Warm winter gloves

Q. Dear Mr. Gear [Guy]: I’ve never had a good pair of winter gloves and I’m a real wimp when it comes to being cold. Do you have a certain pair I should get?
— Brrrrr Bryans, Eau Clair, Wis.

A. Hey Brrrrr. Thanks for the note. And BTW, you can call me Gear Guy. No mister necessary. Anyway, I’ve gotten lots of questions like yours already this winter asking about good winter gloves. So I thought I’d fill you guys in on two of my current favorites. First, let me say that you do get what you pay for when it comes to buying gloves. You might have a little sticker shock, but you’ll likely have to pay a minimum of $50 or $60 to get a pair of quality waterproof/breathable gloves. Your hands are worth it. And here are two worth checking out:

Mountain Hardwear Guajillo Glove ($80; mountainhardwear.com) These gloves are just the right thickness, warmth and weight for lots of activities. I’ve worn them snowboarding, hiking, even a massive snowball fight in six degree weather. They’re not too thick (or too thin) and they have a cuff that pulls over your sleeve to keep the snow out. Best of all, the Guajillos are made with something called OutDry Waterproof Technology. Basically the waterproof/windproof barrier is bonded to the outershell of the glove stopping the cold, wet stuff from getting in through the seams and hanging out in between the outershell and the inner glove. It’s a little tough to explain, but trust me it works well.

REI Switchback Gloves ($64.50; rei.com) For snow sports and such, I’m a big fan of gloves with these long “gauntlet-style” cuffs. They really keep the snow out, helping you stay dry and warm. These waterproof/breathable Switchbacks are cool too because they have removable fleece liners. So you can wear the fleece gloves around camp, or just the outershell glove alone when the weather isn’t frigid but you still want your hands to stay warm and dry. Finally, at about $65 bucks, I’d say these gloves are one of the best values on the market.