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Reviews > Clothing > Gloves > Ibex Wool Glove Liner > Andrew Mytys > Long Term ReportIbex Wool Glove LinersLong Term Report
Product Information:
Product Description: Part of the "IBEXtremeties" line, the Ibex Wool Glove Liners are a lightweight glove made of a Merino wool/Lycra blend. They are designed to be worn alone, or inside another glove. Test Unit Description: The Ibex Wool Glove Liners received for testing are a basic pair of lightweight gloves. Embroidered in a light gray color onto the top of each glove is the distinctive Ibex company logo. Fabric and Construction: According to the Ibex website, the gloves are made of a Merino wool/Lycra blend. Impressions From the Field: The Ibex Glove Liners fit snug on the hand - the material has some "stretch" to it so they didn't feel constrictive in the least. I found the Liner Gloves supported a full range of hand and finger movement, with no real impact to my hands' overall dexterity. The gloves have a slight texture to their material, which is felt when rubbing the material against itself. I didn't notice any of the seams found along the gloves while wearing them. When used as a liner, the ribbed texture allowed the gloves to stay in place within the shell, resulting in a sense that only one glove was being worn rather than two. Their thickness was such that I could use them with any existing, "correctly sized," heavy winter glove or mitten that I owned without my hand feeling pressed inside. As could be expected, the liner consumed most, if not all, of the awkward excess room around my fingers that's typically felt on beefy shell gloves, and this in turn resulted in a more secure fit for the shell overall. In terms of added warmth, I would say that the Ibex Wool Glove Liners, when used with a windproof shell, add a solid 10 degrees (6 C) of warmth to outer shells. When worn alone, I found the Ibex Wool Glove Liners to be comfortable down to about 38 F (3 C) in dry, winter-like conditions. In humid, spring-like conditions the gloves kept my hands warm down to perhaps 45 F (10 C) - as water conducts heat away from the skin nearly 25 times faster than air, is was really no surprise that the gloves did not feel as warm in cool but humid conditions as they did in dry, colder temperatures. Of course when used while hiking, the increased activity rate allowed the gloves to keep my hands warm in even cooler temperatures, and they were a welcome addition when hiking in spring rain showers. I also found the gloves to be simple to clean - their textured pile seemed to keep dry dirt from lodging itself into the surface of the gloves' material, and I could clean them by simply brushing them vigorously against my pant leg. While slightly textured, the gloves really don't provide much in the way of grip against smooth surfaces. However, I did wear them while pitching tents, tying knots, assembling stoves, and using my digital camera, which entails pressing lots of tiny buttons to initiate various functions - I never felt that the gloves impeded any activities. In fact, they felt so natural that I wore them while lighting my stove, an action that, upon initial ignition, resulted in a bit of flame hitting the material and burning a pin-sized hole in the left glove. While the gloves are obviously not fireproof, or even fire resistant, I did find that they made great potholders when handling hot pots and pot lids. Unlike my previous experiences with fleece, there was no burning smell or melting of the material. In terms of durability, the liner gloves have proven to be remarkably resilient. I've taken them down many trails flanked and blocked by prickled bushes, and have had them caught up on thorns on many occasions. While I envisioned such encounters creating snags, or even shredding the gloves' material, they always came out looking good as new. According to the tag, the liners should be hand washed in cold water with a mild detergent, like Ivory Snow, and left to lay flat or hang dry. Following these instructions, I never noticed any pilling or shrinkage, even after scores of washings. That said, the gloves did develop a loose stitch after being washed. This stitch was located at the end of the cuff on the right glove. I inspected the left glove, and found that its stitching was starting to come loose as well. I simply re-sewed this area. I feel that this stitch was a manufacturing issue and not anything caused by a weakness in the material itself. Indeed, since I have sewn that loose stitch up there have been no other stitch related issues to report. Overall, I'm very pleased with the performance of the Ibex Wool Glove Liners and look forward to using them more frequently now that Fall has returned. The only change I would recommend would be to tone down the prominence of the Ibex corporate logo, shown at the top of this report, that's located on each glove at the back of the hand. I don't mind people knowing what company I shop with after a close inspection of my gear, but I don't like feeling as though I'm a walking billboard. Personal Biographical Information:
Backpacking Background: I live in Michigan and have been hiking seriously for 15 years, although I've camped since I was 6 years old. I consider myself a lightweight hiker. I carry the lightest gear I can get my hands on which will provide a comfortable wilderness experience and adequately support the goals of my trip. Unless my goals are time/distance oriented, my pace is always slow. I rarely exceed 1.5 miles (2.4 km)/hour. I rest frequently, hike long days, and enjoy whatever nature throws my way. Read more reviews of Ibex gear Read more gear reviews by Andrew Mytys Reviews > Clothing > Gloves > Ibex Wool Glove Liner > Andrew Mytys > Long Term Report | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
