Waterproof Glove Shell

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DayTrip

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Is there such a thing as a waterproof (GoreTex or some other fabric) glove shell that would fit over glove liners? I have a pair of merino wool liner gloves that I really love and generally wear alone until I stop or it gets very cold. But in snow, rain, etc it gets very wet and can get my hands cold. I'm looking to combine this liner glove with a waterproof shell for increased warmth without the bulk. I've seen some gloves online that say they have a fleece liner that can be removed but what I really want is just the shell itself. Is there such a thing?
 
I have 3 pairs of heavy duty mittens. 2 are insulated. 1 is just a shell. They are all more or less waterproof. Not ENTIRELY waterproof, like rubber, but they do not let my hands get wet. Go to a store and try a few on, and ask how waterproof a given model is. I'd stay away from rubber gloves, they will probably make your hands clammy. Then again, I do know a few people who wear rubber 'exam gloves' as a base layer. I tried it, and while it does keep external water out, it made my hands clammy. The plus side of that is the next layer out stays dry longer.
 
I googled "shell overmitts" and got numerous hits, including a couple VFTT threads. Here are just a few:

http://www.blackrockgear.com/overmitts.html

http://www.seattlefabrics.com/controlled.html

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?9229-Which-Overmitts-do-you-use

http://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?43539-Over-mitts

In general, most handwear is not COMPLETELY waterproof, due to the need for flexibility, breathability, and wear and tear. The "waterproof" fabrics work better for garments like jackets and pants, and not so well for hand and footwear. Best advice is to bring several pairs of liners so you can change wet ones for dry ones.
 
I am in the boat with the 3-4 liners over the course of a day. Or I should say was... until I started using the exam gloves. They work best when it is extremely cold.

Tim
 
Then again, I do know a few people who wear rubber 'exam gloves' as a base layer. I tried it, and while it does keep external water out, it made my hands clammy.

I'm glad you brought these up. I almost asked about these in another post and figured people would think I'm nuts. I work with machinery on occasion at work in cold workrooms and we wear these gloves primarily for the oil but I noticed my hands stayed pretty warm. They obviously get your hands clammy but is that a moisture problem when it gets really cold the way other wet clothes (like underlayers) would be? And what about having just those on in very cold conditions for say doing something technical that bulkier gloves make difficult/impossible - do your hands chill? Figured this might be a potentially great use for them without fear of frostbite, etc, but I've never used them in very cold conditions. And what about powdered versus unpowdered? The powder can be pretty annoying but if your hands are cold and they shrink are they extremely difficult to remove?

And thanks TCD. Looks like "overmitt" was the search term I needed. Finding stuff now. I was using "glove shell" and it wasn't getting the types of products I was thinking of.
 
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I wear the exam gloves "inside out". This makes them far easier to put into / out of the insulating glove or mitten, and they stick to your hand in the process. Since the sweat is trapped inside, the insulation stays dry and you do not get evaporative cooling. They are, essentially, a vapor barrier glove.

Tim
 
So powdered Tim? So the powdered side slides along the wool, fleece, whatever?
 
If you're looking for a shell+liner combo in a glove (not a mitt), it may make sense to buy them together for proper fit.

My current glove system looks like this:

-very thin liner (nylon/spandex/somesuch). Great for manipulating little buttons and switches on my camera. Slightly warmer than wearing nothing.

-fleece gloves (slightly large, so I can wear the liner underneath if I choose). Primary glove for cold weather. Breathable, but only slightly water-resistant. Fine for incidental contact with snow. I don't let these get wet (unless it's raining). If I start to sweat, these come off.

-backup pair of fleece gloves (in case the main pair gets wet). Have only used these on rainy days.

-ice-climbing gloves. Nearly waterproof, good leather grips, warmer than the fleece. For situations where my hands are in frequent contact with snow or rock (or with ice axes), or I want a little more warmth. Snowboarders' gloves that happen to have good grips would be a good substitute for these (if you don't need padded knuckles).

-nylon overmitts. Additional wind resistance for extreme conditions, when grip is less important than covering that gap at the wrist.

The primary fleece and the ice gloves both stay on 'biners clipped to my waist, so they are easy to reach without stopping and they air-dry when I'm not wearing them. (The ice gloves have a handy loop on one finger so they hang in wrist-down position, so no snow gets in.)
 
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I have had great results with the OR Revel Shell Mitts for three years. They are lightweight, waterproof, even somewhat breathable, and durable. I have a variety of liners (bought separately) that I can use inside them depending on the temperature.
 
Rain and gloves is pretty much terrible no matter what you do. OR Overmitts over any combo of glove layers is what I've usually done, but it just occurred to me that neoprene paddling gloves could be a good alternative for cold, rainy day trips. I'll have to try this sometime.
 
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