Backside Line
The REI Fleece Glove (males’s / girls’s) is a standout amongst our greatest winter gloves for its breathability and flexibility for winter sports activities and actions. Its mid-weight fleece insulation offers sufficient heat for reasonably chilly temperatures and is ideal for cardio outings. We cherished backcountry ice skating, cross-country snowboarding, and winter mountain climbing on this glove in temperatures within the twenties.
Whereas not waterproof, the REI Fleece is superb for outings the place it’s essential to prioritize breathability over climate resistance. The fleece can withhold mild snow and ice, however shortly turns into wetted via in rain. We used these most on energetic outings the place we weren’t planning to be in inclement climate or having our arms within the snow typically.
At an attainable value level, the REI Fleece is a superb possibility for these new to winter outings, or for somebody who wants an informal insulating layer to maintain of their glove field. Its easy but well-thought-out design is dextrous and comfy for all-day use, and we love the touchscreen pads for his or her sturdiness and ease of use.
How We Examined
Out in Alaska’s entrance vary, our resident CleverHiker gear guru, Miles Knotek, put the Smartwool Liner via its paces in managed lab checks and on the paths. He dunked these fleece gloves underwater for 4 strong minutes to see how lengthy they’d maintain moisture at bay. However the actual proving floor was taking these gloves on adventures in variable winter situations.
Fast Specs
REI Fleece Gloves
Snug Fleece Gloves
CleverHiker Ranking:
4.3/5.0
Value:
$35
Weight:
2.5 oz.
Materials:
Polartec recycled fleece
Contact Display Appropriate:
Sure
Area of interest:
Light-weight
Professionals
- Inexpensive
- Heat for liner
- Breathable
- Good dexterity
- Light-weight
- Packable
Cons
- Not wind/waterproof
- Not as sturdy as some
Consolation & Dexterity
We cherished the REI Fleece glove’s mixture of heat and suppleness. We regularly grabbed them throughout shoulder seasons once we weren’t certain if the temperatures had been going to zap our fingers of their pure heat.
Crafted from comfortable, midweight fleece, the material feels plush towards the pores and skin, enhancing consolation throughout prolonged put on.
A comfortable, ergonomic design offers an in depth match, so we didn’t really feel a lot discount in our potential to make use of our digits. We used these gloves to grip trekking poles, alter zippers, and use touchscreens they usually by no means felt overly cumbersome or cumbersome. Bolstered palm patches add sturdiness and enhance grip. General, these are a pair value packing on most outings.
The gloves additionally characteristic stretchy cuffs, which seal out drafts whereas guaranteeing straightforward on-and-off put on. Light-weight and compact, they match seamlessly into your pack when not in use. With their steadiness of consolation, heat, and mobility, the REI fleece gloves are a dependable alternative for anybody who values practicality and efficiency.
Heat
The Polartec fleece materials offers wonderful thermal insulation whereas remaining breathable, stopping overheating throughout exercise. We discovered that these gloves work greatest right down to twenty levels. They excel as a cooler climate glove to put on throughout cardio exercise.
Whereas not designed for excessive chilly, these gloves work nicely on their very own for on a regular basis use or as liners beneath heavier gloves in colder temperatures. Additionally they are a fantastic possibility for a three-season glove for cooler spring or fall days.
Light-weight and moveable, they’re straightforward to throw in a pack as a lighter possibility or emergency layer.
Moisture Management
The REI fleece gloves have wonderful breathability, making them perfect for energetic pursuits in cooler climate. The midweight fleece permits air to flow into, stopping arms from feeling overly heat or clammy throughout exertion.
The Polartec material wicks sweat away from the pores and skin and permits moisture to evaporate quickly. As you most likely know, gear that will get heat and moist shortly turns into chilly and frozen throughout winter actions, so it’s good that these will dry whilst you’re carrying them for those who do get sweaty.
Climate Resistance
The REI fleece gloves will not be those to take out for lengthy outings within the rain or snow. The fleece materials repels mild moisture, similar to drizzle or frost, and retains our arms dry in mildly damp climate.
Nonetheless, they don’t seem to be totally waterproof and can take up water shortly in heavy rain or snow. On a day spent backcountry ice skating in Alaska, the fleece materials attracted frost and snow to the outer fibers. Whereas this didn’t instantly trigger the gloves to moist via, they finally did when physique heat prompted the ice to soften. Throughout our immersion take a look at, they wetted via instantly.
These gloves carry out greatest in delicate climate or as a liner beneath extra sturdy gloves for harsher situations. Light-weight and versatile, they adapt nicely to numerous actions with out sacrificing consolation. Whereas they received’t substitute heavy-duty gear for excessive climate, the REI fleece gloves present dependable safety towards on a regular basis parts.
Sturdiness
The REI Fleece Gloves are reasonably sturdy. They’re robust sufficient for on a regular basis put on and outside actions however will not be our first alternative for working in or for actions with heavy contact with vegetation or rocks. The Polartec fleece has resisted piling however exhibits indicators of matting and packing out within the fingers.
Bolstered artificial suede palm patches improve power in high-contact areas, stopping untimely fraying or tearing. The debossed leather-based pull tabs on the cuff are a fantastic characteristic for hassle-free pull-on/off and add a component of sturdiness to the gloves.
Whereas not designed for heavy-duty use, these gloves deal with common put on and lightweight abuse successfully.
Ought to You Purchase the REI Fleece Gloves?
We expect everybody ought to have a packable, light-weight glove just like the REI Fleece Gloves. They’ll be the “simply in case” pair to maintain your arms heat throughout cool climate stints, whether or not on a path or working round city.
Their excessive degree of breathability makes them a wonderful alternative for high-output winter actions like working or cross-country snowboarding. Whereas they lack any sort of resistance to rain and moist climate, they’re most suited to dry winter environments.
Their midweight Polartec fleece is heat for reasonably chilly temperatures right down to about twenty levels. Fairly priced and light-weight, the REI Fleece Gloves are a fantastic one to throw within the backside of your pack or your glove field as a backpack-up pair of gloves that may excel in quite a lot of situations and settings.
What Different Winter Gloves Ought to You Take into account?
Try our full information to winter gloves.
Out of doors Analysis Flurry Sensor Evaluate: With an analogous building and really feel to the Fleece, the Flurry is one other nice mid-weight possibility.
Smartwool Liner Evaluate: A real liner, the Smartwool provides light-weight heat for beneath shells or as a stand-alone layer on delicate days.
REI Information Insulated Evaluate: In case you’re on the lookout for a barely hotter glove with the efficiency of leather-based, the Information is a superb possibility whereas remaining inexpensive.