Which gloves should you choose for hiking and mountaineering?
At the start of an autumn hike, your fingers go numb around your trekking pole grips long before your body warms up. At the pass, the wind picks up and your hands cool down in minutes. Choose your gloves to suit the cold, wind and level of exertion. The WINTER GLOVES weigh 40 g in size L: thin, insulated gloves that block a moderate breeze of 20 to 40 km/h. The HYBRID, at 60 g, blocks sustained winds of 40 to 60 km/h. The TOURING GLOVES (115 g) combine fleece with a water-repellent treatment for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and ski touring.
For walking in cool weather, a lightweight 40–60 g glove is enough; once snow starts wetting your hands, switch to a waterproof glove. All models are unisex.
Lightweight and thermal gloves: keep your dexterity on the move
Checking your route on your phone often means taking off a glove, and a bare hand gets cold fast. On the WINTER GLOVES, the thumb and index finger are touchscreen-compatible: you can use your touchscreen or watch without removing a glove. The HYBRID and TOURING GLOVES are 2-in-1 gloves. A windproof flap folds out to turn each glove into a mitten; when folded away, it sits on the back of the hand.
In rain, pull the WATERSHELL overgloves on over your existing gloves: 30 g in size M/L, 10,000 mm membrane, sealed seams and protection against strong winds of 60–90 km/h. Keep them in a pack pocket: they turn a lightweight glove into a rain glove.
Waterproof mountaineering gloves: DRY and HERCULE
On an icefall or a snowy ridge, your gloves need to stay dry while letting you handle ropes, carabiners and crampons. The DRY weighs 120 g in size L, and its insulation retains warmth even when wet. For severe cold, the HERCULE (280 g) has goatskin reinforcements and a removable inner lining that can be taken out to dry. Key details:
- 20,000 mm Ultrashell membrane (20,000 Schmerber)
- Breathability: 80,000 g/m²/24 h
- Blocks strong winds of 60 to 90 km/h
- 133 g/m² PrimaLoft Gold insulation in the HERCULE
- Removable wrist leash and elasticated wrist adjustment on the HERCULE
For technical mountaineering and ice climbing, choose the DRY; for extreme cold and multi-day trips, choose the HERCULE.
Mittens or gloves: which should you choose in extreme cold?
In a mitten, your fingers warm each other, and less surface area is exposed to the wind than in a glove. The HERCULE MITTEN has the same membrane, insulation and removable lining as the HERCULE, and weighs 270 g in size L. A glove, meanwhile, gives you the dexterity needed to handle equipment. Between the two, a three-finger glove groups the middle, ring and little fingers together while leaving the index finger free.
If your fingers stay cold in gloves, switch to mittens. The SKI GLOVES, SKI MITTEN and SKI 3-FINGERS, insulated with PrimaLoft Gold and fitted with leather palms, are designed for alpine skiing: you can also find them in our ski gloves and mittens.
What glove size should you choose?
Choose your usual size for every model except the DRY: it runs slightly small, so size up if you’re between sizes. Weights are for size L, except for the SKI GLOVES and SKI MITTEN (size M) and the WATERSHELL (M/L).
Choose your usual size for the WATERSHELL overgloves : their stretch fabric fits over the gloves underneath without squeezing your fingers. For winter running, see our running gloves. Complete your kit with our beanies and headbands, some hiking socks and our mountaineering clothing.
