Extremities Multisport Pro gloves

Putting the new multisport gloves to the test in the depths of winter

Product

Terra Nova Extremities Multisport Pro gloves

Promise

The ideal glove for winter sports and walking? We put the Terra Nova gloves to the test.

Performance

It pays to be picky with gloves. Put a finger wrong and you'll regret it: even more so when it comes to plucking forth a pair of mitts that can stand up to the god-awful weather we've been palmed off with this winter.

What you need are dryness, warmth, sensitivity and flexibility: not necessarily in that order – but miss one out and you'll be cursing your hasty decision at the wrong time. Luckily, we think that you get a bit of each of these four factors with the Extremities Multisport glove.

We took these out on a cold and extremely wet day in December (it hadn't stopped raining for at least 48 hours) and put them to the test. In terms of dryness, there was no complaints: a GORE-TEX inner kept our hands completely dry even when passing through undergrowth and cutting logs.

Warmth wasn't a problem either. A fleecy liner, though thin, did a good job on the day. What it would be like in the snow and ice is another question, outside of this test: the dry nature of the glove would suggest you'd be fine unless out in a blizzard or handling snow and ice directly.

Thanks to a leather palm, fingers and thumb, they give great sensitivity: the leather roll up and over the fingertip for a snug fit that allows you to handle buttons, zips and closures. The flexibility of the gloves is likewise excellent: the grip around your wrist is far less bulky than you think, meaning that you can stuff the long cuff deep into your sleeve for safe and dry wearing.

Verdict

We liked the all-round usefulness of these gloves: they make a great three-season wear for anyone that is prepared to sacrifice a portion of bulk for increased control.