PublicNet-Zone

Phil - I agree that having seerval pairs of thinner gloves is preferable because it's far easier to dry them in a pocket or even under your hat! I had read Colin's article last week so his thoughts were in my mind during my recent skiing adventures.Roger - the merino liners I have used in the past just don't stand up to the wear and tear that hiking and more evidently skiing poles seem to exert on them. I have however found a couple of pairs of merino liners that promise to be a lot tougher. I'll order a pair and give them a try.Although I'll probably stick with the liner/insulation/shell traditional layering system I am still curious about the FeatherLite mitts. I think they offer the lightest & simplest system.Martin - options are good but my head has been spinning over this issue! I'm starting to think that my desire for a Vapour-rise style mitt may be too much if I'm always going to be wearing liners. I've been told that Vapour-rise works best next to the skin anyway. Hendrik - I do still use full-on technical gloves for single day ski trips but they do get damp, from snow and sweat and your hands can start to chill. Thankfully I have a hut/hotel/apartment to go back to to get warm and dry the gloves out. On trips when you're camping out then I agree, the layering system is king. I've found an easy to follow mitt pattern and will look into maybe sourcing some fabrics. My brother is a whizz with an industrial sewing machine if I fail completely!Thanks for everyone's input. Mulling it all over I think I'll give some merino liners another try, now that I've found some highly recommended, slightly tougher versions that also have silicon palm prints.I'm still looking for my perfect mid layer glove but I'm staring to be less fussy. The Outdoor Research PL400 mitts would probably do a fine job. I prefer mitts to a second set of liners, they're much easier to slip on and off, they're warmer (worth bearing in mind living over here) and they don't bulk your fingers up as much. I guess this mid layer is the one where it pays to have quite a few options and try to match what you take to the conditions. One trip you might not need any, the next you might be packing the Dachsteins.For the shells, I'm happy with my Tuff Bags. I know the MLDs are lighter but the Tuff Bags come with a really nice grippy palm that will handle (?) ski poles much better and they come ready seam-sealed too :-)