Judy Armstrong tested the Mountain Equipment Super Alpine Women’s Glove for her review of the best year-round gloves. Here’s how it performed on the hill.
The Mountain Equipment Super Alpine Women’s Glove is an unusual glove from one of Britain’s most established alpine brands. It combines a durable, windproof, highly water resistant (not waterproof) soft shell outer with a beautiful Pittards Oiltac leather palm. Oiltac was originally created for football goalkeepers’ gloves and incorporates polymers that promote contact adhesion, plus a tanning process that offers a high degree of water resistance. This both protects the leather and guarantees grip in difficult weather conditions. It almost feels sticky and is super-supple; just extraordinary.
The soft shell is highly water resistant although not waterproof, and the close fit teamed with generous stretch makes it mould to the hand. The microfleece lining is adhered to the shell so can’t pull out with wet hands, which is a major plus.
The Mountain Equipment Super Alpine Women’s Glove is not a glove for freezing conditions, as insulation is relatively minimal and below 0C my fingers were chilly. The fit is true to size although in a shop I would have tried a Small rather than Medium. Fingers are slightly curved which add further to the feeling of positive grip.
My only small gripe is the gauntlet, which has a Velcro tab, making it too chunky to go under most layers and too close fitting to wear over others. Basically, you need to pick your conditions (not too wet, not too cold) and how you match it to your cuffs, but once you’ve sorted that it’s really quite special. The Super Alpine has been in the range for years and is a best-seller for Mountain Equipment for good reason.
