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I'm looking for gloves and having a hard time deciding what to get. Can someone give me any suggestions? Do I want two pair? What features do I look for? Brands? Thanks for the help.

Two pair OR, two fleece liners and a shell glove.

Basically, you need something for when you get stuck in a sudden snowstorm. They don't need to be super warm, they do need to be dry. Gore Tex helps, OutDry is way better, but two gloves is the safest strategy.

I've spewed about the MH Medusa and Hydra before - you can't go wrong with them.

2 pair are always the way to go on a big mountains no matter what. I even carry 2 pair for small mountain hikes in the winter. They are light and small, and who wants cold hands!

I agree with autoxfil; you need something that will accommodate everything from warm and sunny to blizzard-like conditions. I use a polyester liner glove, a fleece mitten, and a dry shell (goretex or like...). You'll find you can use them in different variations and always be comfortable. Good luck.

Loki jacket with windstopper glove liners

I bring two pair: a pair of cheap, lightweight poly pro gloves, and a Primaloft insulated glove with a W/B shell. Instead of Primaloft gloves you could do a heavish fleece with a Gore-Tex shell.

My standard cascade fare includes 2 pairs of the Black Diamond Powerstretch gloves, and one pair of gore tex shell gloves. If I am doing Rainier in winter I bring along my BD mercury Mitts.

I cannot recommend the BD powerstretch gloves enough. Fantastic.

zeroforhire wrote:My standard cascade fare includes 2 pairs of the Black Diamond Powerstretch gloves, and one pair of gore tex shell gloves. If I am doing Rainier in winter I bring along my BD mercury Mitts.

I cannot recommend the BD powerstretch gloves enough. Fantastic.

Which model PS gloves? Thanks.

Jim Thomas

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm looking hard at the MH Hydra or Epic. I like the what OutDry system offers. What about needing to belay? Will goatskin leather hold up well while working ropes?

zeroforhire wrote:
I cannot recommend the BD powerstretch gloves enough. Fantastic.

I like them too. The problem I have is that they never seem to last me more than one season. I have blown seams, ripped fingertips, and one time I put them on, the entire thumb just ripped off.

But they are nice when they are new.

The leather on mine seems very tough.

If you want your liner gloves to last more than one season consider a coating of seam seal or freesole on the finger tips. Really helps keep velcro and other abrasive items from wearing through the thin material. I have found this at least doubles the number of days I get out of a pair of liners.

As for powerstretch I like this material for daytrips/in-bounds boarding. But for any multi-day endeavors I opt for something like the Seirus Hyperlite, which I still coat the tips to aid their utility life. YMMV

Ok I've gotten the MH Epic glove as my light weight glove and deceided to get the MH Medusa glove as my SHTF glove. Problem is I can't find them anywhere in a large. Every site I go to does not have that size. I did see the MH Hydra in a large but I would rather get the Medusa if I can. Anybody know who has my size in stock? Thanks in advance.