The top-of-the-range heated glove Snowlife Heat GTX
10.12.2019
Translation: machine translated
Even if it wasn't heated, the Snowlife Heat GTX would still be a great glove. A button provides three levels of extra warmth. However, it can sometimes be activated unintentionally.
I love winter, but unfortunately I'm not one of those people who still has wonderfully warm hands when it's freezing cold. On the contrary, I get numb fingers and cracked skin. I was lucky enough to be able to test the Snowlife Heat GTX for a few days last season. I'd never worn a heated glove before, nor one of such high quality. I was therefore curious to test the comfort provided by these top-of-the-range gloves.
The Swiss brand 'Snowlife' is based in Klosters. Founded in the 1970s by former ski champion Nando Pajarola, it has devoted itself entirely to manufacturing top-of-the-range gloves since 2005. The Heat GTX model comes with a carrying pouch that can accommodate the USB charging cable and lithium batteries in addition to the gloves. Two batteries fit inside each glove. Fully charged, they are claimed to last up to 13 hours.
Although it looks like a tangle of cables at first glance, it's easy to find your way around. The two batteries on each side are connected by a wire to the heating system. So they're flat, and the extra weight is evenly distributed. To recharge, you only need to plug in one cable per glove. It's easy to take out of the zipped pocket where the batteries are kept. I connect all the batteries to be recharged to the special cable. It's easier to see once everything's tidied up. Other manufacturers like Ziener have taken a similar approach.
Bulky batteries are no longer a reason to go without heated gloves. Incidentally, I'm not a fan of mittens. They're certainly warmer, but goodbye dexterity. The Heat GTX also comes in a mittens version. As I want to retain some agility and don't want to have to keep putting them on and taking them off, I opted for gloves. As they're heated, the cold shouldn't be a problem anyway. The palm and back of the hand are made from supple kid leather. The Gore-Tex membrane and Primaloft insulation layer make the gloves breathable, warm and lightweight. A button on the back of the hand activates heating on three levels, with the heating elements located at the fingertips.
As long as the heater isn't on, I can't make out the wires hidden inside the glove. I can feel the softness of the lining and the glove is perfectly flexible. Even the slightly heavier weight of 862 grams doesn't bother me. A lot of the weight is in the cuffs where the batteries are. It's difficult to tuck the cuffs into tight jacket sleeves. Fortunately for me, this isn't a problem. On the other hand, the weather is not working in my favour. With temperatures around zero, I don't feel the need to turn on the heater. The gloves are warm enough as it is, don't let moisture in even in wet snow and dry relatively quickly.
From defrost mode to fingertip roasting
On my first day on the slopes, I press the button that's easy to operate even when wearing gloves. The lowest level reminds me of the defrost mode on my microwave. Eventually you get something, but you need a lot of patience. But the difference isn't huge. At level 2, you feel more heat and at level 3, your fingertips sizzle. Fortunately my glove isn't too tight. This allows the heat to spread more evenly rather than staying in one place. The thumb is where you feel the least heat.
The selected heating level is displayed by means of three small red LEDs below the selection button. I always get surprises when I take a look at the back of my hand. Several times I turn the heating up or down without meaning to. I don't know what I'm doing with my hands when I'm skiing or taking the ski lifts. In any case, I'd like a locking device to prevent these mishaps. I pay the price on the day when the weather finally offers ideal conditions for the test.
It's freezing cold. Temperatures below -10 are accompanied by an icy wind. The people crowding the hut's terrace are warming their gloves as best they can with their spätzle pans while they eat. I've never appreciated heated gloves as much as I do now, they're perfect for days like these. Then the batteries in my left hand run down and I can feel the heat gradually dissipating. I hadn't recharged them at all the day before. I wanted to see how long the heating would last. I'm well on the way. The direct comparison between a heated glove and an unheated glove is obvious: numb fingers on the left and gentle warmth on the right.
Recap
The Snowlife Heat GTX is very comfortable and the finishes are of high quality. It's a nice glove that's neither too heavy nor too stiff. Don't choose it too tight so that the heat can be distributed as well as possible. The manufacturer's size calculator helped me find the right model. When it's around 0, the heater is an added comfort, but on really cold days, it's definitely worth it. As you can only guess at the charge level of the batteries (3.7 V / 3,600 mAh), I'd advise you to recharge them regularly in the evening and check from time to time that the setting is what you want while you're wearing the gloves. As a general rule, battery life varies greatly depending on the age of the batteries, the conditions and the level chosen. It's often enough to preheat the gloves a little and then turn them off. Even at very low temperatures, my fingers were always warm.
Are you prepared to invest to benefit from this comfort? In the end, only you can answer that question. There are cheaper models out there, but the batteries and heater still come at a cost. You'll find here all the heated gloves in our range.
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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