Pros / Reasons to Buy
- Iconic design from a well known brand
- Fair Trade Certified product
Cons / Reasons to Avoid
- Not waterproof and as such, not suited for rainy conditions
- Not suitable for very cold temperatures on their own
I really enjoyed testing the Cotopaxi Teca Fleece gloves out. They look very cool to wear and got a couple of comments from people when I was wearing them.
It’s clear that Cotopaxi has a bit of an iconic following and they’ve taken the design for these gloves from some of the best known designs in the Teca range. That stripe seems to be synonymous with Cotopaxi and I really liked that they felt a little more fun than some other gloves I’ve tested.
Overall, the Cotopaxi Teca Fleece gloves are a great, budget friendly option. If you know that you’re going to be hiking in dry conditions, I would seriously recommend them. They’re bright, work well as a hiking glove and the grip offered on the underside makes them easy to use with hiking poles for extra traction.
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 Cotopaxi Teca Fleece Gloves in more detail:
Analysis and Test Results
In terms of their tech, they aren’t really a technical glove, but I was impressed by how well they kept my hands warm in dry winter conditions. I found this to be even more improved and able to take them into colder temperatures when paired with a liner glove, such as the ADD LINK Arc’teryx Rho Liner.
Though if you’re used to hiking in places where it’s likely to rain, I’d suggest sticking with something from our round up of the best winter hiking gloves that’s waterproof. As these gloves can get seriously soggy (read cold) in the rain.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
I tested these gloves out in sub zero temperatures and positive temperatures too. In sub zero, they did feel like they started to get to their limits. This was improved when I added a liner glove. This isn’t necessarily a down point, as I often find that gloves are similar to other areas of your body – it’s about getting the layering system right.
I often find that with thicker gloves, unless the temperatures call for it, I can be too hot. So, the idea of layering up a glove system really appeals to me. For that, I really liked the feel of the Cotopaxi Teca Fleece gloves.
On their own, without much wind chill, I found chilly days were actually pretty well handled by these gloves on their own. I tend to use hiking poles most of the time, so having my hands out, they never really felt particularly exposed. On days with particular wind chill, I did feel like I needed a liner to get the most out of them.
All in all, I think if you’re looking for a glove that you can layer up for colder temps, then this will suit you well, especially if you’re on a budget. Equally, if it doesn’t get crazy cold where you live, you’ll find these gloves perfect too.
Water Resistance
This is certainly an area with the Cotopaxi Teca Fleece Gloves that is a negative. They offer no water resistance at all. Though they don’t market them to be at all water resistant, it’s just good to keep this in mind.
I live somewhere where it rains quite frequently, and there is usually always a chance of rain on my hikes. My pack is always filled with extra waterproof layers as a consequence. These gloves aren’t one I’d go to with this in mind.
They did however perform great in circumstances where it was dry and cold, as opposed to wet and cold or even snowy and cold. It would be good to see Cotopaxi make these gloves waterproof, or at least offer a waterproof option.
In my saturation tests, I found that these gloves got wet through very quickly. If you’ve ever worn a fleece layer that’s got wet, you know how heavy they get and how quickly water seeps through. These gloves basically do the same. They get wet and very cold quickly. This transposes through to your hands pretty quickly too.
Wind Resistance
Through my tests, I found that these winter gloves handled fine in about normal wind conditions. We’ve had some pretty intense wind storms of late and I found that when we’d get bitter gusts coming through in the mountains, if I was wearing the Teca gloves alone, I could feel it.
I did find this to be improved by wearing a liner glove to take the edge off too. Like I said earlier, I do quite like using these gloves with a liner to create a layering system.
I think for some hikers, they’d likely prefer these gloves to be fully lined to help with wind resistance. It’s important to remember that they’re essentially a mid layer, if we think about it like a jacket. They are absolutely not a hard shell.
However, if you’re like me, and like the versatility of layering, and you know that you’re not going to be experiencing really strong winds, then these gloves will be perfect for you. I think it’s important to keep in mind they are essentially a mid warmth glove.
Comfort and Fit
An area where these gloves really shine is in their comfort. They feel really nice to put on. The soft cuff is easy to stretch over your hand and allows you to get the gloves on in seconds, even in cold temperatures where your hands might already feel a bit rigid.
When on, I would ideally love to see a few improvements, as you can feel the inside seam on the fingers. With a lined option, this obviously wouldn’t be the case. That said, this wasn’t a deal breaker for me at all.
They also offer a good amount of dexterity in the fingers. They’re not rigid, so they feel easy to move around in and have movement in your hand pretty much the same as you would do if you weren’t wearing them.
