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Arc'teryx Alpha FL Glove

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
photo: Arc'teryx Alpha FL Glove waterproof glove/mitten

Beautifully-made, well-designed gloves that should live up to the Arc'teryx Alpha FL name.

Pros

  • Well-made
  • Great-looking!

Cons

  • Slender fit

First off, I am an Arc'teryx fan boy. I rarely leave the house without either my Alpha FL or Alpha SV jackets. I've owned and worn them for years and they still look brand new. They are the very definition of bomber gear and I feel like I can put 100% faith in them to deliver in times of need. I don't regret a single penny that I spent on them and would absolutely buy them again if anything happened to either of them.

So when I went looking for some new mountaineering gloves and saw these, I had to try them. It hasn't been all that cold here in Montana yet this winter, so I really can't comment on the comfort of these gloves in bitter cold conditions. But I have worn them so far hiking, snowshoeing, and ice climbing a few times in temps down in the 20s. So far, so good on the warmth.

I intend to pick up a pair of the Arc'teryx Down Mittens for colder temps or to warm my hands up after they've gotten cold. But I haven't needed that yet. I have a pair of OR Mt Baker Modular Mitts and Mutant gloves for the bitter cold, but I find them heavy and bulky to be packing around.

Fit in the palm and fingers seems to be slender. I have small hands with short fingers and bought these gloves in XL size, because I would rather have gloves be baggy and have my hands stay warm, than the cold hands that tightly-fitting gloves tend to create. Though the fit seems a bit snug, so far my hands have been comfortable. Dexterity seems to be as good as you can expect from a pair of gloves that isn't a light, thin running glove or liner. I do wish that these gloves were a hair more roomy so I could wear a thin liner underneath. But overall I'm extremely happy with these gloves so far.

I can't comment yet on the waterproofness of these gloves, because I haven't worn them in extremely wet conditions. I suppose that I should wear them in the shower and find out one of these days. I also can't comment on their heartiness and ability to withstand hard use over time as of yet. They seem a hair "delicate", but having said that... so does the Alpha FL Jacket and it's so tough in comparison to its light, delicate feeling that it's like titanium or carbon fiber. So hopefully these gloves will live up to the jacket's well deserved reputation.

I debated waiting a year or two before I reviewed these gloves, but it seemed a shame that no reviews had yet been submitted for such a beautiful and well-made glove. I'll come back and amend this review once I've put a full season or two on them.

Background

I have used it in various outdoor pursuits.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $140

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Specs

Price Historic Range: $75.68-$159.00
Reviewers Paid: $140.00
Product Details from Arc'teryx »

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