One of my recent Trail columns was about lightweight accessories, and it was partly inspired by some kit that Haglöfs sent for test. Up until relatively recently I was still lugging around various weights of gloves and an old pair of Mountain Range Gore-Tex & fibre pile Murton Mitts in winter, all functional but heavy and bulky.
I swapped to Marmot Work gloves for warmth and dexterity and then early last winter I swapped again to Haglöfs Helix gloves for the same warmth and better dexterity. I found that i didn’t need the mitts as insulated gloves were enough for day trips, and now the PHD Mera Mitts have taken care of cold camps. The Helix’s fit over my liners, and suddenly I’m down to two pairs of gloves.
All such bits and pieces can be trimmed to performance perfection.
The Salute Beanie is a wool/synthetic mix with a very open weave so you can wear it on the move without overheating your napper, and it also gives it a good stretch for comfort when you’re sleeping in it.
It has a refelctive stripe round it for running or hiking along on dark roadsides and to make you easy located by your buddy around camp. At 50g it’s no hardship to stick in a pack or trouser pocket.
Moving downwards we have something that I had severe reservations about, the Neck Gaiter. Well, it’s turned out to be a constant companion this winter, going on ever trip since it appeared. It’s made of Powerstretch, so it’s comfy against my face, dries super-quick, it’s warm and I can breathe through it no problem.
It’s completely replaced a Buff in the last few months. Yes, you can make it into a hat. But don’t unless you have to, or just have to look like MIng the Merciless on the hill.
At 35g, you can’t even feel the weight and I absolutely love it.
I’ve sung the praises of Powerstretch gloves in the past, and as a cool and cold weather all-day or liner glove they’re fantastic.
The Haglöfs Bungy Gloves have a few nice wee touches that set them out a little. The cuff is very long which is nice, they have a hypalon pull tab which means pulling the second glove on is as easy as the first was with using one bare hand, and the finger construction is outstanding, managing a close fit with great dexterity.
There’s no grip print on the palm which means I can’t use them with an ice axe, but with poles this has been an advantage as my hand moves around the pole grip with the glove instead of around inside the glove which is stuck to the pole handle. That’s something that I hadn’t noticed happens until I got the Bungy’s. 45g of compressible Powerstretch is lost in your pack or pocket no problem.
The Gram Shell Mittens are made of Paclite, have a grippy palm and thumb print, have wrist and cuff adjustment, fold to nothing and weight 50g a pair.
I’ve been wearing these over the Bungy’s on wet days and there’s total protection from the wet but also a little boost to the insulation, so that on winter days that don’t go so high up the hillside. the combo is all I need. I’ve pitched and struck a tent wearing them without issue, there’s just enough finger movement to allow that kind of stuff.
Also a constant at the moment is a Fanatic Print Cap. It’s a simple Powerstretch beanie, it layers well under a shell hood, it’s warm, has a bit of wind resistance and only weights 30g.
All these little things make such a difference to a day on the hill, get your head, hands and feet cold and wet and it’s all over.
Are extremities unjustly ignored? Not by the manufacturers anyway, gloves must be the most complex to design and difficult to manufacture items in their catalogue, especially waterproof ones, and there’s no other items have such a mix of different materials.
Having worn cheap gloves and have a seam dig it’s way into my hand after a day using poles and an axe, I have an appreciation for such things these days.
Do you remember I said to you on the walk to the car park in Glen Nevis that I Had freezing hands and needed to sort out my glove situation?
Well I went a bit mental and spent somewhere in the region of £120 on 5 pairs recently! and to make matters worse I also picked up a Jirishanca that day! I should be well sorted for this winter skills course!
Here, that’s coming up soon isn’t it?
There’s going to be plenty snow!
It is and I cannae wait! I feel like a big wean goin out to ‘play in the snaw’ again ;o)
That doesn’t diminish with age at all :o)
We played in the snow all day. On the way into the hills we even stashed plastic bum sleds in the bushes at the top of the forest tracks so we could rip down the tracks on the way home.
They sell Haglofs accessories over here in sports shops like sweets in a supermarket, placed just next to the checkout on neat racks. Recent Haglofs impulse buys include a Windstopper beanie, Regulus gloves and a sleeping bag liner.
Good lad :o)
Funny you should say that about the Haglofs availability over your way, that’s one of the criticisms levelled at it from UK brands. “It’s not proper technical kit, it’s in supermarkets”. I think that misses the point somewhat, it just shows how switched on the buying public are over the North Sea. Here folk are walking into Blacks and buying any old shite, and of course by the above rationale it must be good because it’s an outdoor shop.
Aye, it’s interesting to see where kit turns up in other countries, often shops seem generally more eclectic. A few years back I went into the Co-op in Cortina and came out with a pair of telemark skis!! £12 too, in the summer sale :)
(But then the Morotto factory used to be 5km up the road… )
I played in the snow Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. Would have been out there again today but for that little match at Murrayfield this afternoon ;-) Masses of great snow in the Brecon Beacons. But, to the relevance… I picked up a pair of Marmot Powerstretch gloves in November, and have been wearing them all winter when it’s been dry. They fit like a … glove and keep my hands at a perfect temperature. They’ve little grippy fingerprints on thumb and forefinger so fine for walking poles, but as with yours, ptc*, no good for an ice-axe.
You know, I have absolutely no idea what happened at the rugby…I shall have to enquire.
