Trekmates Elkstone GTX Gloves Review

Reviewed by Lisa

Where do you start when your husband asks for a new pair of gloves? I guess the more important question is what did I end up buying, and the answer is the Trekmates Elkstone GTX. And the next question would be, was he happy with them? Thankfully he was! (editor’s note – the reviewer didn’t buy the gloves.  They were gifted to her) 

One of the key factors to get right is the size, as when buying online it is hard to try them on! Thankfully the Trekmates website has a handy (pun not intended…) size guide which resulted in the gloves fitting him very nicely. The brushed polyester lining also helps the gloves slide on smoothly and feel really comfortable when worn.

The primary mandate of gloves has to be keeping your hands warm, which the Elkstones certainly do. GORE-TEX technology is always a big draw for me when buying outdoor clothes, offering waterproof, windproof and breathable materials. Combine this with the inner layer and insulation, plus the stretch rib inner cuff, and they certainly deliver warmth. I am a little surprised that the waterproof outer cuff is shorter than the inner as it leaves the wrist less protected by the waterproof layer, requiring careful attention to the coat cuffs in seriously wet weather. The inner cuff is not too long though, stopping just next to my husband’s watch, so no need to faff about looking inside his gloves when he needs to know the time.

The quality of the finish is excellent, with only one loose stitch over two gloves to comment on. The materials themselves appear to be as expected, but durability will only be proven over time. The leather palms were one area that were important to my husband as they were the first place to wear through on his last pair as he cycles quite a bit. So far, they have provided good grip on his handlebars, while the pre-curved fingers fit well with his brake levers.

For a quality winter glove, they are not too bulky, especially when you consider the various layers that they feature. They also appear to be quite versatile as the style is smart enough for him to wear to work with a suit but also don’t look out of place on a walk in the woods with the kids, or when he’s riding his bike.

The care label is stitched in between the inner and outer cuffs, which has a major benefit of not rubbing on your skin to cause a constant itch. However, the label is left poking out a little (on both gloves), although this is the only negative comment from an aesthetic perspective.

For me, a key test of a pair of gloves is how well they deal with building a snowman and throwing snowballs – sadly the answer to this will have to wait!

The specification on the website includes that they are touch screen compatible, which does not appear to be true for our touch screens. However, in all honesty, this would very much be a bonus feature when choosing a pair of gloves, with the rest of the key boxes being ticked for the Trekmates Elkstone.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £65

This product can be purchased Trekmates here.