Expert Review: Dakine Men's Blazer Gloves
This review is my honest opinion of the gloves, which I purchased with my own money in December of 2022.
Taking down the board from the Rack. All photos courtesy of Austin Schimmel
About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the gloves, which I purchased with my own money in December of 2022.
My take
The Dakine Men’s Blazer Gloves are an awesome budget-friendly fingered glove for beginner to intermediate riders. They are cozy and warm and keep my hands dry.
About the gloves I own
- Model: 2022 Dakine Men’s Blazer Glove
- Size: Medium
About me
- Height: 5’6”
- Weight: 130lbs
- Experience: 7+ years of snowboarding/skiing
Test conditions
- When I bought them: December 2022
- Days used: 10-15
- Weather conditions used in: Whiteout blizzard days, cold bluebird days
- Where I’ve used them: Park City, Utah
- Terrain: Resort, double black diamonds, trees, park
How they perform
What I was looking for
My old gloves would allow snow inside and not keep my hands dry and warm. So I was looking for a new pair of gloves to cover my jacket sleeves, keeping snow out and my hands dry during cold powder days.
Why I chose this gear
I decided to buy this product specifically for the gauntlet cuff over the jacket design to prevent snow from freezing my hands. I saw other more expensive options (Burton GORE-TEX® Gloves), but I decided to purchase this pair as the budget-friendly option because I was only planning to use them on deep powder days, which is typically when the snow gets into my gloves. These had great reviews and looked waterproof and lightweight.
What I love about them
- Fit: They fit snugly with a little space between the glove and my hands.
- Comfort: They are comfortable gloves to wear up the mountain. The Tricot polyester liner feels dry and cozy inside the gloves, making them very comfy.
- Ease of movement: The very lightweight design allows for ease of movement in the fingers and palms of the gloves. It makes it easy to grab ski poles and maintain a grip on trick grabs.
- Warmth: The Tricot polyester liner combined with the Hi Loft polyester insulation provides much-needed warmth on some of the coldest powder days.
- Waterproofing: The water-repellent coating on the shell of the gloves allows water and snow to slip right off the gloves. My hands stay dry throughout the entire day.
- Weight: The materials are very lightweight and easy to maneuver.
- Conditions: These gloves have THRIVED in cold blizzard powder days with multiple feet of snow on the ground.
- Features: These gloves come with a wrist lash to prevent me from dropping my gloves on the chairlift. Additionally, these liners are top-notch, cozy, and snug.
- Quality: Budget-friendly materials make it a go-to glove. The feel is great. I don’t see much of the quality affecting the performance of these.
- Durability: The Rubbertec palm is super durable and doesn’t feel like it’ll tear anytime soon. Although the synthetic polyester is on the cheaper side, these feel like sturdy gloves with well-sewn seams. I’m not worried about them tearing anytime soon.
Issues I’ve encountered
- Breathability: Since these are so warm and have the inner lining paired with the cuff around the wrist, my hands sweat a bit on some warmer sunny days.
- Touchscreen compatibility: These gloves do not work on touchscreen phones. I have to take my hands out of them to use my phone.
Favorite moment with this gear
This past New Year's Day, we had nearly two feet of fresh snow, and it turned out to be one of my favorite days on the mountain. My friends and I were hucking cliffs left and right, all landing in waist-deep powder. It was a dream. I had these gloves on over my jacket sleeves, and no snow made its way into my hands. They kept me nice and warm all day.
Value for the money vs. other options
When looking for the right glove, it’s important to find one that fits one’s needs. This glove suits my needs very well, and I’d highly recommend them to people who want to keep their hands warm and dry during cold powder days on the mountain. I was also looking at more expensive gloves like the Burton GORE-TEX® Gloves but ultimately wanted a budget-friendly option since they wouldn’t be my only pair of gloves.
Final verdict
In conclusion, these gloves rock for most days on the mountain, whether someone is a beginner or an advanced rider. They’ll keep one warm and dry just as much as some of the more expensive options. They’re a great bang for one’s buck.
