I’m obsessed with the feel of metal lenses — until, that is, the temperature drops and handling a metal lens feels like handling ice. Photography gloves are a must for winter sessions. But, finding a good pair of gloves is a balancing act between warmth and the ability to access dials and buttons. I usually spend my winter in fingerless gloves. The problem? My fingers tend to get so cold, that they’re numb. So when Vallerret, a company that makes dedicated photography gloves, sent me two pairs of gloves, I decided to really put them to the test — I froze them in a block of ice. Which was, of course, followed by smashing them against cement to break the ice off.
Vallerret is a company that makes gloves specifically for photographers. Rather than leaving the entire finger exposed — or all the fingers for that matter — most of Vallerret’s gloves use flaps that just expose the fingertips. These flaps stay out of the way using sewn-in magnets. That means less finger exposure, which means warmer fingers.
Vallerret has such a wide range of different glove options that it can feel overwhelming. I took the online quiz and narrowed it down to the Markhov V3 Pro, rated for mid-winter, and the Tinden, rated for deep winter. Both have magnetic finger caps, along with a zipper pouch to stash an SD card, which also hides a tripod key on a sewn-in leash.
The Markhov gloves are made with a merino wool liner — the same material in my favorite base layers that are very warm despite being very thin. The gloves also use Thinsulate insulation. The exterior is a mix of goat leather and suede that’s designed to also wipe off a lens in a pinch. The cuff is nice and stretchy, so it fits snugly without any velcro to adjust.
The Tinden gloves have the same merino wool liner, but use Primaloft Gold insulation. The exterior is goat leather and water-resistant polyester, plus a suede patch on the back of the thumb for wiping off a lens. This pair also has a carabiner clip, which I find helpful to avoid losing gloves by clipping them together. I preferred the finger caps on the Tinden — the Markhov sometimes didn’t stay folded back if I moved my fingers around a lot. The Tinden also has a more substantial overlap at the fingertips, where the Markhovs just have a sewn slip in the fabric.
I tested these gloves in November and December in Michigan, in temps around the 20s and the 30s, often with a significant wind chill. Both pairs kept my hands warm. I also stuck my hands under the faucet, and both gloves repelled water well. The finger caps, of course, have an opening in the fabric, so moisture could get in here.
After water didn’t get into the gloves holding them under the faucet, me being me, I thought, how can I make this weird? So I put some water in a bread pan and froze these gloves in a block of ice to see how durable they are. After beating the ice block against the cement, the materials still look very nice. The leather and suede didn’t show wear or tear after being frozen.
Interestingly, the Tindens — the ones rated for the deep winter — had ice inside the glove. But, I repeated the faucet test and still couldn’t get any water to leak in as long as I kept the fingertip flaps out of the water. I think these gloves will do just fine in snow — just don’t stick your hand in a half-frozen lake or anything. The Markhovs only ended up with ice on the outside, while the inside was nice and dry.
Using both the Tindens and the Markhovs, I could still access all my camera controls. I measured in between sizes, so I sized up — but I think a snugger fit would have been slightly more comfortable. The Markhovs actually also have two slim sizes, and I think I would have liked these gloves even more in the slim S rather than a medium.
I didn’t have any issues adjusting settings on my XT4 or the smaller OM-5 though. But, I did have to be careful where I placed my hands when using a 6mm Micro Four Thirds fisheye that was shorter than my hands are wide. But, that’s pretty understandable.
Dedicated photography gloves are pricey. But, the photo-specific features make them worthwhile for photographers who are regularly shooting in the cold. The Vallerret Tinden and Markhov V3 are warm and versatile. They are just as thick, warm, and weather-resistant as a good pair of ski gloves. But, the finger caps offer access to controls. And the zipper with a hidden tripod key is genius. I’d buy the Markhovs if your typical winter shots don’t get below 25 degrees; opt for the pricier Tindens for colder shoots.
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