply to Scott Anderson:

Whilst the punishers are good all-round gloves, I find them difficult to put on and take off, particularly if your hands are wet amd/or cold. The elastic at the wrist doesn't stretch far enough.

Good late season gloves, when they go on and stay on but on those days, £10 ski gloves are just as good.

In reply to drsdave:



Nikwax water repellent to treat the inside of the glove. That stuff is slippery and it repels the water and lets you slide your hand in more easily.

(Results will vary depending upon the lining material.)

I took some Skytec Argons for a road test alongside my various ~£100 gloves in Norway this season and found them just as good. The feel in the thumbs was a bit annoying when handling screwgates but they were otherwise fine. Best of all they are £5 a pair so you can afford to carry a few dry pairs to change into. Has to be worth a go...

In reply to bradfry:

fully coated Skytec argons, or the 3/4 coated?
http://www.arco.co.uk/products/14G7400?s=1
http://www.arco.co.uk/products/14G4800?s=1

In reply to Scott Anderson:

Bare in mind that OR have a lifetime warranty, meaning that when your gloves wear out you can get a new pair, and when they wear out...

In reply to Scott Anderson:

I have some twenty year old neoprene dive gloves which have served me well for most winter situations. You do get wrinkly hands but as I suffered from cold hands in regular gloves for many years these are a godsend.

I tried some RAB gloves two years ago and suffered cold hands again.

The new £80 rab gloves are now only just ok to ski in.

That's me.

In reply to Scott Anderson:

Venitex are what a lot of guides wear in Chamonix. They're cheap and work real well!

In reply to Jim Fraser:

What do you do Jim, wash the whole glove in the stuff, if it works that's what I'll do

In reply to drsdave:

I suppose that's a reasonable approach. Normally I taken leftover solution from hand-washing larger garments to do all the smaller stuff, thus the filling gloves and such like.

Generally, I have had really good results with the Nikwax water-soluble range. Great for reproofing shells, good on footwear, and good for stopping things from absorbing too much water (norwegian army shirts!!). It is slippery and of course that is really what you would expect from water repellent. One unfortunate aspect is that the result can vary depending upon the fabric concerned and its finish.

With gloves I have used it on leather gloves with polyester lining and nylon/kevlar mitts with polyester lining and it has made them far more usable in the winter mountains.