WINNERS - Outdoor Research Handpicked Handwear: Shop Staff Favourites. Now Win Yours! Competition

Who better to guide you through Outdoor Research's gamut of gloves than the staff from Britain's best loved outdoor stores? Just like you lot, they've got a broad range of interests and they know their product inside out. Below is a short-list of their favourites. For a chance to win yours, simply answer the question at the bottom of the page. We've got 5 x pairs to give away (max value £155).

Daniel Abbatt, Shop Manager - The Climbers Shop, Stoney Stratford

Product Pick: OR Illuminator Sensor Gloves (srp £85)

Illuminator Sensor Gloves work for me. When combined with a thin liner they seem to be just the right balance of warmth and dexterity for mid-grade winter climbing in Scotland. The undercuff fit, pinch fingertip construction and soft goat leather make them feel very light and dextrous enough to fiddle with nuts and screws. And yet the Primaloft and Ventia membrane mean they've been warm enough that I rarely need to change to mitts. I've also managed not to lose them to the wind thanks to the elasticated wrist loop. I'd recommend them as an all-round Scottish winter glove or for slightly colder/longer summer Alpine routes.

Tom Richardson, Expedition Specialist - Outside, Hathersage

Product Pick: Alti-Mitts (srp £200)

I have witnessed several cases of frost bite in the Himalaya caused by people not wearing /having adequate warm mitts. At worst it can be life changing. I have also had plenty of opportunity to try out a wide variety of differing gloves and mitts over the years too. My favourites for such trips are OR Alti Mitts which I have been using since 2013.They are a system really. The outer is very lightweight flexible Goretex with a tough leather palm for gripping tools and ropes. A measure of "for real use" design is that they don't have a stupid bit of fleece for a nose wipe ( a carrier of frozen snot that cuts your nose if you use it more than once). The outer mitts are also insulated with Primaloft and have a wrist attachment loop and more useful a back of the fingers loop that keeps the glove open end downwards so you can carry them without filling up with snow. The inner has a smooth nylon shell and pile lining that can move within the outer and is windproof on its own. I wear them with a thin liner glove. High altitude essentials I would say.

1.Summit with Lhotse and Chamlang behind

2.Dressing and protecting frost bitten hands while awaiting helicopter rescue.

Cathy Casey, Managing Director - Joe Browns Llanberis/ Capel Curig/ Climbers Shop Ambleside/ Stony Stratford

Product Pick: See Gripper SensorGloves for nearest equivalent, srp £45

We have a LOT of gloves in our house. Gloves for climbing, gloves for cycling, gloves for running, gloves for horse riding, gloves for ski-ing, gloves for kayaking but for me, the one pair that go with me everywhere are my Outdoor Research Windstoppers. They are on my hands while walking my children to school, they are in my car waiting after a peeling off wet running gloves, they are in the top of my canoe bag for when we stop to wild camp, they come on every trip away and they are ALWAYS in my pack on the hill, whatever the weather.

I can't actually remember how old they are, maybe five, possibly six years and in that time not a stitch has failed. The grip is wearing off the fingers but even the bare fabric underneath isn't showing signs of wear after such continued use and abuse!

Made from fleecy windstopper my trusty gloves have been wet through on greasy wet summer Lake District climbs, offered dry warmth to walk down from winter routes and protected my increasingly poor circulation while sitting around campfires in the freezing Himalayan night. They are, in fact, the one item of clothing that my daughters know they can't share!!

Rob Turnbull, Managing Director - Outside, Hathersage

Product Pick: Arete Gloves, srp £90

I have used the Arete Glove for several years now and they are my go-to, all round winter glove. They consist of a heavy weight hard face fleece liner and a waterproof Gore-Tex outer glove. The liner is warm and dexterous enough for walk ins and has sticky grips on the palm and fingers, as soon as it gets higher or colder you can pull on the over glove and it really warms things up. I wouldn't say they are designed as a technical climbing glove, but they are great for easy gullies (saying that I have done some harder routes in them as well). For me they really come into their own for winter walking where the versatility is very useful.

About Outdoor Research

Outdoor Research® is dedicated to inspiring the journey ahead with award-winning technical apparel and accessories. Based in Seattle since 1981, we are committed to improving our customer's experience through innovative materials, purpose-driven features, and versatile products that are backed by our Infinite Guarantee®. We rely on the real-world testing of our athlete ambassadors, mountain guides, and local adventurers involved in our core sports: alpinism, rock and ice climbing, hiking, backpacking, paddling, trail running, and backcountry skiing and snowboarding. We're here for the fun, adventure, excitement, and For the Journey Ahead™. Get to know us at www.outdoorresearch.com or follow the journey via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

This competition has now closed.

For more information www.outdoorresearch.com


2 Jan, 2020

Thanks for the chance to win some great looking gloves/mitts. I am a little confused as to how to answer though.

The Outdoor Research website suggests there are 6 categories (Alpine, Ski & Snowboard, Rock Climbing, Sun Protection, Fleece & Liners and finally Training) of men's gloves and this is replicated in the women's section.

As a result the answer I would infer would be either 6 or 12. Intriguingly neither of these are options.

Happy to concede that I am have entirely misread the competition but also happy to be awarded the prize right now!

Happy New Year!

2 Jan, 2020

I went with 10, on the logic that this is basically an advert. So when the answer is product-related and numerical the correct answer is normally the biggest or smallest option depending on which would be considered most favourable.

What is the weight of our new shoes? Pick the smallest answer.

How many tools does our new penknife contain? Pick the biggest answer.

How many different product categories do we make? Pick the biggest answer.

2 Jan, 2020

Check out the final paragraph under the heading "About Outdoor Research".

2 Jan, 2020

Are you referring to this?

'our core sports: alpinism, rock and ice climbing, hiking, backpacking, paddling, trail running, and backcountry skiing and snowboarding.'

8 'core sports' are listed rather than 'categories of glove' which is the question we are being challenged to answer. OR's website is quite specific and lists 6 categories for gloves for both men and women.

I remain confused but eager to experience the warm and protective world of OR hand wear. Perhaps the cold weather is impairing my cerebral function and I require OR to also supply me with some suitable head wear so I can answer the question.

Come on OR, do the decent thing and send me some kit to warm my extremities so I can enter your competition!

2 Jan, 2020

That seems like very reasonable logic, I agree that principle does seem to be common in these competitions.

Which of these are not listed as key attributes in our new Pack-X range of self carrying haversacks?

1. Waterproof

2. Hard wearing

3. Comfortable

4. Made from locally sourced and fully sustainable blackcurrant conserve

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