Good heated gloves have long been a holy grail in the outdoors industry. New this year, a small company called Chaval makes a pair that are the best we have tested yet. But get ready for the sticker shock: They cost $390.
The Chaval Response-XRT really does work. I’ve put these gloves through some harsh days of below-zero, ice beard, high-wind downhill skiing, as well as some lovely 20-degree bluebird days, and I have been universally comfortable.
A unique feature among heated gloves, the “alphaHEAT” technology detects the temperature inside the glove and moderates the amount of power output automatically. This is accomplished by proprietary “micro-regulating nano technology” that powers up the heating element only in cold areas.
The high-tech heat regulation works; when riding a chairlift, the heat seems to crank up right when my fingers cool down. On the downhills, the gloves cool down when my hands heat up.
This is key; hands do not overheat and batteries don’t waste power. The heating works for a full day of downhill skiing on one charge.
These are nice, heavy leather gloves even without the heating element running. I’ve worn them several days without charge (I’m forgetful and sometimes don’t plug them in) and they stack up with most non-heated gloves on the market. They are made of leather with a waterproof/windproof/breathable membrane and 3.5 oz Climashield APEX insulation.
