Hestra Vertical Cut Freeride Glove

I was skeptical at first of the whole hype surrounding hestra and this glove in particular. I finally sacked up and dropped the money on these gloves and i still feel like an idiot for not doing it sooner, these are far and away the best gloves I have ever owned. Not once have my fingers gotten cold, not once have my hands gotten wet, not once have i gotten snow down through the cuff, and I've never hurt my knuckles when hitting branches in the trees. They also have enough of a low profile fit that it's not an ordeal trying to get my jacket zipped up. They fit bigger than the Fall Line and Boronowski's, finger length is similar but they're wider and hence warmer. The fleece inside is super soft and warm and the leather is incredibly supple.

I balmed them right out of the package but even before treatment the leather was incredibly soft and just gets softer with more use. I've owned these for over a year and there is no damage anywhere on them, they're very well made and designed, recommended to everyone

These are the best gloves you'll ever buy! This is my second pair only because I lost my first pair (the original yellow). The vertical cut freerides are super sweet though. I love these on so many different levels that I don't even know where to start. These have great function along with style and comfort. One thing that sticks out from the get-go is the padding. I don't know how many branches I've punched out of the way or to leaning on jagged scree that has made the padding well worth it. Also the padding provides another layer of warmth that keeps your digits and hands that much more out of the elements. Next is the leather, which is great because it allows for a full range of dexterity along with amazing grip. Also the inside of all Hestra gloves along with these feel amazing! And you can't beat the way these look, they're just awesome! So buy a pair, wear em, and let your hands smile.

So I got these back in the fall and I posted an initial review and thought I'd revisit after some usage at Tremblant and Whistler. The gloves are the right temp for me, keeps my hands warm without being too hot. The only time my hands got cold was at Whistler when it was -19C and i was holding on to a cold tbar ... i guess that's probably the case with most gloves, once I realized what I was doing, my hands warmed up right away and stayed toasty warm for the full day at -19C ... gloves fit perfect, the leather is amaizing ... perfect gloves in my books!

I've never had a better pair of gloves and I've had everything from Reusch, Dakine, Kombi and other brands ... best glove hands down.

I have used Swany, Spyder, Black Diamond, Marmot and many other gloves over the years. These gloves from Hestra have the best dexterity of any glove I have tried. Normally I lean towards an "over the cuff" style or a glove with a long gauntlet. Since purchasing these gloves I do not think I will go back. During a big powder day this might not be the right glove, but for any other occasion I will not hesitate to pull these out of my bag. My fingers do feel a bit frosty from time to time, but by the time I start moving my hands they warm right up. These gloves allow you to do all the things one normally has to remove a glove to do - accept access your iPhone.

Back to basics, Hestra leather is the way to go. I have these and the XCR short. Both are great, although these fit better and move better. If they fit tight at first, it is perfect, as they will form to your hand in a couple of days. Unlike the XCR, these don't have any gore-tex, so you have to treat them with Nikwax. I used about half a tube on mine when I first got them. Bake gloves in oven at 150 degrees for a few minutes, liberally rub nikwax into palms and fingers. Repeat a bunch of times, then as needed throughout the season. The gloves develop a nice patina. Too bad they don't make the yellow ones anymore, cause mine look killer!

I haven't used these yet on the slopes, but I did use a different pair of Hestras a good deal last ski season (Dominique Perret Power Dry model), and they are by far my favorite gloves. I'm not sure why but their gloves seem to conform to my hands better than any others, and they have the best pole-grip while still being very warm for their relative lack of bulky insulation. Whoever first came up with the neoprene under cuff design is also a genius. I have two pairs of Hestra and one pair of Mammut under cuff gloves now. I have used Reusch gloves but find the Hestras better all around (fit, durability, warmth, low-bulk, etc.) as skiing-specific gloves.

I've always suffered from cold hands on the lift. I've had the chance to wear these gloves a few times now and they kept my hands warm on a cold and snowy day in Tahoe but also dry and comfortable on a 50 degree day in So Cal. Not quite sure how that is possible, but I guess that is why I like them. Under the cuff is great, I was so tired of the gauntlets. Super comfy, warm, not bulky and very dry. What else do you need. If you have the dough, get them. If not, save up and get them. In 20 years of skiing, one of the best purchases I have ever made.

These gloves feel great out on the slopes, they are warm, dry, and have a very natural fit to them, nice and snug yet allowing mobility. My fingertips were a little cold early on in the day, especially on the lift, but eventually I didn't notice it anymore. The gloves appeared to be getting wet by the end of the day, but my hands stayed dry, so no complaints. Well, I guess they are a little lighter brown than in the picture, but that's not really a big deal, and will vary from glove to glove. Overall, I'm satisfied, definitely worth the money.

After years of suffering in inferior gloves, I finally stepped up and got these. If you measure your hand like Hestra recommends, (length from wrist to longest fingertip and circumference around fattest part of palm), and average the 2 measurements out, you'll end up with a great fit. If you're in-between and like a tight fit, go a size down, otherwise, size up. The padded knuckles help to protect when you're pushing those tree branches out of the way and when you're fighting for your spot in the tram. The neoprene wrist really works in sealing in the heat. Cheers.

What can I say, these gloves are the bees knees. I use snowseal or nikwax to totally waterproof these. I usually heat them up in the oven at warm for 5 minutes and apply the sealant liberally. I repeat this until the gloves will not accept anymore sealant. Then I throw them in the freezer for a couple minutes to allow the sealant to set a bit. The leather is supple, but still holds up to the abuse of skiing everyday. You will not regret your purchase.