The North Face Montana Utility Etip Glove

Price: £50
Weight: 170g
Best for: Hiking Poles / Alpine ski
Key attributes: Warmth
Sizing: Men’s and Women’s versions
The North Face Montana Utility Etip are really chunky gloves. Designed perhaps with more of the skiing and snowsports market in mind, some finer dexterity has been lost in exchange for more warmth. You’ll have no trouble holding hiking poles – in fact the glove shape is perfect for them – but would find putting on crampons more cumbersome. The gloves are made of DWR treated polyester with reinforced faux leather palms that have a central slit, allowing the glove to bend more easily. There is a thick layer of upper insulation over the back of the hand particularly over the knuckles. This does give it something of a resemblance to a boxing glove if you make a fist. The inner lining is made from recycled polyester fleece.
There is an elasticated wrist and snug, fully elasticated cuff with a handy loop to help pull the gloves on or act as an attachment point. Each comes with a simple wrist leash: a red toggled cord that can be easily removed if you don’t want to use it. The soft patch on the back of the thumb is prime nose-wiping territory. You can also use a touch screen with the Etip technology on forefinger finger and thumb. A small clip at the wrists allows the gloves to be easily paired together when not in use.
These are warm and waterproof winter gloves for people who’d prefer more insulation and warmth to finer dexterity.
Full Specifications
Sizes XS – L in Women’s, S – XXL in Men’s / DryVent waterproof insert / HeatseekerEco 180g insulation / 100% recycled polysester non-PFC DWR finish outer / Faux leather palm / Touch screen compatible / Progressive pre-curvature shape.
Rab Ridge Glove

Price: £38
Weight: 110g
Best for: All-rounder
Key attributes:
Sizing: Men’s and Women’s versions
The Rab Ridge Gloves are a mid-weight, sturdy glove for multiple outdoor activities. The outer is a knitted construction, made of a polyester-wool mix, with a fleece lining and reinforced leather palm. Although they are not waterproof, they make a good all-round winter glove that can be used for hiking through to single axe winter routes on drier days. The stretchy ribbing gives a flexible fit – and you could probably err on the side of smaller if you are near the boundary of two sizes. Knitted cuffs also enable a snug and warm fit around the wrist.
Little extras, like the tiny popper to keep the gloves together as a pair when storing and the touch screen finger points, are a nice touch. Overall, the Rab Ridge Gloves are a practical and functional glove that looks good and could suit a wide range of winter activities.
Full Specifications
Sizes S – XL in Men’s and Women’s / 432g/m2 63% polyester, 23% wool outer fabric / wind and water resistant outer / fleece lined inner / leather quilted palm / touch screen compatible / boxwall finger construction / stretch insulated low bulk cuff.
Haglöfs Bow Glove

Price: £70
Weight: 50g
Best for: Running or all-round liner
Key attributes: Snug fit
Sizing: Unisex
The Haglöfs Bow Gloves are a lightweight pair of gloves, providing less warmth than thicker counterparts that have appeared in this round up. The simplest and most minimal gloves in this guide, they are made of a GoreTex Infinium brushed-fleece fabric. The palm has been printed with a silicone ridge patter for extra grip. These are lines are surprisingly sticky and add a lot of gripping power to the glove. The bonded inner and outer feels like a single skin glove, with good windproofing capability – the fabric is robust although not particularly soft.
The forefinger and thumb have conductive tips giving touch screen capability. Although the material here is very slippery and makes a crinkling noise when moved, so there is some compromise for being able to your gadgets. Despite being unisex, the gloves have a very snug fit – you really do need the cuff loops to help pull them on. But once they are on, you have great dexterity – its designed to be like a second skin and that really does deliver. You won’t risk pulling these off under another glove or let any cold air get in while you’re wearing them.
These gloves would be great for people moving fast in the winter mountains or as a liner glove under some thicker gloves or mitts.
Full Specifications
Sizes 6 – 11 / GORE-TEX Infinium 100% Polyester, two thin warming Micro-Fleece layers laminated to a Windstopper ePTFE membrane 319 g/m2 / anatomical fit / touch screen compatible / grip enhancing silicone print.
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