Biographical Info

Name:  Danny Sedivec

Age:  22

Gender:  Male

Height:  6’ 0” (1.83 m)

Weight: 165 lbs (75 kg)

Email Address:  pezfuerte@yahoo.com

City, State, Country:  San Diego, California, USA

Date: October 4, 2004

Backpacking Background:  I started backpacking about five years ago taking mainly three to seven day trips.  I hike mainly in the southwestern US with the majority of my experience in the California Sierras, as well as a few trips in Arizona and Nevada.  Although I push myself during the day, I like to be comfortable in camp but I still try to keep my pack as light as possible.  The climate that I hike in is predominately dry, however, on summer trips in the Sierras I often encounter afternoon thunderstorms.  During the winter I am an avid skier frequenting areas throughout the California Sierras as well as occasionally snowshoe backpacking in the same areas.

Product Info

Manufacturer:  Granite Gear

Product:  Aptitude Gloves Men’s Medium

Year of Manufacture:  2004

URL:  http://www.granitegear.com

MSRP:  $49.00 USD

Weight as Measured:  3.7 oz (105 g)

Arrival and Packaging:  The gloves arrived on November 9 in a padded envelope with a packing list.  When I opened the package, the gloves were clipped to a 7.5 in (19 cm) by 5 in (12 cm) piece of cardboard with a keychain carabiner.  The cardboard had the model and size of the glove on the front and the product info on the back.  The product info contained the same descriptive paragraph that can be found on the website.  There was also a sizing chart which was identical to the one found on the website.  Then there was a paragraph each explaining the 3 materials used in the glove as well as the “biner loops” that allow you to easily clip the gloves to you pack with a carabiner.  Lastly, there was the Granite Gear guarantee, which states that any item may be returned at anytime for repair or replacement if damaged.  If the damage is due to normal wear and tear it will be repaired at a “reasonable cost”.

Product Description:  The gloves are black with the Granite Gear logo on the back of the hand.  The palm and underside of all fingers is made of the Pittards WR100X Digital Armor Tan leather.  It appears to be very durable and “grippy”.  The gloves’ cuffs are fleece, and very soft and warm.  The remaining fabric of the gloves is made of three different layers of material.  One is Durastretch, the second is Vapex, and the third is a Fleece Laminate.  The combination of the three fabrics is said to be waterproof as well as cut and abrasion resistant.  There are two webbing loops on each glove.  One that runs across the outside of the middle finger at the second knuckle allows the gloves to be hung with the opening down to keep snow from getting in them when they are not being worn.  The other is sewn into the cuff on the bottom of the wrist allowing the gloves to be hung with the opening up.   

Fit and Trial:  Size medium, as stated on the hangtag, says that the user’s middle finger should be between 7.5 in (19 cm) and 8 in (20 cm) long.  It also says that this glove should fit snug.  My middle finger as measured from the base of the wrist is 7.75 in (20 cm) long.  I found these gloves to fit very well.  It took some pulling to get my hand through the cuff, but once through the glove fit like a champ.  My fingers were right at the end of the glove, and there was no excess space in the glove at all.  I wore them for a short time on a hike in San Francisco this weekend and found them to be very comfortable.  The glove feels very functional, and the fleece cuff is quite warm, and does a good job of keeping the hand sealed off from outside air.

Test Plan:  Over the course of this test, I plan to evaluate these gloves in many conditions for many things.  The three main places where I intend to test these gloves are:  The California Sierras, Red Rocks National Conservation Area, and Joshua Tree National Monument.  In the Sierras I plan on testing them in late fall, winter, and early spring conditions with temperatures ranging from 0 F (-18 C) to 60 F (16 C).  Weather conditions should range from cold and clear to even colder and snowing, in both wet and dry environments.  In Red Rocks and Joshua Tree I will test the gloves in a predominately dry and cold environment with temperatures ranging from 20 F (-7 C) to 60 F (16 C).

The main things I will be looking for in this test are:

1.  How dexterous are the gloves when

1. Zipping up clothes (including answering the call of nature via front zipper only)
2. Putting together my stove
3. Operating my headlamp
4. Putting up my tent
5. Finding things in my pack
6. Racking my gear for climbing
7. Organizing a hanging belay when climbing in cold weather

2.  How warm are the gloves?

3.  Do my fingers get cold and if so at what temperatures and in what environments?

4.  How well do the gloves insulate in wet environments?

5.  How easily do the gloves dry after becoming wet?

6.  How durable are the gloves when exposed to elements such as rough granite and sandstone?

7.  How well do they stand up to handling hot things such as a pot of boiling water?

8.  How comfortable are they?

9.  Are they easy to put on and take off?

10.  How well do they work for wiping a runny nose?

11.  How well do they work for rope handling, belaying, and rappelling?

12.  How compatible is the material with things such as a trekking pole or ski pole grip?

13.  How quickly do they become dirty?

14.  How easy is it to clean the gloves once they become dirty?

15.  Do they really become the one pair of gloves that I will turn to first in most situations?