I actually got mine a little bigger than I normally would so I could layer them with a liner. However, they don’t feel overly big on my hand, even on their own. They’re a well-fitting glove!
Ease of Use
The Cotopaxi Teca Fleece gloves are fairly basic really when it comes to ease of use. They don’t really have any bells and whistles that some of the more top line winter hiking gloves have, such as wrist attachments.
However, for the price point they’re at, I wouldn’t really expect this. You also don’t always need this. For example, some of the other gloves we’ve tested out like the Rab Pivot Gore-Tex Gloves have an incredible wrist attachment which we’ve found great for winter ascents, and helping to protect them from wind if you need two hands free. But this isn’t always necessary and for a lot of people are massive overkill.
I don’t really have an issue with taking these gloves off and putting them in my pocket if I need to. I still need to remove these gloves for more delicate and fiddly tasks. Though I can easily remove a water bottle from my daypack, take a photo on my camera and change the length of my hiking poles.
Materials
These gloves make use of a 100% recycled polyester fleece which is rated at 255gsm. I’m not entirely sure what the under, grippy side (which is blue) is made of. None of the brand’s web information says anything about this.
It feels like a soft-shell material, which is more rigid to the touch. The two main fingers of the underside of the glove also have small grippy nobbles on. I imagine these are synthetic too and heat treated onto the fabric.
Appearance
The Cotopaxi Teca gloves are a really nice looking design. As I mentioned earlier on, Cotopaxi have taken their iconic Teca design, which is well known from their hoodies and jackets and applied it to these gloves.
I’m sure many hikers will really love this design, and they are certainly great as an option to get away from the somewhat limited color options offered by a lot of brands. These gloves actually work pretty well outside of hiking circumstances too.
This is actually a great thing, because depending on the circumstances of where you spend your time outside, this may actually be the only pair of gloves you need. This is obviously a great thing when it comes to buying less to improve the sustainability of the products you own.
Features
If you’re looking for a really feature heavy glove, you won’t find it with this option from Cotopaxi. In terms of technical features, they don’t really have any at all. The only real features they have is the grip on the underside of the glove on the first two fingers and a clip that holds the two gloves together at the wristband.
Durability
I’ve checked these gloves really rigorously and they are extremely well stitched. Real care and attention have been paid around the fingers where they meet the hand, which are areas where you’d expect real problems to occur. I’m confident that these gloves will stand the test of time in terms of their stitching.
Their only real downfall in terms of their durability is if you end up accidentally wearing these gloves in wet or muddy conditions. Due to their fabric (fleece) on the outer of the glove, they show up muddy patches very quickly. I also don’t really find that fleece always dries right back to the way it did to begin with, so just keep this in mind if you choose to buy these gloves from Cotopaxi.
Sustainability
Cotopaxi are a brand who are committed to improving their footprint, so these gloves get extra Brownie points where this is concerned. The outer, fleece section of these gloves is made of 100% recycled polyester fleece. As I mentioned earlier, it would be good to see more transparency on exactly what the inner hand material is made from though.
Cotopaxi also partner with factories that are sustainable and have fair labor practices. They are also Fair Trade Certified. It’s very easy to see the principles that Cotopaxi follow upfront, which I always love to see.
Price
At the time of writing, these gloves are priced at around $30/£36. Which means if buying from the UK, you are paying a slight premium for this (though this is often the case).
I think this is a pretty fair price point for the Teca Fleece Gloves. This makes them a great budget friendly option, which makes them especially good if you’re looking for a pair of winter gloves that are suitable for more than just the trail.
Conclusion
Overall, I loved testing the Cotopaxi Teca Fleece Gloves. They look cool, and I really liked the design. I even got a few compliments on them, which isn’t something that has ever happened to me before when it comes to a pair of gloves!
What I really like about them is that they’re suitable for more than the trail alone, so for many hikers this may well be the only pair of gloves for hiking that you need. Their striking design sits them up there in Cotopaxi’s Teca range and are smart enough for everyday use too.
For me, they’re not the only pair of gloves I need, due to the colder temperatures and wetter scenarios I find myself hiking in quite a bit. The ever changing weather fronts I get in my home turf mean that I need a glove that is suited to rain and offers more warmth overall.
That said, I love having these in my daypack for when conditions are not likely to be wet or snowy, and I really like them paired with a liner glove. The idea of a layering system with gloves is a good one for me.
If you find yourself hiking in colder, but drier conditions, I think you’ll really like the Teca gloves. If you want to take them one step further, pair them with a liner and you’ll be set (we cover liners in our main guide to the best winter hiking gloves which will help you find a pair suited to your budget).
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