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Good cheap gloves for wet conditions?

Prentiss Riddle

Aprendiz de todo, maestro de nada
Time of past OR future Camino
Português and/or Francés in 2023
Anybody have a favorite inexpensive brand of gloves for a late winter/early spring Camino?

I've hit the outdoor stores and been pretty shocked at the prices. Surely on Amazon (I'm in the US) there are some good water-resistant, cool-weather gloves that don't cost an arm and a leg?

Links to specific products would be lovely.

Thanks.
 
Promote your Camino Project on the forum
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Nawww... they don't really have to be water resistant as long as they block the wind.
Any hiking gloves will do.
 
Actually, inexpensive wool gloves with leather palms would work nicely.
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Unfortunately those are discontinued, @falcon269!

@Prentiss Riddle - I am of the opinion that @Anniesantiago has it right with any wool glove with leather palm. That is easy and economical if you already have a pair around the house.

If you are using a walking staff as opposed to sticks that suggestion might get kind of slippery over time. (No straps or grips on slick varnished staff...)

I favor a staff and thus pressed my flyfishing gloves into service. (Something similar to this: http://www.simmsfishing.com/shop/socks-gloves/skeena-glove.html) At times, they just were not thick enough; pulling a spare woolen sock over them to make a mitten worked like a charm.

If you are in an area with flyshops, look for close-out specials on the winter items coming up soon.

Buen Camino,

B
 
Maybe I'm overthinking it, but wouldn't water resistance be useful when you're walking in the rain with trekking poles?
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
Prentiss -

Lots of the waterproof gear really does not hold up to day after day of rain. Wool is unique in that it can get quite wet and retain most of its insulating character. Wet is okay as long as you are still warm.

B
 
I don't know what price range is expensive for you, but I got two pairs of wrist length lambswool gloves in Heathrow airport a year or so ago for about $10 each. For me, it's not a problem to get my hands wet, it's a problem to get my hands cold, and wool insulates just as well in the rain as in dry weather. I don't know if you're looking for dry hands or warm hands, but I would never walk without my lambswool gloves.
 
Promote your Camino Project on the forum
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
For the camino, I carry a pair of merino wool liner gloves which I normally wear inside heavy mittens when hill walking in winter in Ireland, they're very light, very compact, quick to dry and excellent for prolonged walking in cool, wet conditions, my current pair cost about €15 this winter.
 
I love waterproof mitts. My last few long walks have been in the winter and then the early spring in the UK - rain was inevitable. And wind. So I carried a pair of small very lightweight fleece liner mitts and a pair of thin waterproof overmitts that came from a running store (sort of like these ones - and, yes they are expensive: http://ca.shop.runningroom.com/women/accessories/runners-3-overmitt-a6n5.html). I was very happy with this arrangement. On really windy rainy days I wore the two pairs together. Sometimes I used the overmitts for the rain and sometimes for the wind, even in the sun. I hate having cold wet hands. The overmitts have had a lot of wear just walking the dog at home too.
 
Camino wristwatch
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.

I think it would be helpful if you defined inexpensive for you.
 
Maybe the members of the forum that live in northern latitudes have some useful trick, but I always manage to lose my gloves. The latest were a pretty Christmas gift, and I walked a mile back to look for them -and to no avail. So, wool, leather or neoprene, I'd go for cheap, easily replaceable ones. One less thing to be worried about...
 
If you will be experiencing snow & ice then I know of no better than the traditional wool Dachstein mitt.

http://www.joe-brown.com/2030/products/dachstein-mitts.aspx

But for warmer times on the Camino I have found that fingered cloves that are wind resistant are fine and as others have said warmth the issue not dryness (sorry but can't find a link to my pair)
 
Camino Jewellery
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I have a pair of silk gloves, they may get wet but dry quickly, very light and keep my hands warm. They were in a sale so were cheap.
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
My choice is lightweight silk gloves. They weigh almost nothing and can be easily stuffed in a pocket. I also like that they breathe. If my hands get too warm they sweat and then take forever to warm up again.
 
