Pros / Reasons to Buy
- Excellent build quality
- Comfortable
Cons / Reasons to Avoid
- Pricey
- Leather will need periodic care
Swedish brand Hestra make a wide variety of premium-priced gloves. The Fall Line gloves I’ve tested here are intended for skiers but also make a great choice for hikers looking for Winter gloves for all but the most extreme cold conditions.
These gloves are beautifully made, come with thoughtful accessories, look great, have some good sustainability credentials and, above all, are both warm and comfortable. Their leather outer is tough and durable, but it does need to be periodically maintained if you want it to last and continue to provide protection for as long as possible.
The price is definitely a sticking point – especially if, like me, you tend to lose gloves. However, if you treat these as an investment piece, they should last a long time indeed and could well still be in service decades from now.
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 |
Analysis and Test Results
The Hestra Fall Line is a popular ski glove intended to be worn with the cuffs beneath the sleeve of your coat. Supplied with removable – and replaceable – liners, these gloves offer a great combination of durability, comfort and warmth without sacrificing too much dexterity.
You’re certainly paying for a brand name with these gloves, but I think these gloves deliver on their promises. They might be overkill for many hikers, but for those venturing out into all but the most extreme of winter conditions, these gloves are a very compelling option.
I’ve concentrated on the five-fingered version of these gloves for this review, as I feel this version is most relevant to hikers. However it is worth noting that Hestra also offer the Fall Line as a three-finger and full mitten.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
The Hestra Fall Line gloves are designed for skiing and, whilst they are not the warmest ski gloves you can buy, they present an excellent option for winter hiking. The gloves feature a sturdy leather outer, foam insulation layer and a Bemberg fleece removable liner, all of which combine to offer excellent insulation.
For hiking in all but the most extreme Winter conditions, or at the highest of altitudes, I found the warmth offered by these gloves was more than adequate. As these are leather gloves, you’ll need to periodically treat the outer section with a product like Hestra’s Leather Balm to keep the material at it’s best and to preserve the insulation and water resistance.
Water Resistance
Hestra makes a point of saying that these gloves are not waterproof in their sales material. Whilst that might sound unusual for deep winter gloves, this isn’t uncommon for ski gloves such as the Fall Line, as they are intended for use in snow and not rain.
That said, the full leather exterior does offer a good level of water resistance – especially if you keep the leather in good condition (which can be achieved by periodically treating the leather with Hestra’s Leather Balm). The short neoprene cuff is one area where water could potentially get into the gloves, and I’d recommend ensuring your coat sleeves are pulled over the gloves when possible to minimize this risk.
Wind Resistance
Wind resistance is one area where ski style gloves like the Hestra Fall Line really win out. The thick leather outer and insulation does a great job of keeping the wind out.
These gloves feature a shorter cuff than some of the other gloves and mitts we’ve tested, and, depending on the length of your coat sleeves and layering system, there is a chance that your wrists could be exposed to – or at least less protect from – the elements, so that is worth bearing in mind. It’s also important to periodically condition the leather for it to continue to provide the best protection.
Comfort and Fit
Comfort in any item of clothing is a very subjective quality to assess, but none the less, the Hestra Fall Line gloves have a reputation for comfort, and I would tend to agree with this. Anecdotally, the gloves can run a little small, so it’s wise to bear this in mind when selecting your size.
Ease of Use
These gloves feature a number of thoughtful design features to help ease of use. The neoprene cuff has a Velcro buckle to help when putting them on and the gloves still offer a goof range of movement/dexterity whilst wearing them.
I still find myself removing the gloves for some more delicate/fiddly tasks, like closing small zips, operating small control on a camera or tying laces. However, for tasks like extending hiking poles, opening and closing regular or oversized zippers, using the main controls on my camera etc. the gloves can stay on.
Materials
These gloves have a substantial leather exterior (it’s treated cow hide, by the way), foam insulation and a neoprene wrist cuff with Velcro adjustment. The gloves are also provided with removable liners made from Hestra’s ‘G Loft’ material.
These are all durable materials and provided you keep the leather conditioned – with a periodic application of conditioning cream. I have no doubt that these gloves could last many years if given appropriate care.
It’s also worth noting that you can order replacement liners. The liners will likely wear out before the rest of the glove, so being able to replace these will absolutely prolong the life of the product and save you money in the long run.
Appearance
These leather gloves have a utilitarian, but minimal appearance. They are offered in a number of different color ways, from more muted, earthy colors to more visually striking red and white. Whilst there are logos and branding present, they are understated, and, I think, not too much in your face.
The various panels the leather exterior is constructed from are arranged in such a way that they become design elements too. It’s difficult to get too excited about an every-day kit item like gloves, but personally, I do like the look of there.
Features
The Hestra Fall Line gloves have a number of stand-out features. First of all, I was impressed with what I think is a well thought out set of accessories: the gloves come with a wrist strap and tether so you can simply drop them if you need to remove them for a short period of time for whatever reason. The gloves also have a metal eyelet and are supplied with a carabiner, so you can attach them to your clothing or to a backpack when not in use.
Durability
As mentioned above, these gloves are made from tough, hard-wearing materials and they certainly feel very well made. I have no doubt that given the right care, these gloves will last a very long time – certainly years and probably also decades.
However, to achieve this durability, you will need to maintain the leather portion of the gloves and a periodic application of Hestra’s Leather Balm or a similar product is all that’s needed here. Replacement liner gloves can also be ordered and given that these will likely wear out before the outer glove, this will also prolong the overall life of the gloves.
Sustainability
Hestra make premium-priced products and I’m glad to see that they back these gloves up with a three year warranty. Outside of the warranty period, they offer a competitively priced repair service.
The also sell replacement liner gloves which I think is a good thing – considering the liners will likely fail before the outer gloves do. Beyond all of this, Hestra as a company is committed to eliminating polluting chemicals from their manufacturing, to worker welfare and to decarbonizing.
Price
At the time of writing, the Hestra Fall Line five-fingered gloves cost $165/£123. There’s no two ways about it, these are expensive gloves. However, these are a premium product from a brand that has a long track record of producing top notch gear.
Whether you think these gloves are good value or not is a very subjective matter. I think that many people who buy these gloves will see them as an investment piece – something that will last them many years of use and, given their great build quality, good warranty and after-sales support, this price maybe doesn’t look so bad.
Conclusion
Hestra are a premium priced product and there’s no doubt that you’re paying for a brand name if you choose to buy the Fall Line Gloves. That said, the Fall Line are a long-standing and well respected product that offers fantastic comfort, good mobility and excellent build quality.
It’s not hard for me to see why these gloves are a popular choice. Whilst they are intended for skiing, I do also think they make an excellent option for hikers looking for gloves that will see them through all but the most extreme cold conditions – that is, if you can justify the price.
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