Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

This is the World Famous TelemarkTalk / TelemarkTips Forum, by far the most dynamic telemark and backcountry skiing discussion board on the world wide web. We have fun here, come on in and be a part of it.
User avatar
Telecat
Posts: 80
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2019 8:03 pm
Location: Catskills, NY
Ski style: Resort telemark, backcountry XC

Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by Telecat » Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:15 pm

hey everyone

So up until now I've always used these gloves my dad had given to me from Costco, theyre Head brand and do the job just fine down to about 15 degrees, maybe 20 if theres wind. I also have generally cold hands.

On colder days, snowy days, misty/wintery mix days i am always miserable in these gloves. The final straw was my day at smuggs last season when the temperature dropped through out the day, best day of skiing in my life, but i lost the whole last hour or so because the summit Temperatures dropped way below zero, and wind was coming in, combined with damp gloves, took one run and was on the edge of frostbite! Bright red fingers turning white, could hardly move them and they were numb for hours.

Anyway im not rich enough to be buying one of those $150-200 premium mountaineering gloves. And most popular internet recommendations under $100 seems to be kinco

theres a similar brand called flylow that seems to have a similar quality and construction, a bit more ski oriented and colors that I like more haha.

Im looking at flylow's maine line gloves, 3 finger styles lobster/trigger mitt. I know mittens are always warmer but I HATE the loss in dexterity, the trigger Mittens seem like a good compromise.

Anyway any glove thoughts are appreciated. Like I said trying to keep it budget friendly.

User avatar
lowangle al
Posts: 2731
Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:36 pm
Location: Pocono Mts / Chugach Mts
Ski style: BC with focus on downhill perfection
Favorite Skis: powder skis
Favorite boots: Scarpa T4
Occupation: Retired cement mason. Current job is to take my recreation as serious as I did my past employment.

Re: Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by lowangle al » Wed Sep 02, 2020 12:46 pm

I use lined leather Kincos and always have a pair of overmit shells handy in a pocket in case they aren't enough. Over the years my gloves have gotten warmer. In my 30s and 40s I rarely needed more than a liner glove but I don't push so hard anymore. This is for touring. For the resort a liner glove inside of a mitten inside of an overmit should be all you ever need.



User avatar
Woodserson
Posts: 2967
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:25 am
Location: New Hampshire
Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
Occupation: Confused Turn Farmer

Re: Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by Woodserson » Wed Sep 02, 2020 2:52 pm

Much like Al

For big cold days at the ski area I use a ragg wool glove and a big ol' mitten I can pull over it that leaves some room for air between the mitten and glove. The mitten doesn't have to have a ton of insulation. I have something from EMS I think, it's light in insulation but waterproof/windproof/breathable. Toasty with the glove. If I need the finger movement I can whip off the mitten and my hand is still in a glove with fingers. Pretty basic. I like the wool glove because I find it moves moisture better and traps air closer to my fingers for insulating as opposed to the tight fleece gloves.

Are you ever in NH? Ragged Mountain Equipment in North Conway makes their very own mittens and stuff for just this kind of weather on Washington. Good price, made in N.C., burly and dependable.



User avatar
bauerb
Posts: 732
Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2019 9:37 am

Re: Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by bauerb » Wed Sep 02, 2020 6:52 pm

I have a couple pair of Hestra gloves that are well insulated. they cost a little more, but I bought both pairs around 2007 and they still work great. I also have some lighter gloves made by Swix. I think they are insulated XC gloves. I bought there Swix gloves on sale somewhere and they are nice to have for warmer days. whatever you do, don't buy down filled mitts or gloves.



User avatar
phoenix
Posts: 816
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2017 5:44 pm
Location: Northern VT
Ski style: My own
Favorite Skis: Varies,I've had many favorites
Favorite boots: Excursions, T1's
Occupation: I'm occupied

Re: Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by phoenix » Wed Sep 02, 2020 7:11 pm

https://www.freethepowder.com/collectio ... ucts/rx3-p

These look better to me than the Flylow's, which I think are basically a re-branded Kinko. My hands get cold easy too, and I've been looking a lot for a mitt or lobster mitt for next season... I'll go with this outfit, either lobster or full mitt. Real good reviews. Other brand I've considered is "Truck", another small start up.



User avatar
Woodserson
Posts: 2967
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2015 10:25 am
Location: New Hampshire
Ski style: Bumps, trees, steeps and long woodsy XC tours
Occupation: Confused Turn Farmer

Re: Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by Woodserson » Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:52 pm

Woah, thanks for posting, Phoenix, this is a legit rec

I have a pair of Hestra's from 1999 that are still cranking to this day (replaced liners many times with various things) but they are $$$.



User avatar
Ricky
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2018 2:58 pm

Re: Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by Ricky » Thu Sep 03, 2020 10:56 am

Don't want to hijack this thread, but what model of Hestra's did you get or recommend? Last year I got some BD Guide gloves, and my fingers were often cold. They never were cold with my old Montbell gauntlet gloves, which unfortunately fell apart. Since I liked the Montbell's so much, I'm looking for a 'gauntlet' glove that is warm, and someone suggested I look at Hestra.



User avatar
bauerb
Posts: 732
Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2019 9:37 am

Re: Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by bauerb » Thu Sep 03, 2020 11:44 am

I don't recall the names of the Hestra models, but 1 pair is white and black, the other is tan and black



User avatar
Johnny
Site Admin
Posts: 2256
Joined: Wed Dec 18, 2013 5:11 pm
Location: Quebec / Vermont
Ski style: Dancing with God with leathers / Racing against the machine with plastics
Favorite Skis: Redsters, Radicals, XCD Comps, Objectives and S98s
Favorite boots: Alpina Alaska XP, Alfa Guards, Scarpa TX Comp
Occupation: Full-time ski bum

Re: Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by Johnny » Thu Sep 03, 2020 2:29 pm

Woodserson wrote:
Wed Sep 02, 2020 9:52 pm
Woah, thanks for posting, Phoenix, this is a legit rec
The ones I have been using for 2 years:
http://telemarktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=1904
/...\ Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu /...\
"And if you like to risk your neck, we'll boom down Sutton in old Quebec..."



User avatar
Lars_Danner
Posts: 35
Joined: Mon May 04, 2020 3:28 pm
Location: Anchorage Alaska
Ski style: Classic
Favorite boots: Fischer Comfort Pro
Occupation: Adventurer
Website: https://www.LarsDanner.blogspot.com/

Re: Thoughts on good gloves? Leather? Flylow?

Post by Lars_Danner » Fri Sep 04, 2020 1:37 pm

The recommendations for over mittens are spot on. You're really never going to keep your hands warm enough in gloves for all conditions. Being able to pull on some over mittens over your gloves is definitely the way to go. I've been toasty warm down to -40 below with good mittens and some hand warmers. I've never found a pair of gloves that's really comfortable at or or below about 20°.
Lars Danner

See my blog at: LarsDanner.blogspot.com
See my Facebook group at: Adventure Nordic Skiing--Alaska



Post Reply