7 Best Ice Climbing Gloves of 2023
Ice climbing is an exciting sport that requires specific equipment to ensure safety and comfort in severe, freezing settings. A good pair of gloves is one of the most important pieces of equipment for ice climbers. Whether you’re an expert climber or a novice eager to try your hand at ice climbing for the first time, selecting the appropriate gloves is critical.
We’ll be examining the best ice climbing gloves on the market in this blog article, so you can pick a pair that meets your demands and allows you to face the most difficult routes with confidence. So, without further ado, let’s get started and look at the top selections for the best Ice climbing gloves on the market today.
What are the Best Ice Climbing Gloves?
Here are my top picks of the best ice climbing gloves you can wear for your next climbing tour.
1. Mountain Hardware Exposure Light Ice Climbing Gloves ($149.99)
- Material: 215D 94% Nylon, 6% Elastane
- Waterproofing: GORE-TEX (2-layer)
- Insulation: Primaloft Gold with Cross Core (aerogel)
- Closure: hook-and-loop
The Mountain Hardware Exposure Light Ice Climbing Gloves are a work of alpinist ingenuity, painstakingly engineered to match the rigors of challenging cold-weather climbs. These gloves, designed with an unwavering focus on performance, have an astounding array of features that raise them to a prized status among ice climbing enthusiasts.
These gloves, which use cutting-edge GORE-TEX engineering, offer impenetrable protection against unpredictable elements, guaranteeing that weather-related issues are kept away. The skill of moisture management is also evident, allowing climbers to keep their grip and attention even in damp situations.
The choice of Pittard goat leather is a stroke of genius, infusing the gloves with a unique blend of toughness, abrasion resistance, and natural warmth. This precise material selection not only ensures longevity but also embraces the necessity of tight comfort throughout those punishing ascents.
The design pays attention to the essence of hand movement, which is an important aspect of ice climbing. Stretch nylon inserts beautifully increase the flexibility of the gloves, improving dexterity and response. In the delicate moves of ice climbing, this concern for hand mobility is the thin line between success and trouble.
The clever combination of Primaloft and Cross Core technology results in consistent heat retention regardless of the conditions. These gloves stand as staunch protectors of warmth, braving the most formidable of temperature dips, whether it’s biting cold or unrelenting winds.
The interior design combines plush comfort and utility. The fleece and tricot lining take center stage, cleverly wicking away moisture while cocooning the hands in a comfortable, skin-friendly embrace.
KEVLAR®-threaded seams create a path of reinforcement in high-stress locations to address the wear and tear associated with intensive use. This little touch extends the life of these gloves, making them a dependable companion for many future journeys.
A cold-resistant seal at the cuff, made possible by a clever hook-and-loop tab, takes the insulation to the next level. This minor but critical element protects against the sly infiltration of freezing gusts, exhibiting a keen awareness of the complexities of ice climbing.
2. SealSkinz Ice Climbing Gloves ($130)
- Material: 50% polyester, 40% sheepskin leather, 10% elastane
- Waterproofing: Fusion Control (100% Hydrophilic)
- Insulation: Primaloft Gold (synthetic)
- Closure: hook-and-loop strap
With an astounding array of features, the SealSkinz Ice Climbing Gloves emerge as a great companion for cold-weather adventures. These gloves excel at protecting your hands from the elements while reducing sweat buildup. They are made with a 100% waterproof and amazingly breathable material.
A merino-blend inner adds a clever layer of design, ensuring that breathability, moisture-wicking, and durability stay at the forefront. This liner not only keeps your hands toasty, but it also effectively manages moisture, which is important in high-intensity exercises like ice climbing.
Leather palms are one of the prominent characteristics. The careful use of leather not only improves grip strength but also adds to the gloves’ overall durability. This combination of functional materials suggests that the gloves are designed to withstand the rigors of ice terrain while providing constant performance.
Touch screen compatibility addresses practicality with refinement, removing the need to remove gloves when using gadgets. This feature is a subtle yet intelligent addition that reflects an awareness of the needs of the modern traveler.
