Black Diamond HeavyWeight ScreenTap Fleece Gloves

These form fitted gloves are comfortable and pair well with a shell. The screen tap finger and thumb work consistently well as long as they are dry. They are lightweight. I just wish that they were warmer.

Fit and comfort: The overall fit of the glove is nice. They are form fitted. In other words, the stitching contours the natural form of the hand to a certain extent. They are comfortable in going out in cool weather.

Adjustability: There is no need for adjusting since the gloves are fitted. There are no drawstrings or other accoutrements.

Water Resistance: The glove is just a fleece liner so they are not water resistant.

Breathability: They breath quite well. Since they are synthetic fleece, they don’t retain moisture and keep your hands pretty dry.

Warmth: This is where the liner falls short in my opinion. I ordered the heavyweight liners in order to gain maximum warmth inside of a Goretex shell. The gloves don’t really keep my hands that warm even in my OR Alti Mitt shells. At about freezing (32°F) (0°C), they lose their effectiveness. I anticipated the “heavyweight” liners  to perform well at lower temperatures. There was no literature that I found which explained the lower limits of these liners. Had I known their performance capabilities prior to my purchase, I would have looked for something more effective.

The gloves layer well with a shell mitt. I use a mitt system so this is the only type of layering that I’ve done with the liners.

Abrasion: The gloves are intended to be liners. I mostly use them as a lightweight glove for nightime walks or driving on cold days. Since I use them quite a bit outside of a shell, I’ve caught them on things and have ripped a couple of  small holes in them. They’re not that tough.

Screen Tap: The screen tap finger and thumb work. I don’t have trouble typing nor swiping with them.

Conclusion: If you’re looking for a fleece liner that doubles as a lightweight glove, these might be a decent choice for you. They are not that warm, especially if worn without a shell; the wind blows right through them. They are well suited for outdoor use in cool but not cold temperatures.

Background

I've used these all last year and am going on my second winter with them this year.