In my experience "wet & warm" is good. "Wet & cold" is bad...VERY BAD. Thus, you would logically want gloves that insulated even when wet, were quick to dry, lightweight AND inexpensive. Having "grippy" things in the palms to help with hiking poles. Would be a definite plus, in my view.

My favorite microfiber gloves were bought in my local Target department store. They are made by Champion and I found them in the men's clothing area. I have seen similar gloves in the sporting goods aisles, where they are sold for yoga, running, and other sports activities. Some have full fingers. Others have half-fingers.

I have seen similar gloves at WalMart and other stores as well. In Europe, you will find inexpensive microfiber or thin micro fleece gloves in your local Decathlon or other sports shop. In fact, I am guessing that many shops are discounting winter stock now to make room for warm weather inventory. So there may be some bargains out there.

I hope this helps...
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Here's my tuppence! I used silk 5Euro gloves from Decathlon in France. They got wet but dried quickly and the Altus poncho sleeve strapped round my thumb helped. My husband has just bought cheapo skiing gloves - lightweight too as he gets cold extremities. As for losing them....do what we did with children, attach to a long string! But his has built in loops.

Buen Camino!
 
 
Last fall it was really rainy and cold. I ended up buying the largest size of dishwashing kitchen gloves, completely waterproof. They were great and cheap. If you have a thin glove liner, you can wear them underneath.
 
Camino wristwatch
Perfect memento/gift in a presentation box. Engraving available, 25 character max.
For backpacking, I use SealSkinz. Waterproof, and very lightweight. Currently on sale at REI. http://www.rei.com/product/873312/sealskinz-ultra-grip-shell-gloves

Expensive, but I lost the feeling in the finger tips for about a month after an unexpected snowstorm in Yosemite wearing fleece gloves. Never again. I carried the Sealskinz on a summer Camino, but they were totally unnecessary that time of year.
 
I live in the snow and usually always have a pair of these around:



Just cheap Army Surplus wool gloves. They make them half finger length too which is nice when taking pictures. I'll likely bring a pair on the camino with me. Usually can be found about $4 a pair.

If you've got the scratch, these are great too, allbeit much more expensive:
 
I recommend going to your local WalMart, Target, Carrefour, Tesco, Canadian Tire, or similar large discount market and buying a pair of microfiber gloves and and an accompanying microfiber stretch cap. The microfiber is easily washable, insulates when wet, and can be found in bright / safety colors.

I manage to find mine quite cheaply this way. Also, these items are not necessarily better as they get more expensive. So, at least IMHO, cheap is best.

On my first Camino in 2013, I became a BIG fan of the China or Oriental Shops in most large towns and cities. They carry everything, including microfiber gloves and caps, CHEAP.

In 2013, I actually bought about a dozen microfiber tube / balaclava / watch cap / neck warmer things for Euro 1.20 each. I gave them to pilgrims along the way who were unprepared for the weather. They could use a spare pair of socks for mittens. But a warm hat is hard to improvise. In this regard, having a "Buff" is a good fallback plan. Believe me when I tell you that the folks I gave hats to were very appreciative of it. The cost was nil to me. But the value of the thank you and a smile was payment enough.

I hope this helps the dialog...
 
Camino Way markers in Bronze
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.

Pack a few pairs of surgical gloves (Dr. office). Put on under gloves on wet or cold days.
 
I have a pair of OR Windstopper gloves that are pretty good -- am not sure how they will do in really cold weather and they are not waterproof -- to deal with the waterproof issue I bought a pair of Zpack mittens -- completely waterproof and as mittens will provide some additional warmth when put over my Windstopper gloves ( I hope) -- they are very light weight -- a little pricey but believe they will do the trick -- will let you all know once I hit the trail -- Buen Camino.
 
I bought myself some cheap woolen gloves in a market when caught in wet, cold weather. They worked a treat.
 
Camino Preparation Guide
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Just get wind gloves. I have 2 pairs of underarmour gloves I rotate through if they get wet.
 
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