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Arc'teryx 'New Standard' For Gloves

New autumn 2010 gloves are designed for ultimate dexterity and fast drying.


Posted: 26 February 2010
by Jon

Canadian brand Arc'teryx has been behind quite a few cutting edge developments in outdoor kit and for autumn 2010 they've turned their attention to gloves creating what they say is 'a new standard for fit, function and thermal comfort'. The aim is greater dexterity along with faster moving.

The new range of mitts and gloves uses something called Tri-Dex Technology along with Gore-Tex textiles and advanced shaping. Arc'teryx says that the advanced construction process 'employs complex three-lobed patterns, where each finger is individually patterned to replicate its unique shape and direction of articulation.'

There's no seam on the finger tips and each finger has just a single taped seam to reduce bulk.

Arcteryx Alpha SV Glove

Or in simple terms, the gloves are articulated to fit your finger so they match your digital anatomy and feel comfortable and natural either moving or at rest.

The two flagship models are the Alpha SV Glove and Alpha SV Mitt, which use fully-taped Gore-Tex Pro Shell technology for waterproofing. Both have removable fleece liners which are made using the same Tri-Dex patterning and have microseam construction to reduce constricting bulk in the fingers and improve dexterity - removable inners dry much faster too, which is ideal for multi-day trips. Palms are made from Lezanova leather for durability and grip.

Interesting stuff, an awful lot of mountain gloves seem to be designed almost as an afterthought to main clothing ranges with quite basic finger articulation, so it'll be fascinating to see if the Arc'Teryx approach gives a significant advantage in use - technically, for example, you should be able to ice climb, tie knots and place screws without taking your gloves off, but many current models are so bulky and awkward that it's hard to do.

The new Arc'Teryx gloves will be available in late summer / early autumn 2010. They even have their own web site at gloves.arcteryx.com. More general information at www.arcteryx.com.

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I think they mean "to match a typical digital anatomy"...

Not that that's a bad thing, but let's not get carried away thinking that though my wife and I usually take the same glove size our different shapes of hand will be perfectly reconciled with Arc'teryx gloves!

Pete.


Posted: 26/02/2010 15:49

I hate overpriced and overengineered gear and marketing shite. HOWEVER...

These look like art. Am impressed. Really impressed. £100+ I'd reckon and for once probably deserving.  Well done Arc'Teryx


Posted: 26/02/2010 21:43

As someone who has tried these gloves - they are a whole step change above anything else I have tried as outdoor gloves. The close feeling, but with decent padding & insulation, they are above what is offered already on the market. The ease of taking the gloves on & off, plus secure fit when in place is in excess of what I have experienced in all glove systems (except for washing-up gloves, but they have no insulation & little durability). the system has been built in mind that the inners can be easily changed when wet for a dryer pair. The price is very high - but you need someone to push the envelope of design


Posted: 27/02/2010 08:31

I have to admit, I'm kind of fascinated by these. In theory, for example, when climbing ice, you should be able to do pretty much everything with your gloves on, all of which is fine in theory, but most winter gloves are simply too clumsy and bulky to make that feasible, so you end up, at some point, with gloves dangling awkwardly from your wrists and so on. Not good...

Arc'teryx have always been at the bleeding edge of outdoor clothing and equipment design - a lot of the stuff we now take for granted on clothing started life on a Canadian designer's notepad.

Climbing in washing-up gloves sucks, but it's been done. Stevie Haston, I seem to remember, on the crux of some mixed horror


Posted: 27/02/2010 09:36

I've been very impressed with the ME Randonees for dexterity.  Shoelaces done peroperly is quite possible, as is getting a key out of my pocket, locking the bike and getting it back on the D-ring.  But I don't think they'd be enough for a wet winter climb as regards keeping my hands sufficiently warm.

The Arcs do look very good, I especially like the idea of the seam reduction around the fingertips.  My bijou-gripelet is the way marketing about anatomical design always assumes because they've modelled it on someone than it must be equally perfectly matched to me.  And that's a gripe about the marketing, not the product.

Pete.


Posted: 27/02/2010 11:02

Yeah, these gloves look ace. I've used a lot of glove/mitt combinations and thought I had it sorted until I started ice climbing. Then you really do have trouble, because, as Jon says, you have to do everything with gloves on. Liner gloves aren't really an option because then you'll get hot aches!

I've used nitrile gloves as liners before as they are super-dextrous and waterproof. They are awful. Haston is a nutter, so I'm not surprised he's tried it.

I've tried recently to get hold of a pair of cut-proof gloves that we use at work. They allow excellent dexterity and are completely ice-axe proof but their downfall is breathability.


Posted: 27/02/2010 20:14

They do look nice.

I can't help wondering how anyone managed to get up anything before the advent of hundred poond plus ultimate dexterity GLXi gloves, though....


Posted: 27/02/2010 21:08

Se@n wrote (see)

They do look nice.

I can't help wondering how anyone managed to get up anything before the advent of hundred poond plus ultimate dexterity GLXi gloves, though....


Dachstein Mitts.
Posted: 27/02/2010 21:21

Nonsense, Mike. Not possible
Posted: 27/02/2010 21:25

I've got a pair that must be over 20 years old. There probably hasn't really been anything better for winter climbing that will last more than 1/2 a season. Horribly itchy though.
Posted: 27/02/2010 21:29

Mike fae Dundee wrote (see)
Dachstein Mitts.
+1
Posted: 03/03/2010 14:11

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