4 SealSkinz Ultra Grip Glove Review

Reviewer: Stephen Stallebrass, Eastgate, Peterborough   (30-12-2011)

I bought these to go under my motorcycle gloves. I haven't used them much yet but they're thicker than I thought they'd be, so I may need a bigger pair of motorcycle gloves. They seem to be good gloves but I don't feel as dexterous in them as I thought they would be, perhaps this will improve when they're worn in a bit. Hopefully they won't retain the moisture from sweat as well as they claim to keep out the water? Time will tell.

4 SealSkinz Ultra Grip Glove Review

Reviewer: stuart pagram, meopham   (16-12-2010)

I’ve been using these gloves for tree surgery work for the last 2 winters & I’m pretty happy with them, they're a nice tight fit so they don't affect dexterity too much. Really nice for winter climbing, keep your hands nice a warm as long as you stay active. I do find if I stop for a while my hands do start to get cold but how much can you expect from a thin pair of gloves.

They have started to leak but its no surprise considering I climb trees and carry around logs all day, I might try the 'ultra tough glove' version next. Overall I would say that if you do something active & need waterproof gloves with good dexterity these are ideal.

2 SealSkinz Ultra Grip Glove Review

Reviewer: Nick Smith, Sheffield   (4-10-2010)

I thought that a grippy, warm & waterproof glove would be ideal for Winter photography (where you really need some dexterity) and walking, but unfortunately these don't do the job for me.

The fitting is quite unusual compared to many other gloves I've tried - very tight around the fingers, so much so that they seem to restrict the blood-flow, which doesn't help with keeping your fingers warm! They are certainly grippy, and the tight fit ensures good dexterity, so if you have thin fingers then they might be worth a look.

1 SealSkinz Ultra Grip Glove Review

Reviewer: Andy Ashton, Chester   (14-6-2010)

Cold wet hands are always a problem on the hill, and the unfortunate position of the hands at the end of the sleeve means gloves are always going to get wet when it rains, disproportionately so

. So when I read about a waterproof glove this sounded like just the thing, so I bought some. Unfortunately for me they just don't work. My hands were cold and kind of sweaty and clammy inside the glove, and generally uncomfortable. Given that the main function of gloves is to keep the hands warm (as well as protect them, I guess) they had very few outings and have languished in the bottom of my kit box ever since.

On the upside, this was several years ago and they're still on sale so other people must think they're OK.

2 Slightly odd

Reviewer: J Ash, London   (13-5-2010)

I bought these after spending two weeks wild camping in freezing rain in the Lake District. I wanted something that would be dexterous enough to set up camp AND stop my hands from becoming soaked and numb with cold. After a lot of looking around, the SealSkins seemed like the only choice.

The fit is very close but not very comfortable: they feel like the type of glove that can be worn on either hand and wants to keep your hand very flat. The close-but-crude fit also means that they are not really as dexterous as they look.

Despite having a merino wool lining they are not very warm AT ALL. Too cold even for walking around London in winter (my girlfriend bought a pair just after me and was of the same opinion regarding the lack of warmth).

I lost my pair on the underground before getting a chance to test them in heavy rain. I have not replaced them. They may have kept my hands dry in that driving Lakes rain but I just don't think that they would have been warm enough. I'll try a different solution before I come back to these.

Facewest comment

For those considering gloves that allow good dexterity please note there is often a compromise in insulation and warmth.

5 SealSkinz Ultra Grip Glove Review

Reviewer: Danny McShane, Fyvie   (28-2-2010)

I've had these gloves as my standard winter hill walking gloves for two years in Scotland. They stay warm through a whole day's wind, rain, and snow and cope well with handling a metal ice axe well below zero. Unlike some gloves with inners that drift and tangle, these are easy to take off and to put on again, even if your hands have been sweating (did I say they were warm?). If your hands are wet and cold when they go in, they warm up well. The combination fabric is thick but close-fitting, so dexterity isn't compromised. They have a slightly elasticated feel -but not restrictive of circulation. The elasticity suggests they are tolerant of variations in finger length. The sticky dots give good grip on metal ice axe shafts and seem unaffected by temperature. Falling snow doesn't noticeably stick to the outer fabric, and I haven't noticed any problems ascending Grade I and II snow climbs. They appear very strongly made -I don't know how robust they will be against abrasive rock, but mine are as-new after two years with no sagging, stretching, pilling or snagging of the outer or inner material that I can see. Since I've started using them I haven't needed over mitts, but can see how you might want the cuff coverage that mitts offer when climbing. They the kind of reassuring item you quickly forget you are wearing and just take the performance for granted. Previously I've used 5 finger Dachstein wool gloves, which were warm but soaked through eventually; and numerous waterproof outer gloves with linings that became uncomfortable in a day's use from condensation. These have proved far more capable than I expected and I'll replace them with the same when I have to, though there's no sign of that being any time soon.