HESTRA CLIMBERS SHORT GLOVES REVIEW

We provide AID CLIMBING and BIG WALLING COURSES.

 

Having spent a month in Yosemite Valley, using the Hestra Climbers Short gloves on a nearly daily basis.  They have been put through its paces.  From aid climbing, to abseiling (rappelling for anyone that doesn’t understand the word ‘abseiling’).  And from jumaring to hauling.  These have had a lot thrown at them.

The combination of the impregnated goat leather, and the DuraTan microfiber reinforcements (on the palm, fingers, thumb and thumb crotch), make this a comfortable and hardwearing glove.

One added bonus of the Hestra Climbers Short gloves is that there is padding on the knuckles.  Which I was grateful for when aiding through offwidth cracks/chimneys.  As sometimes I couldn’t help get my hand locked between the carabiner and the rock whilst top stepping on my aiders.

Hestra have thought of almost everything, they have even added two patches of leather on the middle finger and ring finger.  This is because when you make a fist, there are the two fingers that protrude more than the others.  Hence protect further wear and tear on this part of the glove.

The obvious part of the fingerless gloves is that your hands are mainly protected, whilst still being able to feel the rock.  Whilst also maintaining the tactility of gear management.  Even on sections of climbing, have I used these gloves, when face climbing and crack climbing.  They also have a loop on the wrist should you choose to clip them to your harness if you need your hands free of gloves.

The Hestra Climbers Short gloves has several brilliant well-thought of features.

PROS

1. Comfortable soft leather – on long days out climbing, when all else can be hard work, I was grateful for a comfortable pair of gloves, one less thing to worry about.
2. DuraTan microfiber reinforcements – the reinforcements protect the integral design of the glove, on the palm, fingers, thumb and thumb crotch.  The places where a lot of wear would normally appear when aid climbing, dealing with ropes, abseiling, jumaring and hauling.
3. Extra DuraTan padding on knuckles
4. Extra leather patches on the middle finger and ring finger
5. Loop for clipping gloves onto harness
6. Fingerless

 

There are some small points Hestra could improve upon.

CONS

1. The Velcro on the wrist could be longer, as I have skinny wrists the strap always seemed to get caught on things.
2. They are expensive, but I definitely found them worth it. Your hands are one of the most precious, and most easily trashed on big wall aid climbing.

CONCLUSION

We recommend the Hestra Climbers Short gloves for aid climbing of any sort, whether this is at the local crag, or big walling.  They are comfortable and tough, all you need in an aid climbing glove.

 

 

Please visit the link below to find a UK distributor near you:

 

https://www.hestragloves.uk