For Fall 2014, Outdoor Research delivers a heated glove technology called ALTIHeat that claims to offer 61 percent more power output than any other heated glove on the market. Combine that with twice as much heated surface area, and your fingers will never be happier next winter.
With ALTIHeat technology, the heating elements are integrated into the fabric inside the glove, enabling better flex and range of motion. Both the fingers and the back of hand are heated, versus only the fingertips as in some other heated gloves.
The heated gloves offer three different heat settings- low, medium, and high. To turn the heat on or off, push the wrist button down for several seconds. Push the button again to cycle through the heat settings, where different colors indicate the current mode.
Small, rechargeable batteries are located on the backside of the wrist. The batteries will last for 8 hours on low, 5 hours on medium, and 2.5 hours on high. Outdoor Research will sell extra batteries for those multi-day or long days out in the backcountry.
There are three models in the Outdoor Research Heated Glove range. The Lucent Heated Gloves and Heated Mitts pair waterproof Gore-Tex construction with synthetic Enduraloft insulation (333 gram on back of hand, 200 gram on the palm) and abrasion-resistant goat leather on the palms. Other features include a fleece palm lining, molded EVA foam knuckles for exterior protection, an elasticized wrist, pull loops, and glove clips. The gloves and mitts both retail for $350.
The Stormtracker Heated Gloves are lighter and more dexterous than the Lucent. The gloves are made from Gore Windstopper fabric with synthetic insulation on the back of the hand and abrasion-resistant goat leather on the palms. Inside, a polyester tricot lining wicks away sweat, while a TPU-injected mold on the back of hand protects your knuckles from any bashing. The Stormtracker Heated Gloves retail for $235.
Each heated glove model includes a carrying case and a three-piece universal adapter kit for worldwide charging. Your fingers will just have to patiently wait until next winter season.
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