What are you doing to stop glove abuse?

[Pat Donnelly]

In the past, I use to use a set of over-the-glove wrist protecotors by Kombi (as shown, now out of production).  The palm has a padded area to cushion the blow as you hit the deck.  I would apply a few coats of Shoe-Goo to the palm pads to extend the life.  These are like new except for the plastic zip tie securing the loops together.   My current Thor's are on their 4th or 5th season and holding up well. 

[STP]

First Leather is the ONLY material that lasts more than one season. Marmot Leather gloves is the best $150 I have ever spent. I have a 9 year old pair that has had palm leather sewed on the front left hand by a shoe repair guy, Shoo Goo on a few small finger holes and then finished the finger wear with rubber tool dip. I just purchased a new pair at the end of last season and will most likely get the palm reinforced again, but have learned to not be a knuckle dragger as I have jammed thumb, fingers and wrist by relying on any balance from my hands. Here are the pictures on my 9 year old gloves.

Again best $150 I have spent and will last 4-5 years without any supplemental reinforcement.  

[Mike T]

I got some Kinco's this year after talking to ski patrol last spring.   That's what most of the Bachelor patrollers use.   Also, snagged a pair of these:   http://www.freethepowder.com/collections/gloves/products/long-cuff-gloves-factory-seconds.    Haven't used them yet.   If we ever stop getting dumped upon, I'll let you know how they do.    

[Mike T]

The "Free the Powder"gloves held their own on a cold groom er day with assorted ice shards on the snow.   They probably won't be up to Bachelor spring frozen cord, b ut that's what the Kinco's are for... 

[queequeg]

On 12/21/2016 at 9:07 PM, STP said:

First Leather is the ONLY material that lasts more than one season.

I don't know that I agree with that. I can burn holes in a pair of leather gloves in a matter of hours if the conditions are firm enough. Synthetic materials outperform leather by leagues in this department. Leather has some nice benefits but standing up to the abuses of hard carving over hardpack is not among them. Perhaps incredibly thick leather will last somewhat longer but in my experience, it is not up to the task of dealing with the level of punishing abrasion dealt by carving low on hardpack.

Edited December 29, 2016 by queequeg

[STP]

I guess downhill skateboard pucks would work. What synthetic palms have you found that stand up? I may have missed the glove brand you may have mentioned so would you please provide again. Thanks!  There is well over 300 days on the gloves shown and yes I did finally wear thru the front glove and thus got the 1/8" thick leather patch sewed on.

I did admit I have stopped dragging my hands on hard pack as jammed fingers, thumbs and wrists on the hard pack have taught me a lesson.

[STP]

Whoops I did go back to your start of this thread and found the gloves you have tried....with brand names. Sorry.

 

[lafcadio]

20 hours ago, queequeg said:

Synthetic materials outperform leather by leagues in this department.

I mostly agree with with this statement, but the reality for me is the synthetic gloves and mitts made out of Cordura and Kevlar don't last.  For me it's because typically only small sections are reinforced with the synthetic abrasion resistant materials.  The sections which are not reinforced fail or the seams between the reinforced areas fail.  This is the main problem I've had with gloves such as Level.  

On the other hand, all-leather gloves and mitts like Kinco 901 and 901T are completely reenforced throughout the entire glove, including the fingers and back of the hand.  I'm hoping my Kincos 901T mittens last and even if they don't they're much less costly to replace than anything else.

That said, I've had good luck with the Snow Raider gloves in the wear department.  Just not in the keeping my hands dry and warm department.

[queequeg]

On 12/29/2016 at 0:44 PM, STP said:

I did admit I have stopped dragging my hands on hard pack as jammed fingers, thumbs and wrists on the hard pack have taught me a lesson.

I think the reason I haven't had much problems with this is that I use trigger mitts, so my fingers (pointer and thumb excepted) are stuck together. Otherwise I ride pretty conservatively when it is soft (learned my lesson with that a few years back) but I've definitely whacked a few frozen chunks when it is firm, I think in those cases it is the trigger-mitts that have kept me from running into trouble.

