Introduction
Survival skills and situational awareness are indeed essential in emergencies. Even the worst-case scenario can become more bearable if you have a bagful of quality survival gear. What is also crucial is what you are wearing during your survival challenge. Even if you have unlimited survival food and water supplies, you will continuously want to warm yourself up.
To the point
Survival clothes are what real homesteaders, survivalists, and preppers should put in their survival backpacks. Thinsulate gloves are must-have outerwear items for cold weather. When the temperature goes well below zero, when there’s cold and blizzard outdoors, you know that a pair of Thinsulate gloves is what makes a huge difference.
The subject of this article is Thinsulate handwear. Below, we will cover how to choose Thinsulate handwear and what the best Thinsulate gloves on the market are.
What Makes Thinsulate Gloves So Good?
In older days, people used bulky and heavyweight gloves to protect their hands from extreme temperatures. For instance, people had used gloves with down feathers for a long time. But things changed when such a thing as Thinsulate came. This invention became a real gamechanger for the industry regarding insulation and hand protection against temperature exposure.
Designed to weather all sorts of temperature exposure, Thinsulate gloves are both a lot more lightweight and more efficient than their predecessor garments. Even more, thanks to their design, Thinsulate gloves will protect your hands from cold or extreme heat without compromising dexterity. Safety is also taken care of – working with these gloves on is more comfortable and safer since you have full control over your motion.
But what is so special in Thinsulate, and what is it exactly?
Users worldwide value Thinsulate insulation, and this type of garment is extensively used in various areas: the army, construction industry, traveling, etc. In addition to Thinsulate gloves, use wool pants to protect your lower body.
Types of Insulation
There are seven types of insulation designed for different temperature conditions.
1 – Original (also referred to as Type G/KL)
- This insulation type is lightweight and warm.
- It is used suitable for both dry and wet weather conditions.
- It is breathable.
- Although this is not water-resistant insulation, Type G/KL materials still take extremely little time to dry.
2 – Type C
- A bit thicker and warmer than the previous insulation type.
3 – Flame-resistant type
- Garment designed with the use of this insulation type is mostly used in oil/gas industries.
- This insulation protects users against unplanned or accidental flames, extreme temperature, as well as an electrical arc.
- Works perfectly in wet conditions.
4 – Water-resistant type
- Perfect for wet conditions.
- Handwear made using this insulation type will not have an unnecessary weight that could compromise the user’s performance.
5 – Featherless insulation type
- This type is also great for wet conditions.
- As you can see from the name, this insulation does not use down feathers. It successfully mimics the way the natural material looks and feels to provide exceptional warmth and comfort level.
6 – Stretch type
- This type can stretch for up to 40% of the initial size, which provides a user with extra dexterity.
7 – Odor-resistant type
- Gloves with this type of insulation will not let any odor-generating bacteria in.
You should keep in mind that these insulation types are not used simultaneously for a pair of Thinsulate gloves. But as a customer, you need to be aware that different insulation types exist for better navigation in the product lines that different brands offer.
Gram-rated insulation levels
To know what type of temperature a pair of Thinsulate gloves are good for, you should know the temperature rating system. This system is based on gram levels that show insulation weight in grams per square meter (GSM). The higher the value, the more warmth handwear will provide.
Another thing worth mentioning about GSM parameters is that the higher the GSM value is, the warmer, heavier, and bulkier the gloves will be. This is important since if the gloves that give a lot of warmth are used in inappropriate conditions – higher temperature, high-intensity work – a user will experience restraint in motion, hands will most likely sweat extensively, which may affect the working process negatively.
- 40 GSM – this value is good for cool conditions and high-intensity work.
- 70 GSM – choose this insulation value for mid-intensity work in cold conditions.
- 100 GSM – this value is for very low temperatures and light-intensity work.
- 150-200 GSM – this is the maximum value of insulation. Use this type of handwear only for extreme temperatures and for very light-intensity work.
The Best Thinsulate Gloves
1. 33131T & 32013T by MCR Safety
These models are both 100 GSM gloves that will give warmth and protect your hands from extreme cold.
2. 100-GSM Workgloves by Carhartt
3. 98x Series by MCR Safety
All of the models are Hipora-lined,
snow/waterproof.
4. 11-3460-60-L Waterproof Winter XT by Youngstown
Winter gloves by Youngstown are 200-GSM gloves that will not only keep your hands warm and protected but will also let you use touchscreen-equipped devices without the need to take them off. Visit the Youngstown store on Amazon for more details and products.
5. MO200 & by MCR Safety
When it comes to outdoor welding in cold weather, go for 48406T.
6. Waterproof/Windproof Thermal Gloves by Kingsbom
7. Three-finger Ski Mittens by Kutook
8. Leather Mittens by RefrigiWear
Of course, there are a lot more brands and products out there. For this list, we’ve just selected the most popular choices by customers. But we encourage you to browse for more offers yourself. Feel free to explore stores, brands, and products online to find what suits you best.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are Thinsulate gloves warm?
Yes, they are warm. Thanks to its design, Thinsulate handwear gives more warmth using less space than any of its predecessors. This will significantly increase your survival chances and let you stay warm and active to keep surviving.
What are the warmest gloves?
The warmest handwear is the handwear that has the higher GSM rate. GSM stands for grams per square meter. This value shows the level of insulation (i.e., how warm the pair of gloves is). The highest GSM value is 200 grams per square meter.
What is the best insulation for gloves?
The insulation type that provides the most warmth while not adding excessive weight is Thinsulate. This is a trademarked synthetic material widely used for extreme temperature hand protection in multiple areas such as the army, oil/gas/steel-making industries, traveling, winter sports, etc.
Are 3M gloves waterproof?
Some 3M handwear models are fully waterproof, while some are not. However, the latter models are still not easy to get wet, and if they do, they take little time to dry. Basically, most of the 3M handwear models are designed to be used in wet conditions. If you’re unsure if the model you’re choosing is waterproof or not, contact the seller.