Powerstretch is a miracle fabric, I would happily be coated in it in winter if I wasn’t so misshapen.
When I miss a day on the hills for any sport, you have my permission to come round here here and batter me.
I’m up in Pitlochry next weekend so I’ll pop into that wee shop that stocks Haglofs stuff and have a nosie.
I’m still using an 9 year old Sprayway PS beanie btw. Marvellous stuff.
If it looks right it is right. Boy that kit looks right good. You have a spoilt life there testing all that lovely gear….well maybe. If it is a white out or raining I would not envy you. Cant test waterproofs on a sunny day can you.
It’s all very black though. I thought you avoided the mountain ninja look?
As Kev has pointed out, Powerstretch lasts forever too.
Martin, it can be difficult to get the right conditions to see how something will react. I wanted to get as many tents up north in as bad weather as I could for the Trail test, but that was a logistical impossibility and a lot of them never went above 400m.
Shuttleworth, it is true what you say. Almost everything that appears at the door here is black or grey, luckily there’s some orange in there to keep me happy…
Forgot this wee bit of genius. It’s Powerstretch and the face and head bits can operate independantly so you’ve got a hat, face mask, neck warmer or balaclava.
The fabric is softer at the face opening and the stitching is as stretchy as the fabric. Only 45g.
Ah, but where can you get any of this stuff? I could definitely use a pair of those shell mittens but finding them online is proving difficult. Tiso won’t stock ’em.
It’s definitely all in the UK, mine were all taken from free stock, no samples for a change!
No hope at Tiso, they’re best pals with TNF.
Best options for accessories will be the Climbers Shop in Ambleside, Escape Route in Pitlochry amd maybe Outdoor Warehouse in Bowness or Ultimate Outdoors.
It’s tha damned store buyers over here, they see the coming seasons kit, don’t order it so Haglofs don’t make it. Come the season that it’s in the shops, it gets out that it’s good and then nobody can find it.
The LIM insulation sell-out is a good example. It’s not the reps or the manufacturers (not just Haglofs either), it’s the useless store buyers.
Cheers.
Checked all 4 websites – nothing (shell mitten-wise). I’ll have to give ’em a phone, which is a ballache.
Consumers really shouldn’t have to search so hard for product, it’s a crying shame.
Another fine write up sir!
Personal favourite for me is the Helmet Cap which is in lighter weight Powerstretch and ideal under a bike/climbing/ski lid. It’s more shaped than the Fanatic – like a skull cap that covers the ears.
Gram Shell Mitt – oh how the buyers laugh when we show that – “£60 for a Paclite mitt? The (insert pretty much any brand here) is £20.” Ah but ours has a 3layer Pro-shell palm for strength (did you miss that Pete?!) and sticky H’s. We don’t care says the shop – because this ones cheap. GRRRRRRR!
I think the Scandy countries are different in that there is not the wealth of independant retailers over there, most are Intersport type franchises or buying groups. After all you can buy pretty much the full range of Icebugs in pharmacies – doesn’t make them any less technical does it?
I forgot about the palm, I didn’t notice until I turned them ootsides in to dry them after a trip, the knited scrim is a giveaway.
Great wee bit of kit.
I fancy that neck gaiter, but can i buggery find it online. It shows up at a couple of places but out of stock,mysteriously ‘deactivated’ at the climbers shop !
http://www.footprintsglasgow.co.uk/
Try these guys. It’s not on the site but they had a couple of them in the shop a week ago.
It’s great bit of kit on a cold day, but seriously, don’t wear it as a hat…
Any opinions on the summer headwear range? They certainly seem to have some real variety/interesting fabrics involved. Lots of baseball caps.
You never know, we might just get enough a decent summer this year :)
Would you believe my dad wears a Haglofs Taurus cap all the time and loves it. The fabrics are good, same as the pants and shirts. Folds into a hip pocket too.
Worth a look for sure.
I must admit I wear a cotton camo cap from TKMaxx and a denim cowboy hat from H&M in summer.
Don’t tell anybody, I’ll be ruined… :o)
Well I’ve been using a north face sun hat which might be worse :) (Decent brim on it mind. Rubbish in drizzle.).
I have had a very brief look at a solar hat but didn’t realise that it was made of the same stuff as the Rugged pants!
The caps in stretch materials do seem as if they might work quite nicely.
I’d love a Zeb Hat, just to have one…
Whoa, that’s a big photie!
I think that hat might suit Holly better than you…. :)
Aye, you’re probably right…
Harrumph, but I want to be a sailor!
http://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/image.aspx?fn=images/1012.jpg
It’s a fine looking hat. You go for it.
Escape Route had a fair few hats in last time I looked. I don’t recall seeing that one tho’.
See youse, I’ve found them…
http://www.outside.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/8181%7C%7Czeb~@c~@b%7C0%7Cuser%7C1,0,0,1%7C1%7C
http://www.ldmountaincentre.com/product.aspx?id=2067&categoryid=512
A goretex sunhat though? On closer inspection the solar hat did seem nice.
The equator cap seemed a work of quiet genius. Take a standard big peak baseball cap and give it a stretch fit DWR treated upper with elastic headband. It then holds securely to the head and fits comfortably *under* waterproof hoods…..
Clever people :)
I was in the Climbers Shop in Ambleside last week and it was Haglofs Hat Central in there.
I did like the olive coloured stretchy baseball cap, but I resisted, even with it’s orange detailing…