Edited December 30, 2016 by queequeg

[queequeg]

23 hours ago, lafcadio said:

I mostly agree with with this statement, but the reality for me is the synthetic gloves and mitts made out of Cordura and Kevlar don't last.  For me it's because typically only small sections are reinforced with the synthetic abrasion resistant materials.  The sections which are not reinforced fail or the seams between the reinforced areas fail.  This is the main problem I've had with gloves such as Level.  

On the other hand, all-leather gloves and mitts like Kinco 901 and 901T are completely reenforced throughout the entire glove, including the fingers and back of the hand.  I'm hoping my Kincos 901T mittens last and even if they don't they're much less costly to replace than anything else.

That said, I've had good luck with the Snow Raider gloves in the wear department.  Just not in the keeping my hands dry and warm department.

Prety much yeah. I feel like the Levels I had fell apart in the seams and fingertips mostly. And yeah: the areas that are reinforced are entirely too small. IIRC the palm area that usually burns away in leather gloves did not give way early with the levels because it was reinforce, but yeah: the rest of the gloves ripped apart pretty quickly. I'm just about ready to start trying to reinforce my new gloves with the superfabric that I got a hold of and I think the seams are the part I need to think most about: how to reduce them and cover as much area as possible.

Edited December 30, 2016 by queequeg

[Mike T]

The pigskin Kincos look brand new after two days of carving.    That's a first for me. 

[freshiesat9]

I like my Three-finger mutant gloves from Outdoor Research.

https://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/mens-highcamp-3-finger-gloves.html

They keep me warm like a mitten but still allow me to move.

[queequeg]

A little update on what I am doing:

I've started working on an idea for a product that will work with any existing pair of gloves. Basically just a cap that goes over the fingers thumb and palms and can be installed/removed while snowboarding. I think the ideal way to use it will be with regular five finger gloves:

— with the cap off you have lots of dexterity but your gloves are vulnerable to abrasion from the hard snow and your fingers are unprotected from death-cookies etc.

— with the cap on your five finger gloves are converted to mittens via the superfabric protective palm/thumb/finger cap. Holding your fingers together in a mitten makes them less vulnerable to stubbing on death-cookies etc, and it makes this an easier product to create, and obviously the layer of superfabric where it counts prevents your gloves from being shredded. 

— it will attach under/around the wrist non permanently so you can quickly pull the cap off and tuck it away so that you can use your fingers normally and freely, and then restore it in place when you are ready to carve. I think once I figure out all the details removing/restoring the cap should be pretty easy without removing your gloves. 

— The superfabric material is pretty intense, so I think it will definitely stand up to the challenge. It is going to be a little difficult to work with in terms of sewing but I'll figure it out. It is a bit stiff so I am trying to use as little of it as possible ... but the stiffness should help prevent stubbed fingers so that's not all bad. There will probably be some elastic across the back of the hand where you slip your fingers in and out of it to keep it tight and prevent it from filling up with snow.

— Not really sure how this will work out and the idea has a ways to go but it's a fun project for me. Definitely won't have anything ready for ATC, but as a very coarse test: I have sacrificed a set of mittens to use as a proof of concept during ATC so that I can figure out what other problems I am going to run into with this idea. I think the biggest problem will be snow getting between the outer glove and the inner. The other challenge will be coming up with a design that is tight enough to keep snow out, and loose enough to make getting in and out of them a snap.

 

Edited January 26, 2017 by queequeg

[SkoonyMcGroomer]

On ‎12‎/‎30‎/‎2016 at 5:20 PM, Mike T said:

The pigskin Kincos look brand new after two days of carving.    That's a first for me. 

Just picked these up and will take them for a test drive tomorrow am. Will post an update on how they hold up.  I'm hoping that I'm not going to miss the built-in wrist braces of my poorly constructed Dakine gloves that are held together with black silicone.

