High up on Crested Butte’s Banana chute, the wind was kicking up snow swirls around my ski boots. I was fiddling with the adjustable buckles, trying to dial them into that sweet spot between cutting off circulation to my feet and being snug enough to still offer maximum control over my skis. I was testing new boots and hadn’t gotten them zeroed in just yet.
I was also wearing and testing the LEKI Griffin Pro 3D Gloves. The supple goat leather they were made from and their form-fitting cut allowed me to easily handle the boots’ buckles, twisting and turning them, snapping them down, gauging the fit, and trying again.
Thanks to the LEKI gloves, that process wasn’t such a hassle even in the cold. The dexterity these gloves offered made it easy to manipulate the gear. I love my trusty Kinkos — they’ve served me well for many seasons. I couldn’t tell if these Leki gloves were any warmer than those. But the nimbleness of my cloaked digits was clearly better in the Lekis. And my hands were certainly better protected, thanks to the padding on the knuckles.
I finished adjusting my boots. Then I clipped the LEKI gloves’ 3D trigger system loops onto the strapless handles of the LEKI 3D poles and dropped into the chute to catch up with my group.
In short: The LEKI Griffin Pro 3D Gloves ($160) clearly borrow design elements from ski racing gloves. They’re bombproof and sturdy. LEKI designed them with ceramic-reinforced padding on the fingers and knuckles, improving impact and abrasion protection. They’re also compatible with LEKI’s Trigger 3D poles, offering an alternative to conventional pole straps. But the feature that really stood out to me was the dexterity the Griffin Pro’s performance-oriented fit provided. They aren’t the warmest gloves ever made — but they may be some of the most nimble-fingered.
- Shell/Material: Softshell, goatskin, and neoprene with a goatskin and silicone nash palm, polyester micro Bemberg liner, PrimaLoft insulation
- Cuff type: Neoprene with pull strap
Pros
- Durable goatskin construction
- Protective design
- Dexterous performance-oriented fit
- Unique strapless ski pole attachment system
Cons
- Not fully waterproof
- Need compatible LEKI poles to utilize strap-free ski pole system
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LEKI Griffin Pro 3D Ski Gloves: Review
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Fit and Feel
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Insulation and Weatherproofing
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Nifty Features
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