Field Report

Outdoor Research Vert Gloves
Field Report
May 11, 2006

Personal Biographical Information:

Name: Ken Bigelow
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Height: 5 ft 9 in/1.8 m
Weight: 205 lb/93 kg
Hand Circumference: 9.5 in/24 cm
Hand Length: 9 in/23 cm
Email Address: krb84108 (at) yahoo (dot) com
City, State, Country: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Backpacking Background:

I was first dragged on a backpacking trip eight years ago and have been addicted to it ever since. My adventures vary in length from a weekend to over two weeks. I am slowly shifting my backpacking style to a lightweight approach. I recently upgraded to a hammock to reduce weight. From spring through fall I typically backpack in the mountains or desert, while in winter I often go snowshoeing. I typically see a wide variety of climates ranging from -5 F (-20 C) with snow to 90 F (32 C) and sunny with just about everything in between.

Product Information:

Manufacturer: Outdoor Research
Website: http://www.orgear.com/
Size Tested: Large* (L) *(S, M, & XL also available)
Listed Weight: 3.7 oz/103 g (size L, per pair)
Measured Weight: 4 oz/113 g per pair (2 oz/57 g each glove)
Year Manufactured: 2006
Color: Black
MSRP: $49 (US)

Field Conditions:

Over the first two months of testing, the Vert Gloves have been used in Canyonlands National Park, Zion National Park, the Wasatch Mountains, the Uinta Mountains and in Southern Utah Desert. The have experienced heavy snow, rain, strong winds and even clear sunny days. The temperatures have ranged from 20 F (-6 C) to 50 F (10 C). Elevations have ranged from 4,000 ft (1,200 m) to 9,000 ft (2,700 m). The terrain has included ice/snow covered trails, muddy pathways, slickrock and dirt trails.

Field Report:

For a more detailed description of the OR Vert Gloves and their features please see my Initial Report.

Over the first two months of testing I have found the Outdoor Research Vert Gloves to be a very useful item while hiking and backpacking. While climbing Grandeur Peak in the Wasatch Mountains, I encountered deep snow and ended up postholing numerous times. On a few occasions I had to dig myself out after burying my feet in the snow. When punching through the snow with one foot, the snow my other foot was resting on lost its strength and it collapsed on the already buried foot, compacting the snow on top of it. My body suddenly dropped and caused even more snow to fall into the hole burying me up to mid-thigh. To escape I had to dig my legs and feet out with my hands. This would have been an unpleasant experience without protection for my hands as it would have left them very cold and wet. Lucky for me I had the Vert Gloves on. After digging myself free from the snow pit with the Vert Gloves my hands were still warm and dry.

While day hiking in Southern Utah I was caught in an unexpected snowstorm. The storm had been threatening all day occasionally dropping light precipitation every now and then. I was surprised when it finally unleashed its fury by dumping heavy snow (instead of the predicted light rain). I quickly put on the Vert Gloves and my group and I started to return back to the trailhead. Putting on the gloves is a quick and easy process. Each wrist has a pull tab made from webbing, which can aid in putting the gloves on, (as it gives me an easy section to pull the gloves over my hands while not reducing the stress on the glove's shell fabric), but is not really necessary. The gloves slide on without having to wrestle my hands into them (which I consider a good thing).

The Wrist Pull Tabs on the Vert Gloves

The snow and the temperature kept falling which made going back no easy task. Snow and slickrock, while beautiful to look at, do not make a great combination for hiking terrain. We had to proceed with caution over flat portions, but it was not too much of a problem. The downhill I enjoyed immensely as I either sat on my butt or got on all fours and slid down. It was similar to going down a slide. Going up was substantially harder. It was comparable to scrambling or the ultimate game of Twister on a severely sloped floor. In a few sections I had to use my hands, arms, feet and knees to progress only a few yards. Needless to say going back took a lot longer than heading out, but I was able to really test my dexterity while wearing the gloves. I was able to grip the wet slickrock and pull myself up without any problems at all. I also used my gloved hands to help control my downhill sliding. I should also note that opening energy bars while wearing the gloves is slightly more challenging than when using bare hands, but is not what I would call difficult.

