I've been using a pair of Rab's new vapour rise tour gloves for about a month now, to replace my old extremities windstopper things. I've only used them for cycling so far; a short commute.
The outer is fairly tightly woven pertex equilibrium, a slightly more windproof version of the fabric in my Montane Dyno. It doesn't disappoint, being acceptably windproof (you can feel a slight breeze at 25-30mph) and weatherproof (the factory DWR has kept out 20 minutes of heavy rain without problems). The inner is a thin slightly fleecy layer, just enough to feel comfy and provide a small amount of insulation.
Neither layer is stretchy, so you'd be well advised to check fit in person. They've got longer fingers than the extremities glove, which always felt like it was made for someone with paws and though they're two layer they don't feel any more bulky. The palm is very thin supple leather which seems nicely grippy and dextrous but won't hold up to much abuse. I've not yet tried to use it for, say, photography though so it isn't clear where the limits are. Doing up small zips with the gloves on is fiddly. The VR Tours have a velcro cuff rather than the drawcord and captive toggle of the extremities... I'd much prefer a drawcord, but velcro isn't the end of the world.
They're more comfy than the windstopper gloves when its a bit too warm (I don't carry a thermometer, but 'too warm' is somewhere over 10 degrees), as they breath significantly better. They're about the same at low temperatures though... I wouldn't want to wear either when the temperature reaches freezing level or below. Chilly fingers after a short ride in light wind at 1 degree this morning.
So, no complaints after a month. I much prefer them to the extremities windstopper gloves, but their long term durability and usefulness remains to be seen! I guess I'll have more to say come springtime.
Thanks for the review: sound good, and they shouldn't suffer from the Windstopper problem of taking on the order of eternity to dry if they do get soaked through.
For the next level I've been using (and liking) ME Randonee gloves, which have a Schoeller Dryskin outer with a pile inner, but still good enough dexterity to do up shoelaces.
I'll look in to a pair of the VRs for when it's a little warmer though, but still too cold for Powerstretch on its own.
The nicest things for me are that you can't feel any seams and that they're priced much closer to fleece gloves than say the thin powershield ones about.
If we're into their gloves think worth mentioning their backcountry gloves too. Still a soft shell outer with gentle stretch but much chunkier with a longer cuff (draw cord on these which, being used to velcro, I'm not totally sure about ), more leather palm and a thermal pro liner. Seams on the liner all pointing out of course so very comfortable that way.
Whats interesting is that the liner - velcro attachment points - is removable and there's actually a very thin liner inside so if they fit right you can wear them entirely sensible with no liner glove at all. Or as rather warm with the thermal pro liner in.
(well I get that much leeway, but it'll obviously take careful checking cf sizing and luck to make it work.).
Not sure if they're quite as naturally fitting as the Radonee's or if they'll hold up quite as well in rain, but some definite advantages too. Not actually sure who else, except Hestra, does similar.
I should probably have mentioned price... I got mine more £22.50 which seems like a bit of a steal. The alternatives I considered were some sort of windpro fleece glove (bit bulky by comparison, unlikely to be as weatherproof) and the extremities velo windstopper gloves, both of which were about the same price level and (to my mind) nowhere near as nice.
Didn't know the backcountry gloves had a removable liner... that's an interesting one. I'm wondering about some colder weather gloves to go between my hefty primaloft'n'goretex ski gloves and my lightweight VR gloves. I'd prefer gloves with removable liners for their versatility and ease of drying, but it seems a bit unusual in lighter weight gloves.
I know you can get a stretchy version of pertex equilibrium, but the shell of the VR tours doesn't use it. The stretch is basically insignificant
Well its certainly only gentle stretch, but definetly present and suspect it does help a bit. A lot of stretch soft shell fabrics do only seem to do it a little and then in certain directions.
Interesting to read your review Serriadh. I got a pair of these a while ago (also paid around £22) but haven't worn them in anger yet. A couple of the points you made struck me in particular.
First was that you wonder about the durability of the leather palms. I'd certainly be hoping they'll be robust. It's Pittard leather. For the past two years I've been wearing effectively a MYO version of the VR concept by using a Marmot Driclime liner inside a Pearl Izumi Pittard leather cycling glove. Thats been for winter walking, camping, cycling, ski touring and downhill, and they're showing no sign of wear. I'm certainly hoping the VR's leather will last just as well.
