Hard use, waterproof, and warm work glove?

[olybears57]

Hey folks.
I work outside in the cold, wet weather of Washington state for a living, building trails in the backcountry, and other various ecology and restoration type jobs. For example, some days I remove invasive Himalayan blackberry for 10 hours in the rain, 4 days a week. I need a hand garment (glove is preferred, for dexterity, but good mitten options might work too) I need something that will keep my hands warm, dry under constant rain, and won't get torn to bits after two weeks of working hard in the woods. Thanks for any advice you all can give!

 

[pinnah]

Former ski instructor and long time backcountry skier here.

My solution is to buy heavy deer skin insulated gloves by Kincos or Wells Lamont. The. I cut out the insulation and I get several pairs of wool gloves like from Fox River. Copious amounts of AquaSeal on the gloves till they're stiff. The leather will eventually wet out but there you have it.

 

[olybears57]

That's similar to what I've been doing. Lamont leather work gloves covered in filson's wax, with fleece gloves layered underneath. It's okay, but I foresee numb hands as this winter progresses.

 

[pinnah]

I think of gloves in three stages. Cold and dry, use the above. Fine down to teens if I'm active. Single digits and below I switch to leather chopper mitts with heavy boiled wool mitts. I knit my own. Link to my pattern if you know somebody willing to try to make them. Otherwise google for Dachstein mitts.

For warm and wet, this is tricky since the outers will soak through. On warm ski trips, I'll take nylon outers as they dry fast but they are not durable. Otherwise multiple leathers. For really heinously wet snow conditions, another option is to get fully coated thermal gloves. You get wet from sweat, but it's better than 32F water from wet snow. Something like this

The trick with the leathers is to get your normal size insulated. When the insulation gets funky, cut it out and use wool liners for a good fit.

I'm done with expensive gloves. They all wear out too fast. Lamont, Kinkos or similar is fine.

More of my thoughts here: http://home.comcast.net/~pinnah/DirtbagPinner/gloves.txt

 

[neeman]

Worked winters outside in cold and wet doing construction

US Army HD work gloves with wooolen liners
Awesome

Or an one size up cow hide with wool liners

 

[leghog]

Google "moose chopper mittens" or "moosehide mittens". Duluth Pack sold great ones. Don't know if they still do, but surely someone does.