Ice climbing gloves

I tend to have cold fingers and toes. It can greatly affect my day. I'm new to ice climbing. I'm wondering do you bring two pairs of gloves? One for climbing and one for belaying? Can anyone recommend a brand or make for very warm and functional gloves.?

yes I bring four pairs of gloves

• two climbing pairs
• a hiking pair or a warm weather belay pair
• mitts or cold belay pair

My best two climbing gloves to date have been:

Sierra Designs Transporter
Arcteryx Venta SV Glove

The sierra designs is a ripoff of Hestra's Vertical Cut Freeride Glove and SD is no longer making it.

The Arcteryx are only good down to 25 degrees or so and dry.

Many options out there.

Outdoor Research has a good line of gloves. Obviously you want to avoid screaming barfies, but don't go overboard - climbing with big gloves sucks if you don't have to.

And yes, I always bring a bigger pair to belay in.

Like one of the posters above, I bring 3-4 pair of gloves. 2 thin pair, one thicker, and an insulated leather pair for belaying.

I usually use the two thin pair for climbing, switching them out when they get wet from sweat or wet ice. The insulated gloves are only for the truly cold days around 0F. The leather belay gloves allow me to warm my fingers back up between leads or laps and are durable enough for belays and rappels.

I really like the thinner OR gloves for leads, but BD has one or two that are good too. The belay gloves I usually use are insulated leather gloves from a hardware store. Ace hardware has a good selection. I picked up some of these for belaying/rappeling last year and they're awesome - shop.flylowgear.com/collect…

BD Punishers for climbing when it's cold.

Be cool and buy Kinco cold weather work gloves for belaying and rappelling.

I have a pair of EMS mitts for really cold days belaying.

Most days I carry: 2 pairs of OR Lodestar, a pair of welding gloves and a pair of light gloves for the approach and exit. I have a pair of OR Alibi for warm days and a pair of BD Punishers for cold.

I climb in BD Punishers. If the climbing conditions are wet or a big day I will bring a second set of Punisher's and keep them in my shirt against my chest. I belay in Mercury Mitts when it's cold out or an older pair of ski/climbing gloves if warmer. That way I'm not handling damp/wet ropes with my climbing gloves. On the coldest days I will but chemical hand warmers in and wear them on the back of my hands between the gloves and mitts.

I usually have 2 pairs of gloves and then some big overmittens.. I wear my thinish.. gloves for climbing there a madrock ice climbing glove.. then I will put my mitts on over them when belaying or hanign out.. I have th Or alti mitts but I usually just use the outer mitten.. I like having a mitten that I can just throw on top of the gloves I climb in..

I like gloves w primaloft insulation. They seem to keep my hands warmer compared to other gloves.

I also have very cold fingers - or so I thought. It turned out that I have been just wearing my gloves tight since pretty much being a kid. Fit of glove is just as important as the insulation of the glove when it comes to warmth.

All the OR line has treated me really well. Beware of North Face who makes warm looking expensive gloves that are available everywhere - they suck.

As for toes, that can be easily solved by buying 6000m boots.

Tom Sherman wrote:yes I bring four pairs of gloves *two climbing pairs *a hiking pair or a warm weather belay pair *mitts or cold belay pair

I use the same system, but take more pairs of climbing gloves on longer days, so I am never leading a hard pitch with wet gloves.

Do not buy top end, very expensive gloves. They all die a fast death if you are climbing 30-40+ days a year (especially mixed), and I feel performance gains are minimal. Buy whatever fits best in the $60-90 price range for climbing gloves.

I personally use OR Lodestars as my climbing gloves, BD windstopper fleece gloves (forget the name) for approaches and hiking, and OR Arete gloves for belaying, alpine, and skiing. I think the Arete gloves are some of the best warm, value gloves out there.

BD Arcs, Punishers, and Torques are all good leading gloves. OR line is excellent, as mentioned.

For drytooling, cheap golf gloves are excellent in dry conditions around freezing. I would never take them anywhere they might get wet.

How do the Lodestars compare with the Aretes (that I usually climb in)?

my favorite climbing gloves are the OR Stormtracker, I usually bring two pairs for the day, I like the Lodestars for hiking/approaches as they are comfy and warm, but get too wet for leading. I keep the Lodestars in my jacket and use as belay gloves too unless it's very cold, in which case I use a heavier gauntlet type glove or mitten. Just manage what you've got to keep things dry and warm. And, thick gloves for climbing make your hands colder because you have to squeeze through all that insulation just to grip your tools - squeezing=freezing!

Steven Kovalenko wrote: I use .......

I read about that new route you guys put up in the North Ghost. That sh:t's gangsta!!

OR gloves. End of conversation. There lineup of ice gloves is second to none. Alpine alibi II's would take the top of that list.

jdejace wrote:How do the Lodestars compare with the Aretes (that I usually climb in)?

Aretes are waaay too clunky for any serious ice, in my opinion. I only use them leading easy things when its cold, or snow in the alpine. Shell-only they are a little better, but Lodestars have better tactile feedback all the time. Aretes are a really good all-around glove, but not a full time lead glove. It's much easier to manipulate gear, tools, everything, in a thinner glove like the Lodestars. My Lodestars are wearing nicely compared to a lot of my past lead gloves because of the leather. You also can't crampon+glove "rock climb" on easy mixed stuff with Aretes, which is faster than scratching around ledgy stuff with big feet. Go thinner.

If you have super-sticky lead gloves (BD Arc, Torque or similar), you have to shelter them from belaying and rappelling. Or else you just chew through gloves - waste of money.

I second OR gloves, they're awesome. I'll bring 3-4 pairs as well. OR Alibi II are my main pair for climbing, BD Punishers if it's cold. Then I'll bring OR lodestars or Alti gloves for belaying, with BD Mercury Mitts for when it's really cold.

How cold can you push those streamlined gloves like the M14 and Alibi? I would not describe the Lodestars as clunky or an easy glove for following. They are quite form-fitting on my hands (wide) with a nice lofty fleece interior.

I try to get a slightly warmer glove than the thinnest ones marketed for ice, because I have cold hands and live in Canada-land. I would never, ever belay in a glove as light as a Lodestar given the temps I usually see, and the length of pitches in the Rockies. Standing around for an hour in Lodestars would be horrible.

I bring a pair for approaches (so if you are slogging through snow or sweating you don't wet out your climbing gloves), several pairs of liners (light & medium weight), and a thicker and thinner pair of climbing gloves. Keep belay gloves inside your layers if its really cold.

Lots of gloves is the key to having a great day out climbing ice. My favorite climbing glove is the Mountain Equipment Super Alpine followed closely by the Rab M 14 and Rab Baltoro. Most heavier leather palmed glove will work for belays and raps. I probably run 6 pairs of gloves in my pack. OR makes really good gloves as well. I have loadstars and alibis and some that are not made any more.
I use and believe in soft shell gloves, my hands stay warmer and drier in a non-water proof glove. Save the goretex gloves for the belay.
Dallen

Dave Schultz wrote:... In Canada you probably would need to maybe go with some insulation, but idk, have you tried those super small / non-insulated gloves? the jacket, etc).

I have a pair of Alibis. The only time I wear them is when it's around 32 and I'm working hard. While I can't imagine wearing them when it's in teens if that works for you then cool. I'll have to give them another go.

I find it funny that you would call the OR Lodestars an easy following glove after "looking" at them. Does that mean you haven't tried them? Climb them and I think you'll be surprised how well you can place a screw but stay warm.