jja Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 Used these gloves ice climbing this past weekend. The seam joining the leather palm and the fabric on the right thumb had a 3" blow out, the same seam on the left thumb had about 1/2" of seam give way. I didn't abuse them in any particular way other than climb in them. At first I thought the funky screw head on the grivel 360's caught the seam and ripped it open while placing gear, but then the left thumb started to go to. Brought them back to marmot mountain in bellevue and they exchanged them for me, and are sending the others back to cloudveil. I don't think it was any particular manufacturing defect though, just maybe a bad design. I think I'll seam grip the seams around the thumb on the replacements before I use them, and hope for the best. Other than the small bit about them falling apart they're really nice gloves. Quote
JoshK Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 Yup, I've got a pair of those. very good dexterity and very comfortable. Quote
freeclimb9 Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 Seams in waterproof gloves don't fly. You've wasted your money. Go with the Vinylove, or the more comfortable Seal Skinz. Quote
jja Posted February 4, 2003 Author Posted February 4, 2003 These gloves aren't supposed to be waterproof, I was thinking of using seam grip just as reinforcement. But you're right, if this new replacement pair only lasts one weekend, I have wasted my money. Quote
erik Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 I'll seam grip the seams around the thumb on the replacements before I use them, and hope for the best. seam grip all non taped seems, on everything. Quote
cj001f Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 Definite bummer with the gloves - I hope it's just a one off (which it might be - my Troller glvoes have held very well so far this season) Quote
freeclimb9 Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 Ask yourself "who are the best equipped professionals in our country right now?" Without question, that'd be Special Ops. And then ask "what glove do they buy?" That'd be Seal Skinz. That's why they're available only in olive and black. I've only been amazed by a few new pieces of gear in the last decade, and the Seal Skinz are one of them. Quote
jja Posted February 4, 2003 Author Posted February 4, 2003 I've only been amazed by a few new pieces of gear in the last decade, and the Seal Skinz are one of them. Do you know who carries these? Quote
freeclimb9 Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 Do you know who carries these? No. Not a brick-and-mortar place, anyways. They're too new, I think, for some retailers to gamble on. You can order direct from Danalco http://www.danalco.com/ I don't think they charge for shipping, either. Or I can put together a purchase, but the minimum order is twelve pair total (the sum of socks and/or gloves of any sizes must be 12). Toward the end of March, they're supposed to start distributing "ChillBlocker" models that feature a thicker liner to make them even warmer. The current Seal Skinz are lined with Coolmax. Quote
erik Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 Ask yourself "who are the best equipped professionals in our country right now?" Without question, that'd be Special Ops. And then ask "what glove do they buy?" That'd be Seal Skinz. That's why they're available only in olive and black. I've only been amazed by a few new pieces of gear in the last decade, and the Seal Skinz are one of them. i have had a pair of seal skin socks for about 5 years...works great...walk accros bridge creek(b.c.) in them and all sorts of other wet shenningans!!! Quote
Bronco Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 uh, I've seen these guys at sporting goods stores like Jerry's surplus in Everett, McDaniels Hardware in Snohomish for years. Also at cabelas.com http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jhtml?id=0005310921535a&navAction=jump&navCount=3&indexId=cat470147&podId=0005310&catalogCode=ID&parentId=cat470147&parentType=index&rid=&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fcatalog%2Fitem-link.jhtml.2_A&_DAV=http%3A%2F%2Fa1460.g.akamai.net%2Ff%2F1460%2F1339%2F6h%2Fwww.cabelas.com%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcontent%2FPod%2F00%2F53%2F10%2Fp005310ii01.jpg Quote
cracked Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 REI in Eugene used to carry them too. They might still have them...I don't know. Quote
jordop Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 I've got a pair of these but never seem to wear them. They're a bitch to get on when they're wet and its cold and they aren't really that warm below freezing. They're great for crabbing though My BD dryskin gloves seem a lot warmer and cushier in the crap weather. They used to be everywhere in Vancouver 5 years ago. I bet Taiga or 3 Vietnam Vets still sell them along with all the other useless crap they have like $200 Eastern Bloc mtneering boots. Quote
JoshK Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 jja, no problems with the seems on my iec flow gloves. About the sealskinz, the REI here in seattle carries them. I bought a pair, used them once, they sucked, and REI got them back. Maybe they'd be good for wet and warm conditions but they offered nothing in terms of insulation when it got cold. Quote
freeclimb9 Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 but they offered nothing in terms of insulation when it got cold. hyperbole. Quote
thelawgoddess Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 i've got a pair of these gloves. i've used them several times for ice climbing and have been using them for skiing as well becaues i love the feel and dexterity. i've never had a problem with the seams or anything else. i love 'em. (honestly, they're not very warm when you're sittin' around and they're not waterproof ... but they're not *supposed* to be!) Quote
freeclimb9 Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 Wouldn't you rather have a pair of the Vinylove? You can customize the design with a Sharpie pen. Quote
Dustin_B Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 I've only been amazed by a few new pieces of gear in the last decade, and the Seal Skinz are one of them. Do you know who carries these? Actually our good buddies down at the REI Seattle carried seal skin as of June last year. Bought a pair, didn't use them, then returned them. Don't know if they still carry them, haven't looked lately. Quote
cracked Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 Who has the Vinylove? I checked on Google: 4 bucks/pair! I gotta get me some! Quote
cracked Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 I'm going to get some! How durable are they? Then again, I can get 15 pairs for the price of 1 pair of BD/Cloudviels, so maybe I don't care. Quote
JoshK Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 but they offered nothing in terms of insulation when it got cold. hyperbole. Fine, maybe so, but I'd hardly consider them a reasonable glove if you are actually going to be out in the elements much with them when it's cold. Maybe others have had different experiences, but I was definitely let down. Quote
freeclimb9 Posted February 4, 2003 Posted February 4, 2003 I'm going to get some! How durable are they? Then again, I can get 15 pairs for the price of 1 pair of BD/Cloudviels, so maybe I don't care. I've been stroking my tools with the Vinylove for a few years now. One pair lasts me about a season. My hands stay pretty warm, but I've got warmer hands than most people I've climbed with. Just don't expect them to withstand a fast rappel. You need to use forced air to dry them, or they'll get funky (I use a couple cardboard tubes duct-taped into a shoebox placed over the heating register). And they wouldn't be my first choice for a multi-day trip, though my climbing partner used them on Liberty Ridge, and didn't complain. With regard to the Seal Skinz, when coupled with an overmitt, they'd do extremely well in even severe cold. The Chill Blocker style --which, again, will come out in March-- is roughly twice as thick as the regular style. Quote
David_Parker Posted February 5, 2003 Posted February 5, 2003 They make the vinylove in insulated too; yellow fuzy stuff on inside. These are alaska fishing gloves so go to any fisherman's supply in ballard. I rapped one time off Weeping wall and melted a hole. Use different gloves for rapping. Good grip, fine in above freezing weather with wet ice, no good for dexterity though. I used my CV icefloes on N. Face Chair. It was definitely below freezing and I didn't get cold at all. You should always carry an extra pair of gloves on any multi pitch ice climb! Quote
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