Seal Skinz... Any good?

[The Big Lebowski]

Looking for liners and mittens for the winter, curious if the Seal Skinz range is any good. Was thinking contact gloves as inner, winter mitten outers.

I need something that will handle -20 or so. Cheers, al.

 

[Harvestman]

You will get conflicting opinions on this one, since sealskins seem to be one of those bits of kit that polarise opinions.

No opinion from me though. I've never used one.

 

[Harvestman]

By the way, -20?? Are you planning an antarctic expedition or something? South Wales isn't usally that bad.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

Yep And possibly a trial run in the Highlands if the conditions are right.

 

[crucible]

I have used Sealskinz socks for over 15 years with great success.

With hard use (100+ days/ year), I find that a pair lasts about 3-4 years before they start to lose their waterproofness, usually due to continuous abrasion in the sock sole and heel inside the liners.

Be sure to size your footwear accordingly when sizing the Sealskinz with your liner socks and other socks- it's important to make sure that your toes get enough "wriggle room" within your footwear to keep your circulation moving.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

That's some use. Thanks for the reply!

 

[MikeLA]

i use seal skinz socks and liner gloves which are good but would recommend a pair of buffalo mitts as an outer

 

[johnnytheboy]

I swear by the socks, I have had them since they came out and thery are great!

The gloves on the other hands were terrible! mines seamed to leak like a sieve very shortly after having them. They were pretty good fit when my hands were warm as they were slightly stretchy, however that stretch in the cold constricted circulation when it got cold!

 

[pastymuncher]

Just to counter the previous posts, I found them useless, they kept my feet dry-ish. Trouble is they made my feet cold, if your boots are saturated and the outer of the socks get wet then they just get cold. I bought them for cycling so wind chill is a major factor, but even using them walking I didn't like them.
IMO much better to get a pair of boots that keep your feet and socks dry, like a sleeping bag in a bivvy.

 

[Laurentius]

I bought a pair and decided to try them out first by standing in the bath. They leaked and so I returned went back. I wouldn't buy another pair. Maybe I was just unlucky, but I'm not so sure.

 

[Imagedude]

For simplicity and price you can not easily beat Buffalo pile mittens. I use a pair of xxLarge over a pair of Large for extreme cold conditions. Obviously they hamper your dexterity. For greater dexterity try these gloves from ebay, more and more ice climbers are turning to these gloves.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKYTEC-Ar.../160557455143#vi-desc?clk_rvr_id=401062735074

 

[Lurch]

Sealskinz aren't awful but they certainly aren't 'waterproof'.
Water resistant for sure.
I have a job which involves standing in the rain all day, I have sealskin socks and gloves and they both keep the wet out for no more than an hour.

 

[EdS]

Gloves are OK - I wear a pair of warmer skiing.

Socks - awful. Not that good quality knit wear and stay sodden if you go over their top. Much better off with a top quality high wool content sock.

 

[Shewie]

I've had bad experiences with the socks too, I had two pairs as gifts and they both failed within a couple of months. I said I'd never buy a pair but I got some of the light ankle length ones for a long trek earlier in the year and they worked out fine. I was walking all day in light running shoes with no attempt to keep the feet dry, after stopping to camp each night I'd sort out my feet, balmed and powdered and then slip on the Sealskinz and then back into the wet shoes.

The best socks I've found are the black MOD goretex ones, I once heard they were made by Sealskinz but I'm not sure how true that is.

The gloves are rubbish in my experience, any water that runs down a sleeve and gets inside just doesn't escape, on cold and wet days they're pants once they get wet.

 

[Andy BB]

For simplicity and price you can not easily beat Buffalo pile mittens. I use a pair of xxLarge over a pair of Large for extreme cold conditions. Obviously they hamper your dexterity. For greater dexterity try these gloves from ebay, more and more ice climbers are turning to these gloves.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKYTEC-Ar.../160557455143#vi-desc?clk_rvr_id=401062735074

Oh, now those look nice. Might invest in a pair as under-gloves for my mitts. Cheers for the linky.

 

[mr walloping]

Ive got the black mod type sealskinz and they do eventually leak after a few hours.You also have to take in the fact of sweat as they dont breathe that well.

 

[Tiley]

I've found the socks to be pretty awful and actually quite cold. The gloves were better but are definitely not waterproof, as has been pointed out. The best advice I had came from a friend who spends many, many hours enjoying the Cairngorms in winter. He wears a liner glove, then a pair of Marigold rubber gloves and finally his full on insulated shell gloves. The set-up is dextrous enough for most climbing tasks and is a good deal more water proof than Sealskinz. Sounds complicated but it certainly works! The Buffalo mitts are very good and, if you get pairs of different sizes (and colours), you'll have warm hands come hell or high water.

 

[Laurentius]

I think even a cheap pair of mittens will outperform an expensive pair of gloves since gloves just restrict the circulation too much. Mind you, you cannot operate an I phone using mittens, something technology will have to come to terms with

Can't afford a pair of Buffalo mitts but I am sure you would not worry about either cold or wet if you did have such a pair, all I have is a cheap pair I got from Aldi's a couple of years back.

 

[Gebraffe]

No, not in my opinion. I took Seal Skinz gloves and socks on a 3 day ride of the Southdowns last November and they were more of a hindrance than anything else. Cold feet and cold hands, socks were over bulky too - sent them back for refund once I got back. Goretex, wool and fur get my vote... best of luck!

 

[Thoth]

I don't rate Seal Skinz gloves, they get waterlogged in prolonged rain. Got some goretex gloves now but I've not used them down to -20, just -5 or so. Think they are 'Extremities' brand.