The Extremities Furnace Pro is featured in our Best winter gloves for hiking and walking and looks like an old-fashioned knitted woollen glove due to the wool mix outer. However, it is just as modern and technical as the other gloves I’ve reviewed, featuring an internal waterproof/breathable membrane and PrimaLoft Gold insulation plus a soft polyester lining.
Price: £50 | Weight: 115g (L) | Materials: 70/30 acrylic/wool, XDry membrane, PrimaLoft Gold | Cuffs: Zipped | Features: Touchscreen-compatible, PU reinforcements, clip together | Sizes: XS-L
The outer has a water-repellent treatment, so it doesn’t absorb water. The fingers are shaped and curved, and there’s a zip at the cuff to ensure a close fit. The gloves are soft and flexible, and have better dexterity than stiffer ones.
The touchscreen pads on the forefinger and thumb are quite easy to use. The palms and the tips of the first finger and thumb are reinforced with PU to minimise wear with trekking poles or ice axes. But the protection isn’t as good as on gloves with more extensive coverage. No leashes are provided, though there are loops for adding ones. The Furnace gloves are very comfortable and warm. For climbing or extensive ice axe use they probably won’t prove as durable as gloves with stiffer, smoother fabrics but for most winter hillwalking they prove fine.
Written by Chris Townsend
Chris tested these gloves in the Cairngorms in cold, wet, windy, and sometimes snowy weather in winter, spring and autumn. He says “All of these gloves are so warm, I could only wear them comfortably in those conditions”.
