I started off just wanting a pair of gloves that was waterproof but having asked both online and highstreet retailers for recommendations I haven't had any sensible replies.

At Summitreks in Grasmere it was suggested I use rubber washing up gloves as a liner or use Nikwax TX-Direct.

www.wiggle.co.uk replied "unfortunately it is difficult to recommend a single glove. Your best bet would be look online for product reviews or walking forums"

Excellent sales prevention, not only do they not know about the stuff they sell but they can't be bothered making any effort to earn the huge margin they make on overpriced outdoor gear. At least they bothered to reply which is more than can be said for wildday.com and Jackson-Sports.com

Even the famous Richard Gear hasn't replied but if his Glove Buying Guide is anything to go by I wouldn't expect anything too definitive.

In these days of Trading Standards and Consumer Rights if something says it is windproof and waterproof then it can't be unreasonable to expect that it keeps out the wind and rain. My experience and that of others is that waterproof doesn't cope with being on the hills in the rain, I have a bee in my bonnet about this now and I am ready to challenge the waterproof claims of a glove by returning it to who I buy it from until I get something that really is waterproof.

or is it just me?

I've had problems with gloves that claimed to be wind and waterproof, but left me with frozen, soaking hands feeling miserable all day.

I now use Buffalo mitts and all my cold hand problems are a thing of the past :)

seal-skinz gloves work for me every time.

second the seal skinz, if their socks are anything to go by.

I wear thin polyester fleece gloves. They're neither wind nor waterproof, but they take the bite out of a cold winter wind, and when they get wet, I can just scrunch them up while wearing them and get rid of the excess water. I've tried alleged wind and waterproof gloves in the past and either found they suffered from excessive condensation, or had to be elbow-length to stop water pouring into them from the sleeves of my waterproofs. I've even had ice form inside such gloves in really cold weather.

I wore my sealsinz on monday whilst wandering the Local moors during the snow fall.
What pieces of crap these gloves are very sweaty and not very warm, the stretch fit actually forces the blood from your digits.
At lunch I stuffed them in my sack and got out my buffalo mitts, I forgot how good and no frills these are, marvelous.
If it had been raining I would have shelled them with these. http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/extremities/gloves.shtml#tb
Tuff Bags.

Well, strangely enough, I have in extreme weather worn an ordinary pair of berghaus light gloves and put a pair of large, loose fitting rubber agricultural gloves over the top, the type you can buy from such outlets and most of the larger DIY stores. I use these for caving. They are a bit like "Marigolds" but black and a heavier duty rubber.

Obviously, they are not "breathable," but on the odd occasions that I have done this I have had no problems with cold wet or "seating" hands.

Another alternative I sometimes use is to wear a pair of surgical gloves under my normal gloves which also works well.

Other than these "quirky" remedies, are there really such things as fully waterproof gloves ??

cold, wet or "SWEATING" hands. even !!!

:-(

I have a pair of DW Summit things which look the part. In dry cold weather they're fine. When it rains they are hopeless. Worse, when I take my hands out them the liner comes out of the shell and with wet hands is almost impossible to put back. Ghastly things and a waste of £20. I have a pair of Sealskinz which have yet to be used in anger. I have tried thin fleece goves and they are waterprrof if used inside a pair a Marigolds but then I have problems trying to use fine skills. For years I had a pair of skiing gloves which were Goretex lined. They weren't waterproof but as soon as the water got too much they could be squeezed out. Even soaked my hands stayed warm (bit like Paddy's experience). However, if I took them off with wet hands I could not get them back on. I reckon (if the Sealskinz don't work) that a thin fleece glove and a decent waterproof mitt might be the answer. I have read good reports about Dachstein mitts but don't know if they're waterproof. The Buffalo mitts sound like a similar sort of solution.

I should add that the combination of agricultural gloves and inner fleece that I have used is also hopeless for "fine skills, but I use a pair of LARGE loose fitting agricultural gloves which come off easily enough leaving the thin fleece gloves for easier dexterity.

They are then quite simple to put back on and are longer than the average marigolds so tuck well under the sleeves of my jacket!

I have been using Sealskinz recently and altough they have kept my hands dry they have not kept them warm, I have started wearing a thin pair of fleece liners under them which has helped a little.

Buffalo mitts are at present on the xmas wish list (try anything once)

I also have a pair of Buffalo mitts. They are not waterproof but they keep the hands wonderfully warm, wet or dry.
I usually start off with a thin knitted woolen pair (like granny used to knit) then when the cold starts to bite I slip on my Buffs and hey presto! Instant warmth.
You will have to take a size bigger than normal though as they are quite a snug fit and they are a bwga to get on over naked wet hands.

Forget the sealskinz. I have just wasted £25 on some. Ever since this purchase, when wearing them, my hands have been cold in cold weather and wet (albeit eventually) in wet weather. I am now looking to buy a pair of silk liners to take the edge off the cold but the total price this then leads to makes me mad when I consider the claims that are made of these gloves

Would just like to point out that the silk liners are in fact gloves rather than any sort of outdoor lingerie!

Sealskinz gloves are completely useless. The socks work, the gloves don't.

I'm very disappointed with sealskinz too.

They're cold, and stop your circulation. Worn with thinnies they're excruciatingly tight and I end up with no feeling in my fingers at all. :(

Exum Ridge gloves from Marmot over a pair of Extremities liners is wgat I use for most stuff in cooler amd wetter times, they're leather and schoeller outers with membrain and driclime inners, so waterproof with a bit of heat. If it gets really cols I'm on with the Marmot work gloves, similar to Exums but with a primaloft lining, very warm and dextrous too.
If it's warmer and wet I wear a pair of Outdoor Designs lightly liner shells over my liners.
I always keep my liners on so outer gloves slip on and off easier and so in winter I don't expose my fingers to the chill while wrestling with a rucksac pockets' contents.
Also, moisture in a waterproof glove? that'll be sweaty hands then.

Andy - not read all the replies so apologies if this has already been covered.

A glove thats going to keep your hands completely dry in mountain conditions has yet to be invented. Even with rubber washing up gloves they're going to get wet from sweat.
You'll be better off finding a glove system that keeps your hands as dry as possible for your chosen activity - and is still comfortable when wet (relatively speaking).

In winter I carry several pairs of gloves, including thin liners, thicker windproof fleece gloves, heavier "waterproof" gloves and a pair of insulated mitts for when my hands get really cold. I also carry a pair of Dachsteins in my pack for emergencies most of the time.

Have a shufty at this article by andy Kirkpatrick...

http://www.psychovertical.com/?truegloves

Cheers.

Si

It's interesting to read about people's experiences with Sealskinz. I've got the socks and like them, but I couldn't see how gloves made from a similar material would ever keep my hands warm. I'm glad I didn't get them now.

I have tried "Serious" waterproof gloves - not waterproof, Trek-Mates GTX/primaloft - waterproof, but not warm enough for winter and Outdoor Designs Summitmitts - quite warm, but not quite waterproof. I prefer the latter.

The inner mitts easily fall out when they get wet, since losing one (muppet) I have used ordinary thinsulate gloves inside the mitt shells, which is a decent combination of dexterity (without the shells) and warmth - (with the shells).