SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ Gloves
Initial Report
3/2/2004

 

Tester:	Coy Starnes
Gender:	Male
Age:	42
Weight:	230 lb (104 kg)
Height:	6 ft (1.8 m)
E-Mail:	cstarnes@nehp.net
Location:	Grant, Alabama

Tester Bio
I live outside a small town in northeast Alabama.  I have access to a good hiking area right out my front door, a large tract of woods called Pall-Mill Hollow (pronounced holler).  It has a creek flowing through it with several good swimming holes.  Caves abound in the area.  I spent my youth climbing around the bluffs, swimming in the creek and exploring the caves.  I also enjoy hunting, fishing, canoeing, and most other outdoor activities.

Backpacking is my favorite pastime. I consider myself a knowledgeable backpacker but I am not an expert.  I enjoy hiking with my friends and family or solo.  I limit my hiking to areas fairly close to home, usually within a day’s drive of home.  I hike throughout the year and actually hike the least in the hot humid months of summer.  My style is slow and steady and my gear is light.  However I will sacrifice weight for comfort and durability.  A typical 3 season load for me is around 20 lb (9 kg) not counting food or water.  I usually sleep in a hammock and cook with an alcohol stove.  My backpacking trips are usually 2, 3 or 4 days in length.

Product Information

Test item,	SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ Gloves
Manufacturer,	Danalco, Inc.
Manufacturer URL,	http://www.danalco.com/
Year of Manufacture,	2004
Size,	Large
Weight,	not listed
Weight Verified,	3.7 oz (105 g)
Color,	Black (only color available)
MSRP,	$49.95 US

Product Description
The SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ gloves look much like cotton work gloves, only quite a bit thicker and waterproof.  More on this later.  They are black inside and out except for the gripper dots which are a brownish color, the SealSkinz® logo on the right hand glove, and a yellow stitch line inside the cuff area up at the glove opening. The gloves are constructed of three layers with the outside layer made of knit of nylon/lycra® spandex.  The next layer is the waterproof layer which I describe in more detail below.  The inner layer is expedition-weight fleece.  The fleece is bunched up so that little wave patterns are formed across the inside surface but I could stretch the glove out to make it smooth.   

Following is the more technical information.  First, the SealSkinz® products (socks and gloves) use a patented fabric structure of three layers and are pressure tested to be 100% waterproof.  The key to the waterproofness is in the middle layer called the MVT (Moisture Vapor Transpiration) which is in effect a waterproof/breathable layer. The SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ gloves are insulated on the inside with an expedition-weight double velour Polartec® Power Stretch™ fleece (7.3 oz per square yard). The outside layer is knit of nylon/lycra® spandex which claims to offer a durable, flexible, stretchy covering.

Receiving the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ Gloves
I revived my pair of SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ gloves on 2/24/2004.  The came in a clear plastic box with the hanging notch typical for store display.  I was not sure exactly what to expect even after reading the website information.  Not because the website lacked good pictures or a good description of the gloves, I just had it in my head that these gloves would be similar to neoprene gloves I have used.  I was just excited to have them after reading a lot of the raving testimonials from no less than some world class adventure racing teams.  

Also included were some leaflets, one describing the SealSkinz® line of products. There was information provided on care, independent lab test, testimonials and available sizes.  On a separate leaflet was information on Polartec® Power Stretch™.  I found no indication of any type of warranty on either the website or the leaflets in the package.

Proposed Testing Location
Hopefully, I will be able to test the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ gloves under a wide variety of terrain and temperatures.  Most testing will be undertaken while hiking around the woods and water near my home.  I also hope to test them on several backpacking trips in the Southeastern US in the cool weather left this winter.  After summer arrives, I plan to continue testing the gloves playing in cold creeks, perhaps moving a rock to see what sort of critter may be hiding beneath it.
 
Test Plan
First, I did a little preliminary testing and found my left glove is not waterproof.  It leaks around the fingers at the seams where the fingers and palm interface.  I found another problem with the right hand glove, which appears to be slightly deformed.  The little finger is curved to the outside much more than the left hand glove.  This causes this glove to fit worse than the other.  Both gloves fit OK everywhere but in the little finger.  I found the little finger long for both gloves.  I will possibly be swapping the gloves and will report the outcome in my Field Report.  I especially want to have waterproof gloves to test.  

My testing will involve wearing the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ gloves around camp and while hiking if my fingers are cold.  I will also wear them in my sleeping bag to help extend the temperature range of the bag.

I found a tidbit of information which I don't fully understand.  From the website "Tested at 30 degrees below F."  Is this -30 F (-34 C) or 30 degrees below Freezing (2 F/-17 C)? I don't really have a way to verify performance at either temperature, though it was 11 F (-12 C) one morning a few weeks back.  I will just report on how warm my hands feel under the various conditions I encounter, and the different levels of activity to which I subject the gloves.

I also want to find out just how breathable the MVT (Moisture Vapor Transpiration) layer is. It is obvious the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ gloves are intended for wintertime wear. At what temperatures do they become too hot for extended use?  I have no doubt they will be needed year around for playing in cold creek water but will I need them otherwise during warm weather?

Next I will be testing the gloves for practical daily usage.  By this I mean, can I wear the same pair of gloves on a hiking trip, get them wet or need to wash them, and still be able to dry them fast enough to use them the following day?  If they take too long to dry in the field I see needing an extra pair of gloves if I want the same level of protection day after day.

And finally I will be testing the gloves for durability.  How well do they hold up gathering fire wood?  Do the gripper dots last while using tools such as my ax or kukri knife?  How well do the gloves hold up to repeated washings?  The care instructions recommend hand washing the socks and then drip-drying for greatest longevity. They also warn not to twist or wring.  I envision squeezing them gently to remove as much water as possible and letting them dry hanging from a limb or on a rock in the sun if possible.  I will be reporting all this in my Field Report and invite you to check back and see how the SealSkinz® ChillBlocker™ gloves are performing.