66 North Langjokull review

These gloves are very warm, the warmest of the synthetic insulated ones tested, as you might expect from an Icelandic company. The synthetic insulation is thicker than on the other gloves and the Langjokull gloves are quite bulky, which means that dexterity is minimal.

The 66 North Langjokull gloves are very warm, the warmest of the synthetic insulated ones that I’ve tested in our guide to the Best winter gloves for hiking and walking, as you might expect from an Icelandic company. The synthetic insulation is thicker than on the other gloves and the Langjokull gloves are quite bulky, which means that dexterity is minimal.

Price: £70 | Weight: 200g (men’s L) | Materials: Nylon Cordura, Pittard leather, PrimaLoft, Gore-Tex, Polartec Power Stretch | Features: Elasticated wrist, clip together | Sizes: Men & women XS-2XL

They are very comfortable to wear, though, and the fleece lining feels instantly warm. The leather on the palm and fingers gives good grip and should prove durable. The cuffs aren’t adjustable, which is disappointing.

They aren’t very close-fitting, and it would be useful to be able to cinch them really tight to keep out wind and snow. No leashes are provided – and I think they’re essential given how thick the gloves are – but these could be attached to the labels inside the cuffs. It would have to be extremely cold before I would need to wear these gloves for long, but those who suffer with cold hands may disagree. I think they’re excellent to carry for when your hands get cold at stops from tasks that can only be done with thin gloves.

About

Chris Townsend is known globally as a writer on hiking and backpacking skills and equipment, the author of 25 books – many of them award-winning – and as a record-setting long-distance hiker. He was the first person to complete a continuous round of all the Scottish Munros and Tops and the first person to complete a continuous walk the length of the Canadian Rockies. He has also walked the Scottish Watershed and walked coast-to-coast across Scotland 18 times. In the USA he has walked the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Northwest Trail and Arizona Trail plus several self-devised long walks. Other walks include south-to-north through the mountains of Norway and Sweden and 1000 miles through the Yukon Territory. He has also worked as a Nordic ski tour leader in Scandinavia and other places and as a trek leader in the Himalayas.