Gloves

Last weekend, I was splitting logs for the fireplace. It was colder than usual, so I needed to wear gloves. Not having anything dedicated for outside 'work' other than thin cotton garden gloves for summer, I donned a pair of old Gates ski gloves lined with Thinsulate. One finger was ripped a bit, but not in terrible shape. Anyhow, it was all I had at that even suggested it near the 'expendable' end of the scale.

However, the exercise of carrying logs around ripped the hell out of the non-leather parts of the palms/fingers.

So any suggestions for sturdy winter work gloves would be welcome.

Trust you are all enjoying the holiday - despite the in-laws.

Try a hardware store?

Get a spare pair--if one gets wet and cold, switch to the dry backup.

Doug

I've had two pair from Marmot that I have used a lot:

Basic Work Glove. If sized to accommodate a liner glove, these are great for chores and even X-C skiing in colder conditions.

Earlier version of their Work Glove. Mine has full leather across the entire palm side, with a reinforcing leather layer added on the palm. The new one looks less sturdy on the palm -- I'd want to check it first.

Black Diamond also has their Patrol, which is almost a carbon copy of the version of the Marmot Work Glove that I have. The Black Diamond has even more leather on it. If I had to replace mine, I'd probably buy the BD version now.

You don't really need fancy Black Diamond or Marmot gloves. In fact, I've found these pack out and wear out faster than the cheapo work gloves. Get a pair of Kinkos gloves. Actually, for the price of the Black Diamond gloves you can probably buy several pairs of Kinkos.

I'm curious to know. Exactly which Marmot or BD glove(s) packed out and wore out faster than cheapo gloves, and under what circumstances? Such an experience would contradict mine.

I like this type of glove for cutting cordwood http://www.kinco.com/prods/L02-01.php
Should be able to find them for around $10

DougPaul said:

Try a hardware store?

Get a spare pair--if one gets wet and cold, switch to the dry backup.

Doug

Click to expand...

Where do you put the batteries?

I have no personal experience w/these gloves, but if you don't like them - you can always return them!

Katahdin Iron Works Gloves

Katahdin Iron Works Insulated Work Gloves

Thanks. I'll take a look in Home Depot next trip.

I use a pair of carhart leather-insulated work gloves that had been given to me. I chop, split and stack...shovel, feed birds etc.

I have these and I have been very happy with them so far:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96606

Definitely more of a work glove converted for winter than a winter glove converted for work

For those who visit the Northern Whites area (specifically Gorham) the place to look for winter work gear is Labonvilles on RT 16 just opposite Walmart. They also have a store in Noth Conway on the strip but I havent been there to check out inventory. The have a couple of other locations over in Maine. Their main customers are loggers and people who support the logging industry, but also get a lot of folks who do snowmaking. Generally the stuff is a bit more expensive than Walmart, but it lasts a lot longer and generally the price difference is made up in durability. They make some winter work pants out of very heavy cordura that basically doesnt wear out (unless they are melted). Generally the work gloves they carry arent anything special, I think the loggers approach is to have several pairs and rotate them out when they get wet.

For mucking about with firewood and snowblowing, I find its hard to beat leather mittens lined with fleece. For very serious cold weather chainsaw work, the chainsaw companies offer heated grips as option on their Pro saws!

I have a tradtional pair of wool pants made by them complete with pockets inside the legs to slide in Kevlar inserts so they work as chainsaw chaps.

Home Depot has pigskin gloves for $7, and Calfeskin for $9. Callfskin has extra padding in palms. Cheaper on web:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...loves&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Around the farm I use a standard chore glove like these:
http://www.gemplers.com/list.aspx?listNo=gloves-chore&s_kwcid=TC|4086|chore%20gloves||S|b|4259597155

I can usually get them in a bundle of three at the local Agway to what works out to a little over a buck a pair. Sure, when working with cordwood (and I get in about three cords/year and split it all with a maul) the gloves will eventually get ripped up, but I can usually get a few weeks worth of work out of a pair doing all of the chores around the place. For the cost, it's easy to accept their demise. My experience with leather palms is that they don't really last all that much longer, take forever to dry, and are stiff as a board when they do.

I work outside a lot as part of my job and often need something that can repel the cold, protect my hands from 300 degree liquid asphalt, and be tough enough not to wear-through, all at the same time. We get all of our supplies from AirGas and they carry a variety of work gloves.

The only ones I have found that do it all and are waterproof to boot are below. They can be a little bulky, but fit real well once broken-in:

Tillman Cold Weather Work Gloves

If you're looking for something a little more flexible and form-fitting, I use the following while hiking. My hands sweat too much for traditional gloves, and the dog's lead will wear right through a set of silk-liners. These are similar to Mechanix Gloves but with insulation and without the obnoxious logo:

Tillman True-fit Insulated Pigskin and Tillman True-fit Insulated Goatskin

and also in a non-insulated version

Tillman True-fit Goatskin