*Note on sizing: OR’s glove sizing chart is based on hand measurements only, making no distinction between Men’s and Women’s sizing. The test pair of AirFoil gloves I received, however, is clearly labeled “MEN’S XL”.

My Actual Hand Circumference: 10 in (25 cm)
My Actual Hand Length: 9 in (23 cm)
Weight of Men’s Size XL Gloves: 1.9 oz (55 gm)

*Manufacturer claim of 1.9 oz (53 gm) per size L

MSRP: $39 USD

2) Outdoor Research AirFoil Gloves Field Report

Glove Experiences

Having grown up in Minnesota and taken up skiing, climbing, and snowshoeing as an adult here in Washington, I have always been a frequent user of gloves. Despite a constant stream of gloves in my closet, I have yet to find a pair I really like. I have some that are warm, some that give me good dexterity, and some that grip well, but I've never had a pair of gloves that does all three well enough that I actually keep track of them and consider them part of my gear setup. For the past 8 or 9 years, I have primarily used a layered glove system - some sort of fingered glove for warmth and moderate water and snow resistance, and a shell for more serious precipitation and added warmth.

My experience is that fleece gloves are just fine when they're dry, but they hold water and take a surprisingly long time to dry. They are often too breathable, allowing wind-chill to rob much of the warmth generated in my hands. This has been solved to some extent by adding windproof barriers. This is one of the best uses of windproof fleece in my opinion, but they can actually get too hot, and once they're wet on the inside the wetness stays inside the glove due to the severely limited breathability.

My search for the perfect pair of gloves is also influenced by the fact that I had moderate frostbite on both hands when I was younger and lost thick layers of skin on each fingertip. To this day my fingers are very cold and heat sensitive, creating an often frustrating dynamic with my generally heat-cranking body.

Due primarily to my own frustration with most of the handwear I’ve used, gloves have always been a relatively disposable item for me and I’m usually hesitant to invest much in them. With this test, I’m hoping to find out if the new technologies, better designs, and higher prices have created better handwear that deserves a reserved spot in my gear setup.

Description and Features

For a description of the AirFoil gloves, including key points from the Outdoor Research website, please refer to my Initial Report. As of this Field Report, the OR website remains the same, offering no new or changed information on the AirFoil gloves. Key features of the gloves are also discussed in this section of the Initial Report. The only notable feature change from the previous report is that I have removed some of the labels. Typically I don't alter test products at all during testing, but the large tags found right under each wrist have actually become an annoyance, and since they don't affect the function of the product at all, I carefully removed them with a sharp pair of scissors. Incidentally, for the gram-counters out there, this lightened the weight by a whopping 0 oz. (1 gms).

Field Impressions

The AirFoil gloves have seen considerable use, although not the use I'd expected. We are winding up one of the driest, strangest winters on record here in the Pacific Northwest. Our usual mountain pass snowfalls average around 450 in (1150 cm), and this year has seen less than 100 in (250 cm). Perhaps even more odd is that virtually none of it remains on the ground. The small and infrequent snow events we have had have been quickly eliminated by warm, wet Pineapple Express weather patterns and extended dry and warm periods that have followed. We have had a few cold spells with daily temperatures in the 30s F (0-5 C) for up to a week at a time, but this has not been the norm. Ski resorts have been closed for most of the winter (virtually unheard of here), and now in late February the daffodils are blooming at latitude 48N! While all of this means backpackers will have access to the high country as early as just about anyone can remember, it does not look good in terms of drought and forest fires. The AirFoil gloves were supposed to find themselves in snowy conditions a couple of times a week as I hiked and skied this winter, but instead have primarily been used to ward of chills on morning hikes. They have been on a couple ski trips, which are commented on below. The following is a discussion on the major performance areas to date:

Warmth

The AirFoil gloves are not marketed as cold-weather gloves, and that's probably appropriate. I've used them in the low 20s F (-7 to 0 C) skiing, and my fingertips were definitely not happy when I was idle. One particular morning found me skiing in a biting cold wind, and until I really got moving and the blood was flowing, my fingers were numb and miserable. Once I got active (using trekking poles) and my hands were busy they were much more tolerable, but in my experience this is about the limit of the AirFoil gloves in terms of insulating.

Windproofness

The AirFoil gloves are certainly windproof. I noticed no significant heat loss or windchill, even in relatively strong and cold gusts. Being on exposed slopes in a cold wind skiing with the AirFoil gloves opened my eyes to what fantastic climbing gloves they would be. Summer volcano climbs in particular would be a perfect match for these gloves, as they provide limited warmth, but cut wind and retain dexterity. I look forward to testing this usage during the Long Term test period.

Dexterity

The AirFoil gloves work very well in situations where dexterity is needed but a gloved hand is desired. This is one of the AirFoil's greatest strengths. I can do just about anything to my ski bindings, handle zippers, and work buttons on electronic devices. Writing with a pen is also quite simple, even retaining my normal penmanship. Perhaps the only thing that I hesitate to do with the gloves is put in and remove my contact lenses.

