The following review by trail runner Sarah Barber features GORE® WINDSTOPPER® Thermo Gloves. The gear was provided at no cost for the test and review.
Frigid temperatures challenge our extremities more than any other body part, and yet we rely heavily on them for outdoor activity. Our feet pound the earth while our hands manage everything else. It stands to reason that keeping our hands warm and dry is non-negotiable if their function is to remain intact.
There are two types of people in this world: mitten people and glove people.
Gloves or mittens
Glove people value manual dexterity. Each finger and thumb is housed in its own private winter dwelling, allowing for independent operation and thermoregulation. For tying a knot, signing an autograph, or communicating with aggressive drivers using hand signals, only gloves can get the job done. Mittens, on the other hand, keep the digits huddled together like front-row fans at a concert, forcing collaboration on tasks and collective effort towards warmth. Thumbs have the option to join the finger crowd, and if things get really bad, all of them can curl up into a ball and hope to be indoors soon.
Me? I’m solidly in the mitten camp. Whether I have deep veins, poor circulation, or undiagnosed Reynaud’s disease, my hands are typically the coldest part of my body regardless of the season. Sweat might be dripping off my forehead, and I might strip down to a just a sports bra on top, but my mittens are the last layer I remove.
However, I’ve always wanted to be a glove person. What was it like to deftly unzip a jacket or blow a one-nostril snot rocket while keeping one’s hands warmly ensconced? In the interest of finding out, I leapt at an opportunity to try the GORE® WINDSTOPPER® Thermo Gloves by GOREWEAR. Designed more for the wind chill of cycling or Nordic skiing than the huff-and-puff of trail running, I figured that if any glove would keep my hands warm, this had to be it.
Features of Thermo Gloves
Water resistant and windproof, yet still breathable, the Thermo Gloves were prepared to make my palms sweat—and I hoped they would! I hoped my hands would be burning up, tempting me to remove that soft brushed polyester fabric and feel its velvet touch against my cheek. But assuming I kept the gloves on, the extra absorbent thumb panel was crafted for the specific purpose of wiping perspiration off the wearer’s forehead.
As my window into the world of glove-wearing became wider and wider, I learned that not only could I now communicate with hand gestures, I might also be able to communicate via text messaging! The Thermo Gloves come equipped with a specialized fingertip and thumbtip intended to operate touchscreens. But as is the case with similar products, I was lucky to get a smooth scroll or swipe. Actual communication was going to require bare hands (or hand gestures).
For those using poles or riding bikes, the inner forehand is reinforced and lightly padded, promising both comfort and durability. Silicone strips grace the bases of fingers three, four and five to provide better grip—this is as important for clutching my dog’s leash as it is for a hand-held water bottle.
Sarah Barber on the trails testing GORE Windstopper Thermo Gloves.
Fancy features aside, though, insulation is still my first priority. Despite their slender profile, the Thermo Gloves are incredibly effective at blocking the elements, and glove people will undoubtedly love them. But in the words of Taylor Swift, “I’m the problem, it’s me.” When the outside temp is below freezing, my hands simply don’t stay warm enough in any gloves—not even the GORE® WINDSTOPPER® Thermo Gloves.
That being said, if the mitten supply runs out and gloves are my only option, these are the ones I want. You’ll have to pry them off of my icy cold frost-bitten hands.
