Pros / Reasons to Buy
- Textured contact points on the fingers make it easy to use a mobile device
- Feels very warm on its own for shoulder temps, considering it’s a liner glove
Cons / Reasons to Avoid
- Not the only pair of gloves you need (though that’s not exactly the point with these gloves), and you will need to pair them with another set for really cold temperatures
- Expensive considering it is a liner glove
I was really impressed when I got my hands on the Arc’teryx Rho Liner Gloves. They immediately felt soft to the touch and were comfortable as soon as they were slipped on.
Where these gloves really come into their own is on colder hikes. They’re great at wicking moisture that would otherwise sit on my skin in colder temps with a big, thick glove or shell mitt. I found very little by way of sweat when worn like this.
They’re also fantastic as a layering system when it comes to being able to use mobile devices without completely exposing your extremities to the cold. These gloves work really well due to the textured surface on the thumb and forefinger.
They’re also great for shoulder temperatures where it isn’t so cold on its own just to give you an extra edge. For example, if you want to use them in fall when using hiking poles. Overall, I think they’re a great, luxurious feeling glove that I find myself reaching for time and time again in a whole range of circumstances.
This article is part of our series on the best winter hiking gloves, view all other articles below:
Compare to Similar Products:
Helly Hansen Swift HT Ski Gloves | Rab Pivot Gore-Tex Gloves | Hestra Heli Three-Finger Insulated Gloves | Sealskinz Waterproof All Weather Insulated Glove | Hestra Fall Line Glove | The North Face Women's Apex Insulated Etip Glove | The North Face Women's Montana Insulated Ski Mitt | Black Diamond Mercury Mitt Womens | Outdoor Research Stormtracker | Carhartt Women's Quilts | Carhartt Quilts Insulated Women's Mitts | Black Diamond Guide Gloves | Helly Hansen Men's LIFA Merino Glove Liner | Wells Lamont HydraHyde Leather Hybrid Men’s | Outdoor Research Flurry Sensor | Carhartt Men's Waterproof Insulated Glove | Mechanix Wear Coldwork Original | Arc'teryx Rho Liner Glove | Trendoux Winter Gloves | icebreaker Merino Oasis 200 Glove Liners | Cotopaxi Teca Fleece Gloves | Burton Touchscreen Glove Liners | |
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Buying Options | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Our Rating | Best Overall Winter Gloves | Warmest Winter Gloves | Best Insulated Gloves | Best Winter Gloves for Touchscreen | Best Winter Gloves for Men | Best Winter Gloves for Women | Best Waterproof Winter Gloves | Best Women's Technical Ski Mitt | Best Liner Gloves | Best Touchscreen Gloves | Best Budget Winter Gloves | |||||||||||
Type and Shape | Performance/technical/ski | Performance/technical/ski | Performance/technical/ski | Hiking/general sport | Performance/technical/ski | Hiking/general sport | Hiking/general sport/ski | Performance/technical/ski | Hiking/general/ski | Hiking/general | Hiking/general | Performance/technical/ski | Performance/technical/ski | Work | Hiking | Hiking | Work | Performance/technical/ski | General | General | General | Performance/technical/ski |
Warmth | High | Very High | Very High | Medium | Very High | High | High | Very High | High | Medium | Medium | Very High | Medium (Liner) | Medium | High | High | Medium | Medium (Liner) | Medium | Medium (Liner) | Medium | Medium (Liner) |
Water Resistance | Waterproof | Waterproof | Waterproof | Waterproof | Waterproof | Water Resistant | Waterproof | Waterproof | Not Waterproof | Waterproof | Waterproof | Waterproof | Not Waterproof (Liner) | Water Resistant | Not Waterproof | Waterproof | Water Resistant | Not Waterproof (Liner) | Not Waterproof | Not Waterproof (Liner) | Not Waterproof | Not Waterproof (Liner) |
Wind resistance | High | High | Very High | High | Very High | High | High | Very High | High | Medium | Medium | Very High | Not Windproof (Liner) | Not Windproof | Not Windproof | Windproof | Not Windproof | Not Windproof (Liner) | Not Windproof | Not Windproof (Liner) | Not Windproof | Not Windproof (Liner) |
