Gordini Stash Lite Stretch Gloves
DESCRIPTION: Lightweight insulated gloves
MATERIAL: 50G silk insulation and Hydrowick microdenier lining
WEIGHT:1.5 oz
MSRP: $35
Gordini has been keeping the faces and hands of winter sports enthusiasts protected, warm, and dry since 1956. It can be very easy to make excuses during the winter, and not get outside enjoying the trails. Let the excuse makers stay home, and you can have beautiful uncrowded days outside snowshoeing the trails, sledding the hills, and shredding the slopes. Winter activities are essential to keep me from going stir crazy in the house, and from putting on weight from the holiday feasting season. I actually really enjoy winter activities since my body is much more comfortable at cooler temperatures, and I can be miserable when too warm. As a friend tells me, there are no bad weather days, only bad clothing choices.
The Stash Lite Stretch gloves were a great find for me. I wasn’t looking for a new set of gloves, but they caught my eye at a local shop one morning as we were heading out for some snowshoeing in the high country. I can easily overheat when hiking so I chose these over the more insulated Stash Lite Touch model. I’ve used these snowshoeing with temperatures in the mid 20’s while staying warm, and an easy hike in the mid 40’s without overheating my hands. I think these will be perfect for those days where I can’t decide whether or not I want to wear gloves.
Gordini uses a stretch fleece on the palm, fingers and thumb, which gave me full movement when stretching fingers wide open. There was no stitching or fabric that prevented my hands from full movement. The stretch fleece is thin enough that I had enough dexterity with my fingers to zip my jacket, tie my boots, and cut and apply moleskin to a hot spot on my heel while snowshoeing, without taking the gloves off. The palm has a pattern of silicone which was great for gripping my trekking poles, and a slick polycarbonate water bottle, without slipping. The cuff is made of spandex and is designed with a stuff pocket that the gloves stuff directly into.
My only complaint is that the stretch fleece is designed to be touch screen capable, and although it worked, it was not always as reactive as I wanted. With six deer crossing our trail while snowshoeing, it took multiple swipes on with my gloved finger to unlock the phone, and multiple tries hitting the camera app button, and the button to take the actual photo. So I only got photos of the last two deer.
These gloves are going to make it into my backpack for every hike. No more taking bulkier gloves on summer days or easy winter hikes. Weighing in at only 1.5 ounces, and for as small as they are in the cuff stuff pocket, these will be my go to gloves for backcountry trips, or hiking Colorado’s 14er mountains where temps can be cool starting on the trail at 5:00 AM, or spending 30 minutes at the summit.
