We Don鈥檛 Need Another Spork
By Miyo McGinn, 国产吃瓜黑料 assistant editor
Lobster-claw gloves are the spork of cold-weather apparel: hybrid gear that accomplishes none of its tasks as capably as the standalone equivalent. A spork is a leaky spoon with tines too short to spear anything; the lobster claw is鈥攖ake your pick鈥攁 chilly mitten or a glove with lousy dexterity. Where skiing is concerned, I want a full-finger design when I know I鈥檒l be doing stuff (ripping skins, swapping layers), and mittens when warmth is paramount. What I don鈥檛 want is a mashup that nods at both without delivering on either.
I also see no need for a single glove or mitten to cover both scenarios, since I always tour with two pairs of gloves anyway鈥攐ne for the uphill and one for the down, when the first is too sweaty to keep my hands warm. If I鈥檓 already carrying multiple pairs of gloves, it makes sense for each to suit its intended use.
I prefer lighter gloves while skinning (my go-tos are ). The energy I鈥檓 burning means I don鈥檛 require a lot of insulation to be comfortable, and they offer better dexterity when transitioning. At the top, I switch to hefty mittens鈥攑referably something waterproof and generously insulated. Bulk isn鈥檛 an issue, since the only task my hands have on the way down is holding on to my poles.
If you want warm hands, wear mittens; if you need nimble fingers, go with gloves. Sporks are better in theory than in practice.
These Gloves Are the Perfect Combination of Dexterity and Warmth
By Jake Stern, 国产吃瓜黑料 digital editor
I鈥檝e spent most of my career arguing against compromise when it comes to gear. If something鈥檚 labeled hybrid, almost always it鈥檒l disappoint you twice. Take hybrid skis鈥攏either light enough for going up nor stable enough on the way down. So I like my backcountry skis to weigh about two pounds, and if I had my way, my alpine skis would weigh fifty. Compromise is fine when you鈥檙e a student, when you have young kids, or in other instances when good enough will see you through. But it鈥檚 never better than the real deal.
It may come as a surprise then that I鈥檓 climbing up on my soapbox to tell you about my lord and savior come wintertime: the 鈥淎ren鈥檛 lobster claws a hybrid?鈥 you ask. No, they鈥檙e a paragon of sensible design, warmth and dexterity made manifest in a tidy leather package. Whether you鈥檙e riding chairlifts, booting couloirs, or (God forbid) snowshoeing, you鈥檒l inevitably need to reach into your pack or futz with a buckle or maybe even open a beverage. Lobster claws won鈥檛 hinder your motor skills, thanks to the free index finger, and will keep you warm while you wait for your partner to catch up.
Lobster claws are the preferred accessory of ski patrollers and mountain-warfare divisions. Why? Because they work better than five-finger gloves or full-blown mitts. My hands stay just as warm in a lobster claw as in a standard mitt, and I can just as easily buckle my boots or strap into my crampons as I can while wearing gloves. The claw鈥檚 trigger-finger design is unfazed by zippers or clips, and by keeping the majority of your fingers together, they trap more heat. What鈥檚 that? Your index finger is cold? If Tommy Caldwell doesn鈥檛 need one, neither do you.