Fit | Fits true to size/High Dexterity | Fits true to size/High Dexterity | Fits true to size/Medium Dexterity | Runs Small/High Dexterity | Run Small/Medium Dexterity | Fits True to Size/High Dexterity | Fits True to Size/Medium Dexterity | Runs Tight/Medium-Low Dexterity | Runs Small/High Dexterity | Runs Small/Medium Dexterity | Runs Small/Medium Dexterity | Runs Small/Low Dexterity | Runs True to Size/High Dexterity | Runs True to Size/High Dexterity | Runs Large/High Dexterity | Runs True to Size/High Dexterity | Runs True to Size/High Dexterity | Runs True to Size/High Dexterity | Runs True to Size/High Dexterity | Fits Slightly Tight/High Dexterity | Fits True to Size/High Dexterity | Fits True to Size/High Dexterity |
Durability | High | Very High | Very High | High | Very High | High | High | Very High | High | Medium | Medium | Very High | High | High | Medium | Medium | High | Very High | Medium | Medium | Medium | High |
Price | $70.00 | $155.00 | $127.96 | $73.35 | $139.99 | $59.90 | Price not available | $97.88 | $95.14 | $27.99 | $27.99 | $143.96 | Price not available | $15.08 | $31.47 | $28.29 | $32.99 | $40.00 | $7.99 | $40.00 | Price not available | $14.67 |
See the Arc’teryx Rho Liner Glove in more detail:
Analysis and Test Results
Arc’teryx market the Rho Liner Glove as most suited for snow sports. Whilst they’re brilliant for snow climbs, skiing and other snow sports, they’re also great for colder winter hiking and mountaineering, which is the majority of where I’ve tested them.
Through my tests I found they performed incredibly well when it came to wicking moisture off my skin when worn with a more full-on outer shell. This has been a problem for me in the past with some heavy duty ‘shell’ gloves, but I was amazed to find this not an issue in this offering from Arc’teryx.
I also loved that the textured pads on the thumb and forefinger actually work on these gloves. Whilst some try to offer a contact point for using a phone without having to take gloves off, they don’t always work. So, I was happily surprised to see this wasn’t a gimmick.
With the Rho gloves, I was easily able to unlock my phone, scroll to my camera app, take pictures, and text (although this was a little clumsy). I loved this as it meant my hands were never exposed to the cold.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
I wasn’t expecting much when it came to warmth with the Rho gloves. They are after all marketed as a liner glove. When you first put them on, they do feel pretty thin. Albeit, thicker than some liner gloves I’ve tried before.
They have a kind of silky, smooth surface that feels really nice against the skin. In temperatures above zero, I was fairly comfortable in just these gloves once I’d built up a bit of a sweat. When wind chill comes, you may find your hands start to feel the impact of this quite quickly.
In my test hikes, I just saw this as an opportunity to layer up with a hard shell glove to really take the cold out, and from the start on anything much more than sub zero hikes. I was generally pretty happy with the warmth offered from these gloves, considering what they are. But you should keep in mind, that they’re likely not the only gloves you’ll need.
Water Resistance
The Rho Liner Gloves don’t really offer anything in terms of water resistance. They’re not really designed to be worn on their own when it’s raining or snowing. I would only advise wearing these on their own in the lightest of rain and you should be moving to put on a waterproof glove as soon as you can.
That said, they do dry out very quickly when they get wet. I wouldn’t keep them on your hands if they do get wet but given they’re fully synthetic (84% polyester and 16% elastane), you’ll be able to get them dry in no time.
Wind Resistance
We’ve had some pretty strong winds in the last couple of months whilst I’ve been testing out these gloves. They haven’t done so well in heavy wind.
In these kinds of conditions, I soon found that I needed to put on a thicker glove over the top. In light winds, they have handled really well and take any harshness of a breeze, especially when using hiking poles.
Comfort and Fit
I found the Rho Liner gloves to be really comfortable to wear. They feel really well made and the stitching is impeccable, as I’ve grown to expect from most Arc’teryx products.
They are quite thin without feeling flimsy, and I think this is an area that Arc’teryx have really got right with this glove. The thing that I’m most happy about in terms of features, though, is that the textured pads on the thumb and forefinger actually work for operating a device.
This really adds to the comfort level, as even if you take off your heavy glove/hard shell glove, you don’t need to take off your liner. In colder temperatures, I found this a really welcome addition that so many brands seem to get wrong!