 

[OhD]

Level Half Pipe gloves with seat belt webbing glued to the palm and urethane sealant on the fingertips have lasted me for 6 years, I think. Getting a bit raggedy and velcro is dying for second time so I just bought two more pair. I like the wrist guards, they are pretty warm, and reasonably water resistant.

[Mike T]

Kinkos Are holding up really well after 30 days on snow.    I bought another pair but don't think I'll need 'em anytime soon. 

[Corey]

I got a pair of Kinco mitts. Pretty durable, but I hate the lack of a gauntlet! My wrists are always wet. 

Seeing how durable the Plasti-Dip is on my hip/knees, I was wondering if a cheaper nylon glove/mitt would last if sprayed with that stuff first. I suspect that knees/hips don't see the pressure than hands do, but I'm going to try. 

[*Ace*]

Thor Snow Raider just came out with an updated glove with some nice improvements.  Still no mitt available though...

Check it out!

http://www.texashuntingnews.com/THOR.htm

[lafcadio]

23 hours ago, *Ace* said:

Thor Snow Raider just came out with an updated glove with some nice improvements.  Still no mitt available though...

Check it out!

http://www.texashuntingnews.com/THOR.htm

Looks like some some very nice and needed improvements over the original design.  I may bite.

I really wish the velcro strap was replaced with a draw string.  The velcro becomes useless once it comes in contact with snow.

[queequeg]

I've still got all of that superfabric in my closet. If my schedule ever clears up I hope to spend some time working something up with it :/

[Mike T]

Kincos still going strong despite the springtime super-abrasive frozen cord.   Just for fun, I took an old pair of gloves that I didn't care about out and literally had them falling apart within a run.   I may never wear anything but the Kincos when carving again. 

[lafcadio]

On 4/1/2017 at 10:01 AM, *Ace* said:

Thor Snow Raider just came out with an updated glove with some nice improvements.  Still no mitt available though...

Check it out!

http://www.texashuntingnews.com/THOR.htm

Ace, when did you get the new Snow Raider model? 

I placed an order back in April shortly after finding out about them.  I still haven't received them. 

After sending an email inquiring about delivery, I received this disappointing reply:

Quote

HELLO, 

I will send your money back.

I am ending the Snow Raider glove project. 

Thank you, 

JOHN

That's really too bad.  I was looking forward to the improvements. 

Edited May 14, 2017 by lafcadio

[Eric Brammer aka PSR]

Looking at those Kinco's, I'd Sk8 Downhill with those, once the cuffs were trimmed. Tarmac is much more brutal than most snow (there are exceptions, in both cases!) on friction wear, so, if the Kinco's are holding together, and staying warm-ish/dry-ish, they are a Winner! My very old 'Cold Earth' gloves survived 3 seasons of irregular use, but were what I used to learn how to get my hip/knees onto the snow in the early-mid 90's (and, back then, the quiver was crazy; Nitro EFT asym, the 1st Madds, Barfoot Ravive,Nirtro Diablo, Hot Asym,Rad-Air Soul,Burton 205/M-8, well, you get it, odd stuff), but when i took them out two seasons back, they exploded. What I think is needed is Cold Earth's warmth and overall durability, mixed with some stitching/leather from Kinco, and maybe, some drag-influenced input from the Sk8 Longboard slider-glove makers.  My 2+5 cents, all royalties get put into my kids education fund asap...(well, they did make national Honor Roll Society, but Trump hates Education, so, a hedge.?.)  .

[*Ace*]

I never placed an order for the new model.  

I am still rocking a pair from like 2 or 3 years ago that are still in great shape.  

I am such a a fan of the glove that I had to immediately post the news when I heard the new model release.  That is a bummer to hear about the downfall of the project.

 

Edited May 15, 2017 by *Ace*

[Smilin'Dave]

Only allowed to buy one pair. Wtf? 

http://www.greatecshop.top/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2269