I always have cold fingers when I ski. Chalk it up to poor circulation, or just that I’m too cheap to buy quality gloves. But this season I’ve stepped up and got me a pair of the RPG snow gloves from Truck Gloves. Truck is a local company based right here in the SLC, and they are disrupting the glove market by using a direct-to-consumer model, which keeps prices low. But does an affordable glove mean a warm glove? First the details.
Truck Gloves RPG
Above the hand, Truck Gloves RPG feature:
- Leather/Textile outer
- Porelle Membrane
- 170 grams 3M Polyfill
- 80 grams Thinsulate
- 250 grams high-pile fleece
Below the hand the gloves feature:
- 200 grams polar fleece
- 80 grams Thinsulate
- Porelle membrane
- Leather
As you can see, there is layer upon layer of warmth-inducing insulation packed into these gloves. When I got them in the mail and opened the packaging, immediately I could see this this is one burly glove. Indeed, they are big and stiff. Because they were tough to flex my fingers at first, I was a bit worried, but knew that after some break-in, they would be fine.
The Test and Review
My first venture out with the Truck RPGs, I shot video for an ice fishing show in the Uinta Basin. Temperatures at the trailhead dipped to -12F. But on the whole ride in by snowmobile, and a whole day on the ice, my fingers stayed pretty warm. They only got cold due to the fact that the gloves were so stiff and tight when new, that there wasn’t enough space in the fingertips to trap heat. But as I worked, I constantly gripped gear and worked the fingers to break them in.
Thereafter, the RPGs have been my daily drivers while skiing, and after break-in, I can honestly say they are amazingly warm. The high-pile fleece on the inside is very cozy, and it’s easy to trap heat inside the gloves thanks to a huge gauntlet that seals off with a drawstring gaiter.
The glove’s construction is impressive. The leather seems to be high-quality and burly so far, and the added stitched leather on the palms is welcome for added durability. Padding on the back of the hand helps protect from punching branches while tree skiing (or maybe gate bashing).
My only complaint so far is that the Truck Gloves RPG might be too warm! There have been days on the mountain in the upper 30s where I regretted wearing them because my hands got sweaty. So I’d suggest only grabbing these babies when the mercury drops below freezing… for the daytime high.
At only $112, these gloves are very reasonably priced. An equivalent glove from a bigger-name brand would cost you closer to $200. So if you like to save money while also supporting a small, local company, then ordering Truck gloves from their website is the way to go.
Plus, their sizes go beyond S, M, L as they measure their gloves to size. After following their directions and putting the tape to my wrist to the top of my middle finger, it was clear that I’m a size 8. But I went up to a size 9 for a winter glove in case I wanted to use a liner, and I’m glad I did because they fit perfectly without one.
So keep those digits toasty, and save some coin by checking out the RPG Truck Gloves at truckgloves.com