Turtle Gloves Review
Disclaimer: I received a pair of Turtle Gloves to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review, find, and write race reviews!
Turtle Gloves
I feel like it's a common running problem, but my hands seem to always be way colder than the rest of my body. I tend to abide by the gloves, before hat, before sleeves, before pants... rule of thumb as the temperatures start to dip. Once we get into the 50s, especially if there's a wind chill, the gloves come out.
Before getting my hands into a pair of Turtle Gloves, I really hadn't found a pair of gloves that could withstand the winter chill on Long Island. I'd usually be good into the 40s but anything lower than that and I'd feel the burn of my fingers slowly going numb. The Turtle Gloves have certainly been a massive upgrade for several reasons.
Multi-Functional
One of the first things I took note of with the Turtle Gloves was just how versatile they are. With the foldable mitten topper, there are several ways you can wear them depending on how severe the weather is. My go-to when starting a run is to wear them as a full mitten, but my hands often start to warm up a few miles in.
It's great being able to flip the top off of the gloves midway through the run even for just a few minutes to let them air out if they start to get too toasty. My signature move is to flip the fingers open but leave my thumb covered. This seems to be my optimal hand temperature lately.
Wind / Water Protection
The next thing I really appreciate about the Turtle Gloves is their fabric. My biggest complaint about my other running gloves is that any wind whatsoever cuts right through the fabric. The Turtle Gloves are a lot thinner than I was expecting but they really do a great job insulating your hands and keeping the cold air out (hence why I sometimes need to flip them open just to cool off).
Even with the rain and snow, the moisture will soak through eventually but the gloves provide enough cover to easily survive a 2-3 hour run from my experience. The material may be thin but it's a lot more durable than it looks.
Wrist Coverage
One last final detail that's easy to overlook, the extra length on the gloves is a nice touch. The Turtle Gloves extend a couple of inches onto your wrist making sure that you've got no exposed skin between the end of your sleeves and the start of the gloves. This may seem trivial but I know I'll be appreciating it even more as the temperature continues to drop!
Final Thoughts
I'd heard about Turtle Gloves several times in the past and am kicking myself now for not getting a pair when I first saw them. I suffered through way more bitter cold winter runs than was necessary. I still haven't had to test these below high 20s but so far I haven't had any inkling that they're going to succumb to the cold.
On the harshest days we've had so far, I've worn a second pair of gloves underneath. But more often than not, I end up having to stop midway through a run to shed the gloves once I'm warmed up.
Depending on what types of temperatures you deal with through the winter, I would definitely recommend Turtle Gloves as either a primary pair of gloves or an excellent wind/rain cover for a second pair as well.