The PrimaLoft Gold insulation takes center stage on the inside, providing a remarkable warmth-to-weight ratio. This feature adds to the gloves’ overall adaptability by delivering significant warmth without adding excessive bulk, allowing for greater mobility while ice climbing.
The glove clip, a simple yet efficient solution to preventing glove misplacement, demonstrates attention to ease. Whether changing climbs or taking a little break, the gloves stay secure and ready for action.
The hook-and-loop cuff seals the deal, both literally and metaphorically. It ensures a secure fit around the wrists, keeping out drafts and improving comfort while also locking in the warmth provided by the gloves. This attention to detail demonstrates SealSkinz’s dedication to developing a unified and effective glove design.
3. RAB Ice Climbing Gloves ($110)
The RAB Ice Climbing Gloves are an excellent alternative for anyone looking to take on the most difficult mountaineering and ice-climbing expeditions. With a pull-on fastening, these gloves provide a secure fit that keeps them snugly in place even during the most strenuous activity.
One of these gloves’ most notable qualities is their perfect grip, allowing you to wield your ice tools accurately and confidently. This is due to the gloves’ robust mid-weight construction, which creates an optimum mix between durability and suppleness.
The synthetic Prima loft Gold insulation in the RAB Ice Climbing Gloves keeps your hands warm and comfortable. Its revolutionary material delivers outstanding warmth even when the gloves are wet, ensuring that you remain comfortable and focused regardless of the weather.
The Matrix stretch softshell material is another noteworthy feature of these gloves. Its sophisticated material allows you to move freely, allowing you to keep a stronger grasp on your tools and complete intricate moves.
The RAB Ice Climbing Gloves have a Pittard Armortan leather palm and reinforcements for improved durability. These robust fabrics can resist the demands of the most challenging adventures, ensuring that your gloves will last for many adventures to come.
These gloves have a 3D pre-curved structure for maximum comfort and dexterity. Its design replicates your hand’s natural shape, giving a bespoke fit that feels wonderful and improves your performance. With the RAB Ice Climbing Gloves, you can face any obstacle with confidence, knowing that your hands are safe and ready for anything.
4. Black Diamond Ice Climbing Gloves ($44.95)
Black Diamond Ice Climbing Gloves is a high-quality, long-lasting piece of ice climbing and mountaineering equipment. These gloves are composed of goat leather and abrasion-resistant woven nylon with four-way stretch, making them flexible and resistant to the wear and tear associated with strenuous outdoor activity.
The gloves have leather knuckles and palm patches for added protection and durability in areas of the glove prone to abrasion and wear. These qualities help improve the gloves’ grip and dexterity, allowing climbers to keep a firm grasp on their equipment when scaling steep icy areas.
The hook-and-loop cuff fastening on the gloves offers a snug and secure fit around the wrist, keeping the gloves firmly in place throughout difficult climbs. The gloves are also CE certified to EN 420 and EN 388 (2142), indicating that they have been tested and approved for usage in hazardous outdoor situations and fulfill the highest quality and safety standards.
Overall, the Black Diamond Ice Climbing Gloves are a fantastic choice for climbers and mountaineers that demand a high level of protection and longevity from their gear. These gloves provide climbers with the comfort, protection, and grip they need to face even the most difficult climbs, thanks to their blend of flexible materials, reinforced knuckles and palms, and secure cuff closure.
5. Eskimo Ice Climbing Gloves ($49.99 – $79.99)
The Eskimo Ice Climbing Gloves is a high-quality, long-lasting pair of gloves designed to keep your hands warm and safe in very cold temperatures. These gloves are made of 100% polyester and are built to last. They include some outstanding characteristics that make them suitable for ice climbing and other outdoor sports in cold weather.
