After losing my possum fur gloves on the Pinhoti I went back to my favorite from when I was ten—mil spec wool liner gloves.
The alternatives
What I was using
These are 2.4 ounces and when I bought them they were the low cost option. They are now about twice as much as I paid (currently $19 on Amazon instead of under $10) while the standard ones are four pairs for $28 which is more my kind of price.
They are warm, wear really well and I wore ones like them under a liner in below freezing weather in Alaska when I was a kid. 85% Merino Wool, 10% Stretch Nylon, 5% Elastic is what the Minus 33 ski liner gloves are made of.
The “standard” ones are 50% wool, 40% acrylic, 7% spandex and 3% rubber.
Possum Fur gloves are 28.43% Brushtail Possum Fiber, 52.12% Merino Wool, 15.71% Nylon, 2.12% Acrylic, 1.25% Elastic and 0.37% Steel
My wife currently does training walks wearing them my minus 33 degree gloves.
What I was given for Christmas
These are lighter than the wool and are “NRS Men’s HydroSkin Gloves – Neoprene Insulation Paddling Gloves.” (A mouthful)
ZPacks started introducing backpackers to them. https://zpacks.com/products/nrs-hydroskin-gloves. The current price leader is REI. https://www.rei.com/product/200934/nrs-hydroskin-gloves-mens which sells them to kayakers.
There is also a version of the paddling gloves with a tougher palm and fingertips exposed.
Then there are the “ugly blue gloves.” What my wife has used and I’ve almost used.
The classic Showa blue gloves are $28 a pair. Waterproof. https://www.amazon.com/SHOWA-Temres-Coated-Waterproof-Breathable/
Bulky and kind of ugly. But waterproof. All sorts of personalities have used them.
Review of the NRS gloves
Finally received the NRS gloves as a Christmas present and had a below freezing day with some wind to try them in.
They are lighter than the wool. They weigh 1.5 vs 2.4 ounces for the wool.
They are warmer. I was thinking of going with a size larger so my sun gloves would fit under them but that kind of defeats the purpose of being a skin tight layer.
Thin. Pliable. Warm. I’ve yet to try them out in the rain or try the sink test but they have a good reputation for water resistance and for quality.
The official site says they are DWR, not waterproof as some reviews assume. From the NRS website:
- Premium nylon-spandex exterior with a DWR coating sheds water without sacrificing dexterity.
- 0.5 mm neoprene core for lightweight insulation.
- Soft, smooth and hydrophobic interior feels great against bare skin.
- Silicone pattern on the palm and fingers provides a better grip when wet.
- Features a simple, stretchy cuff for easy donning and pairing snaps to keep the gloves together.
Note NRS updates their product line regularly so this product might not be the same in a year. Older reviews (including the official NRS review on YouTube) are of a different glove with the same name.
Verdict: cautious optimism. I think they are going on the AZT with me.