Fit

Fit continues to be nearly perfect. The AirFoil gloves have not stretched out, bunched, or sagged. They remain snug without being tight and have been worn for up to 6 or 7 hours at a time with little notice. That is a first for me. If I had to nitpick with the fit, it would be that there seems to be a small amount of extra fabric in the thumbs, making that one digit a little baggy. This is a very small complaint, and when using trekking or ski poles it actually provided a bit of extra padding that is nice to have. My only concern in the fit department is that the elasticity of the fabric will give and the fit will change. This seems to happen in most stretch products in my experience. This has not happened so far, but is something I will watch closely for in the Long Term test period.

Durability

There is absolutely no visible wear or damage on the AirFoil gloves. With the dark black color, they don't even show dirt. They are well constructed, and even after day long wrestling with trekking and ski pole handles, they show no sign of weakening. For a glove this thin, the toughness has impressed me. The grippy pattern on the gloves has proven remarkably durable so far, with no peeling or wear visible. Frankly, peeling is something I had expected, so this has been a pleasant surprise. Pole handles can be rough on bare hands, and I'd expected they'd be hard on gloves, too. So far, however, the AirFoil gloves have held up perfectly.

Conclusions

Overall, I am quite impressed with AirFoil gloves. They are not the warmest gloves on the market, to be sure, but they are one of the lightest and toughest. I see myself using the gloves quite a bit on late winter and early spring backpacking and climbing trips. These are typically trips where it's often warm enough to go without gloves at all, but nice to have something thin to cut the wind, grip an axe with, keep off the sun, or prevent snowburn in case of a slide. Thin gloves in the past has usually meant polypropylene liner gloves, but these are slippery and rarely fit well due to limited construction features and do little in a cold wind. A dexterous windproof glove is ideal for these situations, and the AirFoil fits this description almost perfectly.

I plan on using them quite a bit during even summer backpacking trips. I often just tough it out during summer trips, as the short period of cold each evening and morning hardly warranted a 6 oz (170 gm) pair of gloves. But at less than 2 oz (57 gm), the AirFoils are an easy addition to my backpacking clothing kit.

3) OR AirFoil Gloves Test Plan and Comments on Previous Questions

1) Dexterity: Can I effectively use my fingers with the gloves on? Can I adjust ski or snowshoe bindings? Can I grab and pull even the smallest zippers on jackets or pockets? Can I work the buttons on my GPS with the gloves on? The AirFoils have yet to meet a challenge they haven't succeeded at in regard to dexterity.

2) Friction: Do the gloves grip items well? In particular, do they stay on trekking poles well, or are they constantly sliding down? So far, the rubbery grip pattern has worked perfectly with trekking pole grips, providing a strong contact whether wet or dry.

3) Fit/Comfort: Do they fit well? Are they comfortable to wear all day long? Does snow/rain get into the wrists easily? Again, this is one of the most standout aspects of the AirFoils. I will continue to monitor whether or not they hold their elasticity over the remainder of the test period.

4) Warmth: How warm do they keep my hands? Are they sweaty furnaces? Too thin for even mild temperatures? There is a relatively small window of comfort for the AirFoil gloves in regards to warmth, and in my opinion any trips that include temperatures much lower than the mid-20s F (-4 C) should include a warmer pair of handwear.

5) Water Resistance: How do the gloves handle snow, sleet, rain, and sweat? Do they keep my hands warm even when wet, or do they cause a chill that's worse than no gloves at all? As we've had little in terms of rain or snow this winter, this will be a major focus of my Long Term testing. To date, however, there have been no concerns about wetness getting in the gloves.

6) Water Retention: How long do they take to dry? Gloves inevitably get wet – do they stay that way all day? Can they dry overnight? In a few hours? The AirFoil gloves haven't had a chance to get really soaked in the field yet, and again this will be significant part of my Long Term testing.

7) Durability: Do they shred and fall apart after considerable use? Do they delaminate? In particular, how well do the grippy “dashes” hold up? Do they fall off or peel off? As mentioned above, I had expected the grippy part of the gloves to peel, but despite near constant twisting and wrenching of trekking and ski pole handles, the gloves appear virtually as new.

Test Location

I will use Outdoor Research AirFoil gloves on the remainder of my backpacking and hiking trips throughout the testing period. Spring skiing and climbing will give the AirFoils more exposure to snow, and spring rains will hopefully offer a good chance to test their wet weather performance. Elevations will range from 1000 to 10,000 feet (305 to 3050 meters) and temperatures from near 70 F (20 C) to as cold as 20 F ( -7 C).

Thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Outdoor Research for the opportunity to test the AirFoil gloves!

4) Tester Background & Biography

Name: Curt Peterson
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Height: 6'3" (1.91 m)
Weight: 270 (122 kg)
Email address: curt<at>boopants<dot>com
Location: North Bend, Washington, USA

I live in the Cascade foothills, just 20 miles (32 km) from the PCT via footpaths leading right from my backyard. Most of my outdoor time here in Washington is spent on dayhikes, backpacking journeys, climbs, and ski trips everywhere from the Wilderness coast to the rainforest to the massive volcanoes to steppe.

I played football in college and often evaluate products from a big guy perspective. I tested gear for Seattle's biggest gear retailer in the mid-90s, then guided backpacking tours in Olympic National Park for a few summers. My typical pack load ranges from 12 to 19 lbs (5.4 to 8.6 kgs) and usually includes a tent to keep dry in the Pacific Northwest’s incessant dampness.

Read more reviews of Outdoor Research gear
Read more gear reviews by Curt Peterson

Field Report

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