The DURADRY 210 DENIER POLYESTER FABRIC is one of the most remarkable qualities of the Eskimo Ice Climbing Gloves. This fabric is extremely robust and long-lasting, making it resistant to tearing and abrasions. It also includes a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating that keeps the gloves dry even in wet and snowy circumstances.
The 200GM 3M THINSULATE PLATINUM INSULATION is another outstanding characteristic of these gloves. Our high-loft, water-resistant insulation is designed to keep you warm and comfortable even in the coldest weather. With this insulation, you may be confident that your hands will remain warm and pleasant even when exposed to extremely low temperatures for extended periods of time.
The palm, finger, and side reinforcements are made of DWR-treated goat skin to increase the durability and functionality of these gloves. These reinforcements are strategically positioned in regions that are prone to wear and tear, offering additional protection and extending the life of the gloves.
Overall, the Eskimo Ice Climbing Gloves are a great buy for anyone who enjoys ice climbing, skiing, or any other cold-weather outdoor activity. These gloves provide outstanding protection, warmth, and comfort thanks to their rugged and durable construction, high-loft insulation, and strategic reinforcements, making them an essential piece of kit for any cold-weather adventurer.
6. Glacier Glove Ice Climbing Gloves ($43.99 – $67.08)
The Glacier Glove Ice Climbing Gloves are high-performance gloves made especially for ice climbers. This pair of gloves is made of 2mm fleece-lined neoprene, which provides excellent insulation and warmth in cold and wet circumstances. The fleece lining is soft to the touch and comfortable, while the neoprene material repels water and keeps your hands dry.
The seamless palm design of these gloves is one of their most notable qualities, ensuring superb dexterity and grip on ice tools and other equipment. This feature also aids in the prevention of discomfort or irritation caused by seams rubbing on your skin during lengthy wear.
The Glacier Glove Ice Climbing Gloves are completely waterproof, keeping your hands dry even in the wettest and coldest situations. This is especially true for ice climbing, where damp gloves can quickly become a stumbling block and even a safety issue.
Another notable aspect of these gloves is their pre-curved fingers. They are designed to mimic the natural curve of your fingers, ensuring a comfortable fit and optimum mobility. This feature enables for simple use of ice tools and other equipment while maintaining comfort and performance.
Finally, the Glacier Glove Ice Climbing Gloves come with a Pro strap for a tight and snug fit around your wrist. This feature is especially helpful when climbing in tough conditions since it keeps cold air or snow from entering the glove and impairing your dexterity and grip.
Overall, the Glacier Glove Ice Climbing Gloves are a fantastic choice for ice climbers searching for a tough, warm, and high-performance glove that can resist the most extreme situations.
7. Metolius Ice Climbing Gloves ($39.55 – $45.95)
The Metolius Ice Climbing Gloves are a high-quality pair of gloves developed for ice climbing’s tough environment. The primary body of these gloves is comprised of sturdy and durable cowhide, which is known for its toughness and ability to withstand wear and tear. The cowhide material provides excellent weather protection, keeping your hands warm and dry when climbing.
The gloves have triple-stitched split cowhide palm reinforcement to increase their durability. This reinforcement is strategically placed to protect the most vulnerable sections of the gloves from severe wear and abrasion, such as the fingertips and palm. This assures that the gloves will last for numerous seasons, even if used frequently and intensely.
The biner clip-in loop provided on each glove is one of the Metolius Ice Climbing Gloves’ noteworthy features. When not in use, you can quickly clip the gloves to your harness or gear, ensuring that they are always within reach when you need them.
Furthermore, the gloves’ wear regions are strengthened, adding an added layer of protection and durability. Reinforcement comprises reinforced stitching and additional material layers in high-stress locations like the fingertips and thumb.
In conclusion, the Metolius Ice Climbing Gloves are a dependable and long-lasting option for ice climbers. They’re composed of high-quality materials like leather and reinforced stitching, and they have a handy biner clip-in loop. All of these characteristics combine to form a pair of gloves capable of withstanding the tough conditions of ice climbing while also keeping your hands warm and protected throughout your climb.
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