Hestra XCR Short Glove - 2010 BCS

These gloves look great and feel pretty good too. I did return mine because the red ones don't have a strap to put on your wrists to prevent dropping them of the lift. Also they seem to fit a bit narrow. The finger length was OK, maybe a bit long, but the glove was tight to get on and off. I really wanted to like them. I can't comment on how warm they were though.

This glove is the best I've used. I have worn out 3 pairs of Marmot Randonee gloves in the last 4 years and used up a pair of Ultimate Ski Gloves too. These babies are tough, warm and comfortable. I really can't believe how warm they are without bulk. Super waterproof, too. I have 50 days on a pair and they still look new. My only gripe is the elastic closure on the cuff. It is too bulky with its leather flap and gets in the way of putting my softshell or jacket cuff over it. I cut them off and removed the closure patch to make them work better for me. Love the Hestra.

I picked these up early last season. They still look the way I bought them - quality is through the roof. Very durable, and the leather is excellent. Very dexterous, rarely need to take them off to do something. Personally I think the under-cuff design is brilliant, I always thought the gauntlet styles were bulky. They'll keep you toasty down to about 10F in my experience. Basically the best gloves I've ever bought - looking forward to the next 50 days.

The initial fit was fairly tight, and my fingers are fairly skinny (piano fingers), but I found this was just because of the leather. After wearing them in for about 2 week it was much better. The sizing is very true. As for the warmth, it was not as good as I had hoped for. When it dips below around -10C my fingers start getting very cold. The dexterity is decent, nothing special. The fabrication is superb, excellent stitching, the leather high quality, and you can't ask for better breathability (not to mention the gloves look really good). 3/5 because of the poor performance in cold weather.

I've skied four days so far in these gloves. The materials and build quality are very good, and the fit and comfort are perfect. The leather palms provide much better dexterity than you will find in fabric or rubber palms of similar thickness.
Two things to consider before buying:
1) The neoprene cuffs fit snuggly around your wrists, and depend on your jacket cuffs to go over them to create a good seal. Make sure your jacket cuffs are compatible with this. Adjustable hook-and-loop closure cuffs work great.
2) These are not the warmest gloves you can get. I've found them to work good from about 15-40 degrees F. However, after wearing them, I'm going to purchase some Hestra Heli Mitts for the cold days.