Review and Photographs By: Nomad
As winter begins in the Northeast, the temperatures are dropping and the snow is piling up. What a perfect time to hear from Will at Black Sheep Warrior about testing some extreme weather gloves from THE HEAT company – http://www.theheatcompany.com/en/. THE HEAT company is an Austrian company based in the heart of the Alps. They’ve been producing high quality warming products for optimal outdoor protection and comfort since 1994. Today I’m testing their Heat 3 Smart Special Force Gloves. Gloves originally designed for German and Austrian Special Forces.
Living and working in northern New England provides me ample time outside in the cold and snowy elements. Whether it be snowshoeing in the backcountry or working late nights in the city, one thing we have a lot of here is cold!
When my Heat 3 Smart Special Force Gloves arrived, I looked them over inside and out. I have to admit, I’m a sucker for good gear. In my earlier days, any gear I got my hands on would do. Now, a little older, I’d rather put my money into a product that will do what it’s made to do, and do it well – all the time. At first glance, these gloves are just that!
Each Heat 3 Smart Special Force Glove weighs about what you’d expect from a decent cold weather ski mitten. The place where these gloves break away from their competitors is their quality and ingenuity. The outside top is made of elastic microfiber with a water resistant and breathable membrane. This means your hands will stay dry when the snow is coming down. The palm of the glove is made of good ole goat leather, and let’s be honest – who doesn’t love goat leather? THE HEAT company also added two elastic cords (one at the wrist and one at the end of the glove) to each mitt for cinching tight and making sure elements don’t creep inside.
An individual five finger glove is sewn inside each mitten. When your work calls for the dexterity of fine motor movement, a simple pull of the watertight zipper allows those fingers to come out, transforming solid mittens into traditional five finger gloves. The finger flap can then be secured to the mitten with integrated magnets. When you’re ready to go back to mittens, fold the flap back over and zip your fingers in again. It’s that easy. This new generation of HEAT gloves includes a thumb and index finger with silver fabric for touchscreen use that actually works. During my initial inspection, I was a little worried about these seams and how they might let the weather into the mitt, but that concern was quickly dispelled when I got outside and tested them out. The zipper across the palm and thumb flap did not let any cold or snow inside.
The mittens are lined with Primaloft filling to ensure optimal warmth and comfort. On the top side of both mittens, The HEAT Company included a small zipper pocket. This is where you can throw a 12 hour disposable heat pack when the temperature really takes a dive. The HEAT Company even ships their gloves with two heat packs for your first adventure in the cold. If you decide you don’t need the heat packs, the pockets are a great place to stash any number of small items. If you need additional heat packs, The HEAT Company’s got you covered – they sell for about $1.50 each on their website.
If that’s not enough to have you sold, the gloves also include -interior pull tabs to assist in getting them on, -removable wrist leashes to keep them from falling down the mountain (if you decide to take the gloves off), -large sturdy eyelets with included mini-carabiner to keep your gloves together and attached to your kit when they’re not being worn, -are available in five colors (beige, brown, gray, green, black), multiple sizes and are the official issue glove to both Austrian and Swiss ski teams. These guys thought of everything!
If you are in the market for some solid cold weather gear, or you just want to hit the ski slopes with some validated mitts, check out the Heat 3 Smart Gloves. Your buds will all be jealous for sure.
Where to find them:
http://www.theheatcompany.com/en/gloves/heat-3-special-force
5