The gloves did "wet out" after a while, but I still had no problems gripping the rocks. I will say, however, that after the Vert Gloves wet out they become fairly cold. Before wetting out my hands were warm and dry. After wetting out my hands quickly became damp and were cold. When I no longer had steep terrain to tackle I removed the gloves immediately and stuck my hands in my pockets to try and warm them up. The gloves also wetted out while snowshoeing the Uintas. The Vert Gloves repelled the light snow that was falling all morning, but in the afternoon the snowstorm kicked into high gear and soaked almost all my gear. The gloves soaked through and my hands again felt the cold temperatures. It should be noted that the Vert Gloves are a soft shell and therefore it should be expected to wet out after prolonged exposure to moisture. I would say that the Vert Gloves perform as well as all most soft shells I have used and do appear to be water-resistant (and not waterproof), which is what I expected.

When dry, wearing the Vert Gloves is very comfortable. I have no problem keeping the gloves on all day whether I am on the trail or in camp. I've even slept with the gloves on for additional warmth during a chilly night (20 F/ -6 C) in Canyonlands National Park. They fit my hands well as I do not have to readjust them throughout the day and do not find them to be restrictive in any way. I can wear my windstopper liners under the gloves without any difficulty, but I have never needed to as they do an excellent job of protecting my hands from the wind. The lining does an good job of breathing/wicking moisture away and keeping my hands dry even when the temperature above 50 F (10 C). In Zion National Park I kept the gloves as the temperature climbed, but I was unable to detect any moisture buildup after arriving to camp. When dry they have kept my hands warm well below freezing.

Testing Location:

I go hiking/camping or backpacking in Utah almost every weekend from the spring through the fall and will continue to bring the OR Vert Gloves on every trip. I hope to venture into the San Rafael Swell and Cedar Mesa in May. If the weather permits, I also intend to go backpacking in Fish Lake National Forest and the Wasatch Mountains in June. The terrain will vary greatly and will include wet and muddy corridors, slickrock, steep and rocky terrain as well as plain old dirt paths. Temperatures should range from 35 F (2 C) to 85 F (29 C). I will likely see all types of weather ranging from heavy rain to sunny. The elevations experienced should be between 4,000 ft (1,200 m) and 9,000 ft (2,700 m).

Testing Plan:

For the remaining two months of the test period I intend to evaluate the Vert Gloves performance, durability, fit and comfort in a number of areas. A few of the questions I hope to answer about the Vert glove's characteristics I still hope to answer include:

Fit & Comfort - Will the gloves be too warm if I am exerting myself while wearing the gloves in warmer temperatures than I have seen up to this point? What is the overall temperature range of the Vert gloves?

Performance - Will I be able to naturally grip tools while wearing the gloves without causing my hands, fingers or wrists to cramp up? Can I function on the trail while wearing the gloves including, but not limited to, operating my trekking poles, carabineers, snowshoe bindings, my stove, scramble over rocks, pitch a tent, retrieve items from my pocket, shovel snow or exchange hand gestures with my companions? Are these really an "all-mountain glove" as the manufacturer claims? Will the Vert Gloves provide adequate insulation when used as a hot pad while cooking?

Maintenance & Durability - Will the elasticized wrist become overstretched after four months of testing? Will the "full leather palm" wear through over time? Do the Vert gloves adequately resist abrasions? After four months will the Vert gloves rip, tear or in any other way be damaged? Can they be easily washed? Will they lose insulating capacity after four months or after washing them?

Summary:

Overall the OR Vert Gloves have performed well in my opinion. They have come in handy while digging in snow and gripping wet slickrock. I have successfully used them for additional warmth and wind protection. Like any soft shell they do wet out over prolonged exposure to moisture and unfortunately do not insulate as well when the moisture does penetrate the shell. I would like to see a completely waterproof version of these gloves so I do not have to worry about using them in heavy precipitation.

I would like to thank Outdoor Research and BackpackGearTest for allowing me the opportunity to test the Vert Gloves.

Read more reviews of Outdoor Research gear
Read more gear reviews by Ken Bigelow

Reviews > Clothing > Gloves > Outdoor Research Vert Gloves > Ken Bigelow > Field Report

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