Hestra Seth Morrison Pro 3 Finger gloves

I don't usually take any notice of athlete pro model equipment, as I usually associate it with guys like Jon Olson plastering pictures of Swedish underwear models on the topsheets of their skis. But there are other athletes whose equipment that I would be more inclined to check out and there two reasons I picked up this glove over all the others on the shelf:
1. Working and skiing on the mountain around 100 days a year, I have a disdain for getting cold hands and I wanted a glove that would last more than one season.
2. Seth Morrison is one bad ass skier and he wouldn't wear trash on his hands

Enter the Seth Morrison Pro 3-Finger. This glove is available in a 5-finger version as well, but in keeping with the theme of warmth, I opted for the more reptilian look. The great thing about the 3-Finger is that the lining (polyester blended with Bemberg - a high quality yarn used in fine suits) individually wraps each of the fingers, giving the glove an extra cosy feel when you put them on. Out of all the gloves I have worn over the years, none feel as luxurious as a brand new pair of Hestras.

These are the warmest pair of gloves I have ever worn, with the exception of cumbersome base camp mitts. But the Seth is far from cumbersome – the external seams and the free index finger means you can perform all little tasks requiring dexterity such as buckling boots, fiddling with zippers and tearing open granola bar wrappers. Of course having your last three fingers bound together does take some getting used to, but the 3-Finger design feels far more like a glove than a mitt.

Where the Seth gets its beefy look from is the armouring on the back of the knuckles, the fingers and wrist. Morrison included these features to shield his hands from collisions with the trees, rocks and other static objects inevitably encountered when hucking a back flip over an eighty foot cliff doesn't go as planned. While I don't really see the use of this extra protection in my own skiing, its comforting to know its there. The bulky wrist padding does make it fiddly to fit under a pro shell, but more roomy freeride jackets should have no issues there.

Where the armouring has a negative impact is in the breathability of the glove. The C-Zone membrane does work in keeping your hands dry, but with all the padding on the back of the glove there is little room for the sweat vapour to disperse. While I can ski in -20 C with relatively little discomfort, I find myself needing to strip the glove off by the time I pull into the chairlift line in any temperature around 0 C. In that respect this is not the ideal ski touring glove- you can't hike too far without over heating and the gloves do not compress down in the backpack for the sunny days on the glaciers. The only exception would be touring in cold and windy conditions, which few of us prefer to do.

Where the gloves come to the forte is with their unrivalled Hestra durability. If you are diligent with applying the leather balm several times a season (buying the $15 tub is well worth it) there is no reason why this glove wouldn't last 3-4 seasons if not longer. Care does need to be taken with sweating too much inside the glove; that moisture will eventually make the lining crusty, smelly and uncomfortable. Although you can launder these leather gloves (Hestra recommend not to wash them frequently) I personally do not bother to wash gloves unless they have removable liners.

Verdict:

At $230 these are not cheap gloves by any means. There is some style factor with Seth's signature on them, but if you are looking for warm, durable glove for resort, cat and heli skiing then this one is hard to beat.

SPECS:

Price: $230
Weight: 600g
Outer Material: Army Leather-goat leather with reinforcements on the palm. Proofed cowhide on the back.
Insulation: Thermolite.
Lining: Bemberg/polyester.

PROS:

Warm, durable and extra protection for when you ski like Seth Morrison.

CONS:

Limited breathability, expensive.

Rating: 8/10

Fit / Dexterity     1.5/2
Warmth               1.5/2
Durability            2/2
Features             1.5/2
Quality / Price    1.5/2

This is only our opinion. Do you disagree? Did we miss something? Are we totally out to lunch? Join the discussion in the forums here, and let us know what you think. People like/dislike gear for different reasons so chime in and we'll get a well-rounded evaluation.

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