Walking Equipment and Accessories

Klättermusen Galar Gloves | Review

A durable and sustainable winter glove from long-standing Swedish outdoor brand Klättermusen

Ideal for fast-paced mountain adventures, these bluesign approved winter gloves offer a good balance between dexterity and outdoor protection. While built with ski mountaineering in mind, in my experience, Klättermusen’s Galar gloves also work well on fast-paced mountain missions where protection and breathability are both key.

The Top Line

The Galar gloves are built with high-aerobic ascents in mind, and as such, aren’t really warm enough for long descents or slower paced hiking. If you use them in combination with warmer outer gloves, however, I reckon you’ll be good to go.

Where I think they excel is on those short winter ascents, where you’re battling the daylight and really want to get up and down a mountain as fast as possible. The tough exterior lends itself well to scrambling, and the stretchy design helps with dexterity when using outdoor equipment on the move. Think: ropes, ice axes, carabiners, that kind of thing.

Related: Best Ice Axes

Pros: tough faux-leather palms, stretchy design, good for handling equipment, easily repairable
Cons: not the warmest, a bit fiddly when using your phone or smaller items

Buy the Klättermusen Galar Gloves: £80 at Klattermusen.com

The Windstretch fabric can be seen here in a ‘teal grey’ colour on the top of the glove. All photos: Dave MacFarlane.

How I Tested The Galar Gloves

So far, these gloves have been tested during a yellow weather warning in the Lake District, on some casual winter walking in the Wye Valley, and on some mountain missions in the North of Ireland. They have primarily been used on mountain hikes and winter walking, as well as a few cycling trips on local trails.

Key Features

Windstretch fabric: This gives the glove a flexible and dexterous feel that makes it ideal for handling equipment. It also gives it the breathability that makes it ideal for high-tempo days in the mountains.

Faux-leather palm: I’ve found these to be both tough and grippy when handling rock and everyday hiking equipment. For smaller items like your phone or a packet of wine gums, however, it can get a bit fiddly.

Thin liner: A soft-to-the-touch interior that really gives the glove that premium quality feel. You might want to add a liner glove if you need extra warmth.

Airoprene cuff with velcro closure: I’ve found these relatively easy to take on and off.

Articulated finger tips and a shaped palm: This really helps with the out-of-the-box flexibility of the glove.

Reflective detailing: A handy detail for staying safe in the mountains, and a nice touch on a bit of outdoor kit that doesn’t always get the most love in terms of design.

Materials and Construction

On the top of the Galar gloves you’ll find a material called “WindStretch”. It’s a proprietary softshell fabric from Klättermusen which is both abrasion-resistant and very stretchy. It’s also well ventilated to ensure breathability on fast-paced activities that get your blood pumping and your hands sweating.

More specifically, WindStretch is a blend of 70% recycled polyamide, 20% polyester and 10% elastane with a fluorocarbon-free water repellent. But this is no ordinary polyamide. This is Ultramid Bio-Mass Balance Polyamide – a mouthful, I know.

In short, it’s a more sustainable version of polyamide that reduces the overall carbon footprint of the product. It does this by using renewable raw materials derived from organic waste or plant oils to replace fossil-based raw materials at the beginning of the chemical production process of the fabric. Pretty neat really.

It’s supposedly just as tough as regular polyamide and during my tests so far, I’d say that that rings true. I’m not exactly a delicate hiker and I’ve had no wear and tear just yet. On the palm of the hand, you’ll find double-stitched faux-leather palms and Airoprene cuffs with a velcro closure.

Buy the Klättermusen Galar Gloves: £80 at Klattermusen.com

Fit

The fit is unisex and is described as regular. I’d say this is true though they edge towards the roomier side of the coin. That’s partly what gives them a comfy and flexible feel, though is something to bear in mind depending on your preference. On the flipside, this means you have enough room to fit a glove liner underneath for properly baltic conditions.

Verdict

All in all, I think these are a handy pair of gloves to have in your kit bag. They’re comfy and hard-wearing, with a good level of dexterity for mountain missions. If you’re moving fast and light up the likes of Striding Edge, for example, these should suit you well. However, if you’re out doing some more casual winter walking and cosy warmth is your priority over things like grip, weight and dexterity, I’d personally opt for something a little warmer.