REI Fleece Gloves Evaluation | CleverHiker

Backside Line

The REI Fleece Glove (males’s / ladies’s) is a standout amongst our finest 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 liked backcountry ice skating, cross-country snowboarding, and winter climbing on this glove in temperatures within the twenties.

Whereas not waterproof, the REI Fleece is great for outings the place it’s essential to prioritize breathability over climate resistance. The fleece can withhold gentle snow and ice, however shortly turns into wetted by means of in rain. We used these most on energetic outings the place we weren’t planning to be in inclement climate or having our palms within the snow usually.

At an attainable worth level, the REI Fleece is a good choice for these new to winter outings, or for somebody who wants an off-the-cuff insulating layer to maintain of their glove field. Its easy but well-thought-out design is dextrous and cozy 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 by means of its paces in managed lab checks and on the paths. He dunked these fleece gloves underwater for 4 stable minutes to see how lengthy they’d preserve moisture at bay. However the true proving floor was taking these gloves on adventures in variable winter situations.

Consolation & Dexterity

We liked the REI Fleece glove’s mixture of heat and adaptability. We frequently grabbed them throughout shoulder seasons once we weren’t positive if the temperatures have been going to zap our fingers of their pure heat. 

Crafted from gentle, 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 means to make use of our digits. We used these gloves to grip trekking poles, modify zippers, and use touchscreens they usually by no means felt overly cumbersome or cumbersome. Strengthened palm patches add sturdiness and enhance grip. Total, these are a pair price packing on most outings.

The gloves additionally characteristic stretchy cuffs, which seal out drafts whereas guaranteeing simple 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 glorious thermal insulation whereas remaining breathable, stopping overheating throughout exercise. We discovered that these gloves work finest 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 properly on their very own for on a regular basis use or as liners beneath heavier gloves in colder temperatures. In addition they are an ideal choice for a three-season glove for cooler spring or fall days. 

Light-weight and moveable, they’re simple to throw in a pack as a lighter choice or emergency layer.

Moisture Management

The REI fleece gloves have glorious breathability, making them perfect for energetic pursuits in cooler climate. The midweight fleece permits air to flow into, stopping palms from feeling overly heat or clammy throughout exertion. 

The Polartec cloth 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 when you’re sporting them for those who do get sweaty.

Climate Resistance

The REI fleece gloves aren’t those to take out for lengthy outings within the rain or snow. The fleece materials repels gentle moisture, reminiscent of drizzle or frost, and retains our palms dry in mildly damp climate. 

Nonetheless, they aren’t absolutely waterproof and can soak 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 by means of, they finally did when physique heat induced the ice to soften. Throughout our immersion check, they wetted by means of instantly.

These gloves carry out finest in gentle climate or as a liner underneath extra strong gloves for harsher situations. Light-weight and versatile, they adapt properly to varied actions with out sacrificing consolation. Whereas they received’t exchange heavy-duty gear for excessive climate, the REI fleece gloves present dependable safety towards on a regular basis components.

Sturdiness

The REI Fleece Gloves are reasonably sturdy. They’re robust sufficient for on a regular basis put on and outside actions however aren’t our first alternative for working in or for actions with heavy contact with vegetation or rocks. The Polartec fleece has resisted piling however reveals indicators of matting and packing out within the fingers. 

Strengthened 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 an ideal 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 light-weight 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 palms heat throughout cool climate stints, whether or not on a path or operating round city. 

Their excessive stage of breathability makes them a superb alternative for high-output winter actions like operating 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 an ideal 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 Contemplate?

Take a look at our full information to winter gloves.

Out of doors Analysis Flurry Sensor Evaluation: With an identical building and really feel to the Fleece, the Flurry is one other nice mid-weight choice.

Smartwool Liner Evaluation: A real liner, the Smartwool gives light-weight heat for underneath shells or as a stand-alone layer on gentle days.

REI Information Insulated Evaluation: In case you’re searching for a barely hotter glove with the efficiency of leather-based, the Information is a good choice whereas remaining inexpensive.