Stats

  • Make: ASAP
  • Model: Orange Nitrile Gloves
  • Model Year: 2019
  • Price Paid: $11.91 for a box of 100 or $0.12 per glove
  • Measured Weight: 7g per glove in size large

When I was doing some maintenance on the Bogachiel Trail with the WTA I got some advice for keeping your hands warm while working in the rain: wear a pair of nitrile gloves under your work gloves. Every volunteer was given a complimentary pair and I can say from experience that it was super effective. Once I got home I ordered a box of 100 off of Amazon and have been bringing them on all my trips ever since. Here’s what I use them for:

1. First Aid

Of course the intended use of nitrile examination gloves is as a barrier for bodily fluids to prevent the spread of disease so they’re part of my first aid kit. However, since I keep them rolled up in my ditty bag I can’t really claim that they’re sterile (they’re also labeled as non-sterile on the box) but it’s better than nothing.

2. Insulation

These gloves act as a vapor barrier, blocking the flow of air and water and trapping in heat. Unfortunately they also trap in the moisture that your hands emit so you may find things getting pretty clammy after a while. In cold dry weather you can flip them inside out to get a dry surface against your skin again.

They’re especially nice if the forecast isn’t cold enough to bring a dedicated pair of gloves since they can serve as an emergency backup. Of course they can also be used underneath a pair of regular gloves for even more warmth, increasing your margin of error for avoiding cold hands.

3. Working in the Rain

If I’m setting up my tent or doing other camp chores and there’s precipitation or just general dampness I slap these on to keep my hands warm and dry while maintaining dexterity.

4. Gathering Water

Many methods of gathering water for treatment (including the Vector/Sawyer gravity filter) involve scooping frigid water out of a stream or lake. Often times this is taking place in the evening while folks are getting water for cooking and temps are dropping which makes getting your hands wet even more unpleasant. As someone who has difficulty warming up my hands and feet once they get cold I always put one of these gloves on my scooping hand so that it stays nice and dry.

Alternatives

Person B was kind enough to buy me a pair of Zpacks Vertice Rain Mitts a few months back. At $65 and 21g a pair they’re almost 300 times more expensive and 50% heavier than the nitrile gloves. Oof. They also go outside whatever other gloves you’re wearing which means they’re exposed to wear and tear – I certainly wouldn’t bring them on a trail maintenance trip. I haven’t used the Vertices since I picked up the ASAPs so they’re probably going to end up at the consignment store. Sorry Person :/

Tips

  • Trying to extend all the fingers so you can put them on after they’ve been stored is really annoying. But, since they’re air-tight you can just blow into the wrist opening to inflate them like a balloon. Easy peasy!
  • The gloves are touchscreen compatible so you can operate your phone without having to expose your bare skin.
  • When stored in my ditty bag I roll the cuffs of the gloves together so that they aren’t floating around separately.

Links

History

  • 2019-06-14 Original version
  • 2020-01-03 Updated to newer blog format (stats section, larger images, larger headers, etc.), added note about touchscreen compatibility