It's currently anything between -5C and 2C here and gloves are just a necessity right now. My outdoor training combines hitting the bars with a whole range of conditioning calisthenics which mean I have to get down on the ground - more often than not on cold wet grass or freezing concrete.

For the bars I wanted something tough but smooth so I can grip but also transition easily. It had to be leather. For getting down and dirty I wanted something with traction and also waterproof.

It's a bit of a luxury but these different needs led me to buy two different pairs and boy am I pleased with the result.

First for hitting the bars it the Petzl Cordex Plus at £37.80 here in the UK from http://www.completeoutdoors.co.uk/Petzl-Cordex-Plus-Gloves (in the U.S. $37.95 at http://www.usoutdoorstore.com/outlet/petzl-cordex-plus-belay-rappel-gloves.html).

Out of the bag these are beautiful gloves. The leather is supple and thick and the feel when you put them on is great. There's some kind of micro-fleece lining which makes them incredibly warm. I went for the tan colour and they look just like cowboy roping gloves

On the bar they give you great grip but move smoothly enough to allow you to rotate your hands into transitions like when you do a muscle up. The marketing blurb says they are specifically designed for belaying and rappelling so working the bars should be a natural fit for these babies.

The stretch sections over the knuckles and back of the thumb are a really good feature that allows a snugger fit with much more free movement than I think you'd get without.

They've got a handy little feature too of a hole through the wrist strap that allows you to hook them onto a carabiner on your belt so they won't get lost.

They look really tough, and have extra reinforced panels in all the right places.

So far I'm giving them a 10/10.

[url=][/url]


Second up is the Marmot XT. I got these because they are waterproof and have really good grip which makes them perfect for being on the ground.

I paid £45 instore at Cotswold Outdoors in London because I couldn't find any better price online. Not sure if you can get them in the US.

Basically they have a treated goatskin palm and a stretch fabric back. The palm leather has been cut somehow to have a sort of fish scale pattern which creates an excellent gripping surface. This give the gloves a lot of traction say for doing wall walks into bridge.

I've tried them out in below zero temperatures doing bear crawls on frosted grass and pushups on frozen concrete and they really are waterproof and keep the cold out although to really keep the fingers toasty I found it's best to wear an pair of lining gloves (I use an old pair of Nike running gloves) inside as an extra layer.

The gripping surface of these gloves makes them unsuitable for bar work since your hands are effectively stuck to the bar and won't rotate but they are great for everything else.

For general calisthenics other than bar work I'd again give these puppies a full 10/10 so far. I'll see how they wear over the coming weeks and months. They are pretty expensive so I want to see them lasting a good long time.

[url=[/url]

It's a bit of a luxury to spend so much on gloves but I figure I'm not spending on a fancy gym membership or buying any expensive equipment so, hell, it's nearly Christmas so why not be comfortable this winter.

Bones out.

!!!!! nice share! thanks!