Gear Often Overlooked by Hikers—A Brief Discussion on Choosing Outdoor Gloves

In outdoor activities, a pair of well-suited outdoor gloves plays a crucial role in the wilderness crossing and climbing activities of hikers, especially with the arrival of winter. In cold weather, the warmth and comfort of the hands directly affect overall comfort. For those hikers who don’t hibernate, a pair of waterproof, breathable gloves with strong grip on the palms, flexible fingers, and excellent warmth is especially needed.

According to medical information, two-thirds of the sweat glands in the human body are located in the palms of the hands. This shows that the hands are the part of the body most prone to sweating. In outdoor activities such as forest crossing, wild climbing, and skiing, the hands are often used to grip trekking poles, climb through forests and rocks, and hold ski poles. This causes the hands to sweat a lot, making the palms slippery and reducing the ability to grip. This, in turn, can directly affect the safety of outdoor activities. Below, I’ll briefly discuss how to choose a pair of ideal outdoor gloves.

1. Material of Good Outdoor Gloves: The fabric should be made from GORE-TEX waterproof and breathable material, offering water resistance and breathability to keep the inside of the gloves dry at all times. The inner lining should be made of soft, breathable, and warm fleece material, treated to be anti-pilling. Additionally, the fabric should have strong tear resistance.
2. Palm Design: The palm should be fully lined with slip-resistant and durable materials like slip-resistant rubber particles or genuine leather to increase friction and grip. The gloves should be flexible and snug around the hands, allowing the fingers to move freely and enhancing grip. The finger bending areas should use fabric that conforms to the ergonomic design of the hand, improving finger flexibility and providing breathability.
3. Wrist Design: The gloves should feature an elastic tightening design around the wrist and use a professional waterproof zipper (for gloves with zippers). The wrist area should also be extended to prevent foreign objects or snow from entering the gloves, enhancing the windproof and warmth retention properties.
4. Design Features for Outdoor Use: The gloves should include a strap and a hanging cord at the cuff to facilitate putting on and taking off, and to reduce the chances of losing the gloves.

In actual outdoor activities, gloves that are too thick are not conducive to movement and make it difficult for hikers to operate cameras. Gloves that are too thin, on the other hand, don’t provide enough warmth. Personally, I’ve purchased and used a pair of double-layer waterproof and warm gloves. The design is similar to a jacket with removable fleece lining, allowing the inner fleece gloves to be taken out and worn separately. This design is very convenient and comfortable, suitable for use in all seasons and different environments. Since cotton fibers have a low drying rate, pure cotton gloves are not suitable for outdoor activities. Additionally, the glove material should also have some heat resistance to prevent them from burning when handling cooking utensils or stoves while preparing meals during hiking.

Above is my personal understanding and experience with choosing outdoor gloves. I hope everyone can choose a pair of gloves that are easy to carry, slip-resistant, durable, waterproof, breathable, and warm, to better protect their hands during outdoor activities.