And the other point, which probably just goes to show the differences between individuals, is that you see these as an above freezing glove. I carry Buffalo mitts as my backstop but have only worn them a couple of times in place of my combo arrangement in the last couple of winters, and that's been at temperatures below -10. Given that the VRs are more windproof on the rear than my somewhat open weave cycling gloves, I'd certainly hope that they'll perform in similar temperatures.
Anyway, hopefully I'll meet some conditions to try mine properly over the holiday period - if I do I'll report back.
IMHO these are the only tests worth doing. I want gloves that will slip onto my hands even when they're damp. Anything that doesn't is unfit for purpose!
IMHO these are the only tests worth doing. I want gloves that will slip onto my hands even when they're damp. Anything that doesn't is unfit for purpose!
I used my Extremities windstopper gloves for over a year in wind, rain and snow, cycling, skiing, walking and doing photography in cold, windy conditions. I did not at any point need to put them onto my hands when my hands were wet.
I expect the VR Tours to serve me every bit as well, if not better... and yet they still might not fall under your definition of 'fit for purpose'. Funny things, generalisations
Well the liner is a little bit loose in the glove and will grip so don't think they'd work with liner gloves underneath. Not that they're actually meant to either (from the sizing etc.). Think if you're planning on putting them on/taking them off on a really frequent basis then you'd do better with powershield things say.
(Powershield gloves probably a better that way.).
Not that I can especially see why you would do that as (if they fit!) there really isn't an awful lot you couldn't do while wearing them. But then I have a real tendency to just stick Randonee's on in winter and keep them on the whole way.....
And the other point, which probably just goes to show the differences between individuals, is that you see these as an above freezing glove.
So, to add a little more to the review, I used these last weekend during a 2-day skiing course in an indoor ski slope of the sort that's built like a giant freezer. I would guess the ambient temperatures inside were -5ish.
They were a little chilly when static, but just fine when even a little bit active... from this, I'm assuming that when I'm cycling I'm clutching the handlebars with an icy death grip in anticipation of being crushed beneath the wheels of the local bike-hating psychopathic road users, which would inhibit blood flow and warmth somewhat.
draw cord on these which, being used to velcro, I'm not totally sure about
Snow that caught in the fluffy part of the velcro was partially melted by my body heat, and ended up forming blobs of ice which were difficult to remove. Elastic and drawcord glove wrists would not have had this problem.
So, final part of the review... I've just spent a week ski touring around Chamonix, and the VR tours got used whenever it was too warm to use my big primalofty gauntlets, which ended up being most of the time.
Temperatures when worn were probably not below -5 to -10 degrees, generally in warm sun and still air or a light breeze. The palms have proven to be pretty darn tough, so my earlier misgivings were clearly unfounded. The uppers haven't faired quite so well. There's a thin, soft material coating over the thumbs that's come off worst, with a cut from a ski edge, but its a superficial layer with more fabric underneath (presumably pertex equilibrium) which has remained intact. The rest of the upper fabric (pertex equilibrium) is looking a little bit fuzzy and pilled in places, though I can't say whether this is from wear from the ski pole loops or from wiping out on hard, icy slopes.
The gloves remained comfy when wet, and dried quickly enough in the sun. This is good, because they inevitably did get wet, either from being covered in softer snow if I fell over or or picked up buried gear, or from sweating when I was working hard. Weirdly, the little fingers fit much less well when the glove was damp, and putting it back on required a bit of extra wiggling. The liner remains well attached to the outer. I had no issues with comfort at all; no dodgy seams, no poor grip. They were quite dextrous enough for my needs, though fine manipulation with the finger tips is tricky as you'd expect.
Quite how durable they'd be for this purpose in the long term is unclear. I could well imagine that after 3 weeks of fairly hard activity they'd start to look a bit battered, but to be fair I'd expect most lightweight gloves to look a little the worse for wear given the same. As walking and cycling gloves, when they don't suffer much wear and tear they're great, but for more hands-on activities you might consider looking at more robust materials. I've no suggestions there, yet