Ease of Use
There’s not really a lot too it when it comes to how easy these gloves are to use. They’re just simple, but that’s part of their charm. If outdoor gloves can really be classed as ‘elegant’ I’d say I’d mark the Rho’s in this category!
They’re simple and easy to slip on and the soft, almost silky fabric construction used makes them glide on well…like a glove. They also sit really nicely under another pair of gloves. They’re thin enough that you don’t really need to worry about them fitting under a thicker pair (if you size those right in the first place).
Materials
These gloves use 84% polyester and 16% elastane in their construction – classed as their Torrent 190 fabric, so they’re entirely synthetic. The materials feel premium, and as I’ve mentioned before they feel quite silky and like the real deal in terms of luxury.
I don’t find these gloves are particularly wipe clean, of course they’re not waterproof, so they’re not really wipeable. This is something to keep in mind as you can often find yourself touching rocks when on the trail, especially if scrambling. If this is you, you may want to avoid using these alone. That said, they do wash really well.
Appearance
I really like the look of the Arc’teryx Rho Liner gloves. They come in a number of color options from understated black, to blue, olive green and a striking orange/red. I chose the olive green, and I really like how they look and feel.
They really do look like a premium option and when you look at them up close, you can see that a lot of attention has been paid to the stitching and production of these gloves. They really do feel like a high end, designer option. Which is essentially what Arc’teryx offer in the outdoor world.
Features
These gloves don’t really offer a lot when it comes to features – they aren’t really all bells and whistles, but then this isn’t what they’re really intended for. As a liner glove, they are pretty well featured when it comes to it.
I’d say that one of their main features are the moisture wicking that they offer when used with a hardshell glove. This is fantastic as in the past I have found that my hands tend to get sweaty when wearing a heavier glove without a liner.
Secondly, the textured fingers for using a device whilst keeping the gloves on actually works! The number of times I’ve tested gloves with this feature that just don’t work has amazed me. So, I was happily surprised to see this option work.
Durability
Even though outwardly, you may look at these liner gloves and think they look flimsy, considering what they are, they are impeccably made. They’re really well stitched and after prolonged use, I can see no areas where these gloves are likely to give up any time soon.
The pads on the fingers are also well sealed in, and they do not look likely to start to fade away, even if they’re put through the wash. The only thing I think that will impact the durability of these gloves is if you get them repeatedly muddy.
Sustainability
Arc’teryx don’t make a huge deal about the sustainability aspects when it comes to these gloves. However, they are constructed well, and I have no reason to believe after spending a lot of time wearing them that they have any intention of breaking.
This makes me believe they’re built to last, which of course has a great impact when it comes to the sustainability of the products we buy. I’d love, in time to see updated versions of this glove make use of recycled materials.
Price
At the time of publishing, these gloves run at $45/£36. Whilst this isn’t the highest in terms of glove prices, it’s important to remember that these are only a liner glove. Therefore, you’re very, very likely going to need to factor in the price of a hard shell or waterproof style glove over the top.
With that in mind, you can get a pair of gloves for well within this price range that offers more robust protection, but this kind of misses the point. The idea of layering is fantastic here, especially if you know you’ll be exploring through changing environments and changing weather, like I do.
I also think that if you’re looking for Arc’teryx products and reading this review from simply searching, you’re probably well aware and in the market for the price point that their products come in at. So it likely won’t be a shock!
Conclusion
I had seen reviews before putting these gloves down, and I think, in all honesty, it’s because these gloves haven’t really been understood. I saw it said that these gloves weren’t great all rounders. But this is simply not what these gloves are intended for. They’re a liner glove – and it says it in the name, so you really need to take that at face value.
I really see the value of a layering system when it comes to gloves. They are great for the starts of cooler temperatures on their own, but as things get colder, they’ll need to be paired with something thicker and waterproof (if it rains).
The great thing that these gloves offer is the ability to wick moisture away from the skin in colder climates when wearing a thicker glove as well. This is absolutely fantastically handled by these gloves – I can’t fault them!
I also find them fantastic for using my phone without having to take off my entire glove system, which is extremely valuable on colder days where taking off my gloves for any length of time is not a great idea! I think the Rho Liner Glove from Arc’teryx is one of the best glove liners I’ve tried out on the market today. I strongly think that if you understand their best use, you’ll agree with me!
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