Initial Report

Outdoor Research Vert Gloves
Initial Report
March 8, 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)

Product Description & Initial Impressions:

The Outdoor Research (OR) Vert Gloves are a soft shell glove designed for "all-mountain" use. The exterior of the glove is composed of two materials, a Schoeller® Dynamic Extreme® shell and leather. This black shell material covers the wrists and back of the gloves. It has a stitched "OR" logo on it. The Schoeller® Dynamic Extreme® is a mixture or "high-grade, high-tech fibers" including Cordura® Plus (for tear and abrasion resistance) and permanently elastic Lycra® (for fit and freedom of movement). This combination is supposed to be not only wind and water-resistant, but breathable as well. The material is claimed to resist abrasions, wick away moisture and retain its shape. Only time, however, will tell if this material meets the manufacturer's claims.

The glove's palms are made of gray leather anatomically curved to provide users with an excellent grip on hand tools or ropes even in poor weather conditions. The Vert Gloves have a 3-panel thumb (one panel of leather and two of the shell meet hence "3-panel") which is claimed to allow for an increased dexterity. The gloves also feature an elasticized wrist (which the manufacturer claims will not interfere with pole straps) and a clip at the cuffs to lock the gloves together.

Schoeller® Dynamic Extreme® Shell & Full Leather Palm

OR Vert Gloves Outer Material: The Gray Leather Palm &
Black Schoeller® Dynamic Extreme® Outer Shell

The interior of the gloves are tricot lining. The interior of the palm is smooth tricot lining which is advertised as allowing for an easy in/easy out of the gloves. The back of the hand is lined with brushed tricot. This brushed interior lining is designed to provide some insulation for the user's hands. When I put on the Vert Gloves I can definitely tell the difference between the two different interior lining materials. They have quite different textures from each other (the brushed tricot being softer), but neither is uncomfortable.

OR Vert Gloves Interior Lining: The Smooth Tricot Palm Lining (Left) &
Brushed Tricot Lining (Right) on the Back of Hand

The manufacturer's website has pictures and descriptions of the Vert Gloves which are fairly similar to what I received. Sizing information (based on hand circumference and length) for the Vert Gloves is also located on the website. The sizing chart matches up with my measurements as the gloves fit my hands quite well. My fingers extend all the way to the tips of the glove's fingers and they do not feel too tight or too loose on my hands (at least not initially).

Testing Location:

I will use the Vert Gloves on weekend hiking/snowshoeing and backpacking trips. In March I have an overnight trip planned in the Wasatch Mountains or possibly the Uinta Mountains and expect to take a similar trip in April. I usually go hiking/snowshoeing or backpacking at least twice a month and will bring the gloves on all of my trips. I expect to head down to the Southern Utah desert in late March, but it can still be fairly chilly to warrant wearing gloves. I do tend to take spur of the moment trips and will almost certainly take one or more of them during the test period. The terrain will consist of snow covered trails, icy pathways, wet and muddy corridors, and possibly rocky terrain dirt paths and even slickrock. Temperatures should range from 15 F (-9 C) to 60 F (16 C), but could easily be warmer or colder as spring temperatures frequently fluctuate all over the place. I will likely see all types of weather ranging from snow to sunny. The elevations experienced should be between 4,000 feet (1,200 m) and 11,000 feet (3,300 m).

Testing Plan:

Over the course 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 include:

Fit & Comfort - Are the gloves easy to put on or take off? Will I have to wrestle with the Vert gloves in order to put them on? Will I find the "Anatomical curve, boxed construction, and slim fit" too restrictive when wearing the gloves? Will the gloves stay on my hands all day long or will I constantly have to adjust them? Can the Vert gloves be used as a liner? Will they keep my hands warm if it's below freezing? Will the gloves be too warm if I am exerting myself while wearing the gloves? What is the overall temperature range of the Vert gloves? If they are wet, will their insulating ability be severely hampered? Is the "Smooth tricot palm lining, brushed tricot on back of hand" comfortable to wear in general?

Performance - Are the Vert gloves wind-resistant as the manufacturer claims? Are the Vert gloves water-resistant? Will the Schoeller® Dynamic Extreme® shell shed everything from light rain to heavy snow? Are they breathable or will excess condensation build up on the inside? Will my dexterity be severely hampered while wearing the Vert gloves? 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? Will the gloves ability to grip be dramatically affected when wet? Are these really an "all-mountain glove" as the manufacturer claim?

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?

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

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