Alpine Softshell Gloves

Great Gloves

Used these on Mont Blanc Summit for top 50-75% of the mountain when I need a bit more warmth, but moving and working up heat. Great dexterity and sheds light water wind when needing to touch snow, hold ice axe etc. I could see myself using these in North East USA in the winter for casual use when needing a little warmth but not a heavy glove when dexterity is important.

Well built, poorly designed

These gloves are the perfect warmth, strong, have good grip, work to open my phone, and are NOT at all designed with chains, or cables in mind. The plastic link at the heel keeps getting caught in chains and in the way of my grip as I descend on cables, frequently threatening to rip the gloves apart. Why does that thing need to be there anyway? I’m trying to hang on for my life! Get that thing out of the way! Also, the grip pad doesn’t go far enough around the pinky side, so as the gloves slide a bit, you end up hanging on with the back side of the glove instead of the grip pad. Last, the wrist isn’t elastic enough. It actually hurts my thumbs to fit them into these things because the wrist hole doesn’t stretch, like, hardly at all.

I’ve been impressed with the Black Diamond Alpine Softshell Gloves. They strike a great balance between warmth and dexterity, making them well-suited for alpine climbing, ski touring, and other high-output winter activities. The goatskin leather palm provides excellent grip and durability, while the softshell fabric sheds light moisture and blocks wind effectively. The fit is snug and technical without feeling restrictive, and the touchscreen-compatible fingertips are a nice bonus when checking a phone or GPS. They’re not designed for extreme cold or prolonged inactivity, but for active movement in cold mountain conditions, they perform exceptionally well. Overall, a versatile and dependable glove for anyone looking for lightweight warmth and excellent dexterity in the alpine environment.