What ski/snowboarding gloves?

[apeo]

Going boarding this season and I need to get a new pair of gloves, would appreciate some advise as to gloves to consider.

[Iain.Faulkner]

I've got a pair a bit like these (from a few years ago)....

 

SPYDER Crucial Gore-Tex Ski Gloves - Men's Black Large - The Ski Shop UK

 

They're my second pair of Spyder gloves.....no they aren't the cheapest, but they've very very warm and flexible.

[Domino]

David Thorne recommends the 'alarmed squid' squishmittens Function 4 Sports. Free Burton snowboard with Ride boot and bindings. (warning, naughty language)

[apeo]

Thanks for the advise.

 

@Iain.Faulkner purdy, will check them out at snow and rock.

 

@Domino link blocked by lea

[sonofsanta]

David Thorne recommends the 'alarmed squid' squishmittens Function 4 Sports. Free Burton snowboard with Ride boot and bindings. (warning, naughty language)

 

That was a much more amusing way to spend 15 minutes at this point in the term than work was. Thanks!

[AMLinington]

What level are you? Do you need/want to spend a lot of money on them when they are likely to be shredded by the rope pulls? I'm a level 3 ski-er and I have a £20 pair of Salomon gloves and they are great - they keep my hands warm and have a fake-leathery grip. Job done. Nothing special. If you're really advanced you might want something expensive, but for an average ski-er/boarder that goes one or twice a year I don't think it's worth having pricy gloves as they get more use scraping ice off the car than they do on-piste.

[Iain.Faulkner]

I take it back, it's actually these I've got in Black with White detail

 

Overweb Gore Tex® | Men's Accessories | Products | Spyder

 

they are stupidly expensive, but brilliant quality.

[apeo]

Still learning to board to be fair, and this will be my 3rd season boarding. Gloves I had were cheapo £20 ones I had for years (used for skiing) and my board shredded them last season.

 

@Iain.Faulkner they dont even seem to sell them online from the site.

[Domino]

That was a much more amusing way to spend 15 minutes at this point in the term than work was. Thanks!

 

I can highly recommend the rest of the site (and his books too :-) )

[Iain.Faulkner]

Buy Mens Over Web Gore-Tex Gloves by Spyder

[apeo]

Buy Mens Over Web Gore-Tex Gloves by Spyder

 

Nice, and cheaper

 

@Domino: Now I'm really curious about that site, will have to check it out on my phone.

[AMLinington]

I saw a boarder the other year with leather hand-chaps (thats the best way I can describe them) that was basically a chunk of leather that hooked over the palm and stopped the shredded gloves issue. No idea what it was called or how to get one, but it seems like a genius idea as you unhook it off your fingers when you want the use the grip on your gloves. It might have been bespoke but either way it'd solve the issue. Edited January 8, 2013 by AMLinington

[sonofsanta]

I can highly recommend the rest of the site (and his books too :-) )

 

Well that's my week's productivity down the gutter, then.

[apeo]

I saw a boarder the other year with leather hand-chaps (thats the best way I can describe them) that was basically a chunk of leather that hooked over the palm and stopped the shredded gloves issue. No idea what it was called or how to get one, but it seems like a genius idea as you unhook it off your fingers when you want the use the grip on your gloves. It might have been bespoke but either way it'd solve the issue.

 

LOL sounds funny but I can see how it could be useful.

[Andrew_C]

I'm a level 3 ski-er

What's one of them then? Never heard of "level" grading; is it peculiar to one country? I still use my Salomon gloves that I bought over 20 years ago. A bit sort of set ina pole holding attitude now, but still warm, and not worn through anywhere. To be fair, it is a while since I last went. Must resist looking at Ski sites, must resist...

[AMLinington]

What's one of them then? Never heard of "level" grading; is it peculiar to one country? I still use my Salomon gloves that I bought over 20 years ago. A bit sort of set ina pole holding attitude now, but still warm, and not worn through anywhere. To be fair, it is a while since I last went. Must resist looking at Ski sites, must resist...

 

I'm not sure, but we ski in the Grandvalira in Andorra and the Ski School there 'Grade' you - there are even level grading tests you can take, so I assume on some level this must be an established system. You are assessed on day 1 (if you've bought tuition) and put into groups based on 'level' and 'sub level' so Low level 2, high level 2, low level 3, high level 3 and your level will determine your 'proficiency' which gives you a guide as to what runs you should aim for and what routes the instructor takes and what skills they need to teach you - if you're still snow ploughing they can't take you on a black run can they?

 

It roughly goes something like this in the Grandvalira:

 

Low Level 1/Beginner - Green slopes

High Level 1 - Greens and easy blues

Low Level 2 - Easy to moderate blues

High Level 2 - All Blues

Low Level 3 - Hard Blues, Easy Reds

High level 3 - Moderate to Hard Reds

Level 4 - Black runs and Off-piste

 

There are some overlaps and places where the instructors challenge you, but generally if you are a level 2 proficient you should be sticking to blue runs. This is a rough guide and not 'absolute' but it's pretty much how it works in Andorra.

Edited January 8, 2013 by AMLinington