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As a mountaineer who also happens to have extremely poor circulation in my hands (from years of neuropathy), simple “warm” gloves don’t really cut it, and tactility is a primary concern. For years now I’ve been looking for a glove that blocks out the cold and is tough enough to hold up for thousands of hours in the backcountry, but also is tactile enough to allow me to handle my gear with ease. As many of you probably know, that’s a hard product to find.

Durability, warmth, and tactility are perhaps the most important factors in mountain gear. Unfortunately, at least where apparel is concerned, they don’t always go hand in hand. Gains in one area result in compromises in another. 

The BAÏST Classic Glove ($169.50) hits the sweet spot, with a mountain glove that is tough-as-nails, tactile, and toasty warm.

Designed for snowboarders and skiers, BAÏST is a small outfit out of Vermont which produces a series of gloves, mitts, and trigger gloves. The BAÏST Classic is their flagship product (overall rated -20°F to 45°F/-29°C to 7°C), and probably the most versatile entry in their lineup.

At $169.50, this glove combines a hardy goatskin leather/Cordura outer layer with a removable liner constructed from a blend of Thinsulate and Thermolite. 

The bombproof outer cuts water and wind with ease and is reinforced with double leather at the knuckles and other wear spots. Meanwhile, the removable inner liner acts as a second skin, allowing you to take the outer glove off and on while keeping your hands warm in the interim. This works well when messing with anchors, setting up tents, or anything else where you need a little extra tactility but don’t want your digits to freeze. The gloves also come with wrist leashes and an anti-fog cloth to clean snow goggles.

These are comfy, warm gloves, that much is sure, but the thing I’m most impressed with when it comes to BAÏST is the gloves’ rugged, durable build. The leather/Cordura outer means these things look and feel like motorcycle gloves, but are warm enough for the mountains.  You could literally run your hands over a cheese grater half a dozen times wearing these gloves, and they’d look good as new. 

I’m no high-level climber, but I’ve done my fair share of off-the-cuff backcountry missions over the years, and I’ve had plenty of gloves split at the seams, tear on branches, and wear down over time. BAÏST is offering a warm glove that can take an absolute beating. Jon Kedrowski recently took the BAÏST gloves up K2 in winter, so take that for what it’s worth.

At the end of the day, you can find warm gloves on the market, but I find a lot more value in something that looks and feels like it will still be kicking ass 25 years from now, and the BAÏST Classic is exactly that.

About BAÏST

Please note:  This review is the honest opinion of the writer. BAÏST is a sponsor of Great Gear Reviews and Giveaways and has paid a sponsorship fee for program promotion and provided products for review and giveaway.