Flylow gloves are some of my favorite resort gloves. They are functional, comfortable, durable, and look cool. They aren’t the warmest gloves around, so you’ll want to have another set for those days when the weather really drops. However, Flylow Tough Guy gloves are a solid go-to pair and are capable for a range of different winter activities.
Keep reading to learn more about the pros and cons of this ski glove, who it is best for, and other similar alternatives to consider.
Contents
Quick Summary
- Where to buy: Amazon, The House
- Best for: Warmer weather skiing situations and other winter activities. Skiers who don’t have issues with their hands getting cold.
- Pros: These have a quality build, comfort, and style. They work well for resort skiing in most situations, but are best for people who don’t get too cold. They are also affordable and the pig skin leather is great.
- Cons: Although these gloves are warm, they aren’t designed for extreme conditions.
- Alternatives: Flylow Ridge Glove, Burton GORE-TEX Gloves
Do leather gloves work as skiing gloves?
Yes. The Tough Guy gloves are triple-baked with Sno-seal to give you lasting waterproofness, and the synthetic insulation will keep your hands warm in most conditions.
Are these gloves flexible?
These gloves are flexible and dexterous. They have plenty of give. When you break them in, they are more than flexible enough to perform all sorts of tasks.
Do you need to treat the Tough Guy gloves with waterproofing materials?
The gloves come treated with SnoSeal when you purchase them so you don’t need to treat them with anything right away. If you use them a lot, you might want to treat them once a season for extended use.
Why Trust Me
I’ve been skiing almost as long as I’ve been able to walk. I’ve skied all over the world and have decades of experience skiing on, testing, and reviewing different skis and skiing equipment. I had several pairs of Flylow Tough Guy gloves over the years and used them in all sorts of skiing situations. Below is my detailed review.
Detailed Review of Flylow Tough Guy Gloves
I love the Flylow Tough Guy gloves, and they come highly recommended for any skier who wants a versatile glove that’s warm without being too bulky. They make for a great set of all-around winter gloves, and though they don’t offer supreme cold weather protection, their affordable price and classic looks make them quite appealing.
Warmth
You need your ski gloves to be warm. The Flylow delivers in that area by giving you warmth for most conditions you’ll see on the slopes. They don’t have the best insulation in the world, but they are still some of my favorites due to how they function and feel.
There’s nothing fancy about what these gloves offer, but they still deliver plenty of warmth for your hands and fingers. The Space Loft synthetic insulation protects against the cold, and the treated pigskin material works well to keep out water. There’s also an elastic cuff that keeps them securely attached to your hands without letting any snow sneak in.
These aren’t the warmest gloves out there, and if the temperature starts to dip you’ll want to have something a little warmer at your disposal. In all conditions outside of super sub-zero temperatures, they offer enough warmth to keep you comfortable. The synthetic insulation also does its job well.
Comfort and Fit
The Tough Guy gloves get high marks in terms of both comfort and fit. These are some of the most comfortable gloves I have ever worn, and that’s why I always make sure to have a set of them lying around. If I wear through a pair (which I do after a few seasons of heavy use) I always make sure to buy another one quickly.
A key part of what makes these gloves so comfortable is the treated pigskin. The material is soft and breaks in easily. That gives you high levels of flexibility and dexterity, which is another one of the reasons I like them so much. If you want to use these gloves for any purpose outside of skiing, that added dexterity can come in handy.
The gloves also have a slim fit that adds a lot of comfort and feel. There isn’t a lot of excess material to get in your way, which makes it easy to slip into your pole straps or dig into your pockets without taking them off. A great glove you can wear all day. When the weather is cold enough, these are almost always on my hands.
Construction and Style
The Flylow Tough Guy gloves utilize pigskin leather in most of their design. The leather is treated to be fully waterproof, but you may want to add another treatment of SnoSeal or additional waterproofing material after heavy use to keep the pigskin in good shape.
The back of the hand is built out of a work patterned nylon that comes with a special DWR treatment. That adds a little extra durability and further enhances the glove’s utility. It’s not a necessary feature to include the nylon, but it goes a long way in the style department.
Leather gloves have a classic design. It’s more of a utility look though, and you should check out a few pictures of them before making your final purchase. They work for me, but not everyone will feel that way.
Durability
These gloves are durable, which is another excellent feature. Pigskin leather is soft and flexible, but is also quite strong. I have burnt through several pairs of these gloves over the years, but that’s because I use them heavily in situations other than skiing. That doesn’t indicate they are any less durable. In fact, I’d say these are just as durable as a pair of leather work gloves.
The nylon back-of-hand design also adds to their durability and gives you a little extra support if you’re bouncing through the trees or actually using the gloves as work gloves. They come triple baked with Sno-seal when you purchase them, which also adds durability. While that can wear out over time, you can easily add another layer of treatment and keep them strong.
Price and Value
The Flylow Tough Guy gloves are affordable, which gives them great value. When you combine the appealing price tag with high levels of function, flexibility, and comfort, it’s easy to see why so many enjoy the gloves. You can pay a lot of money for other gloves and get similar or even worse performance. With the Tough Guy, you’ll be easily satisfied. You may even want to buy a few pairs.
What I Like
There’s a lot to like about the Flylow Tough Guy gloves. They are some of my favorite gloves I have ever used. The thing I like the most about them is the way they feel. They give you all of the flexibility and dexterity you need to perform any task, no matter if you’re on the mountain, getting the car loaded, or shoveling the driveway.
The look of these gloves is also quite appealing. They have a cool visual appeal that will make you look like you know what you’re doing on skis. You’ll have to back that up with your abilities, obviously, but if you want a little experienced credibility on the slopes, these gloves are an easy way to up your game.
The fact that these gloves come triple-baked with Sno-seal is another thing I like. With some other leather glove options, you have to treat them yourself. While this isn’t that difficult or time-consuming, it’s nice to be able to wear a pair right out of the box. I enjoy the affordable price tag as well.
What I Don’t Like
I like almost everything about the Tough Guy gloves. The one I don’t like is the fact that they aren’t great in extremely cold weather. If you want to take them into the backcountry or out in really bad storms, you’ll more than likely want another model. They are plenty warm enough for most days in the resort, but if you struggle with cold fingers, they aren’t the best option.
They also don’t have a wrist gator, which can be a problem if you spend a lot of time in fresh snow. Other gloves intended for the backcountry or big-mountain situations come with added features like gators and cinches to add a little extra protection against the elements. These gloves have a nice wrist cuff, but it doesn’t quite provide the protection of a gator with a cinch cord.
The gloves can also wear out in a way that can make them look dirty. If you’ve ever used any sort of leather for a long time, you’ll know what I’m talking about. That doesn’t impact their function, but if you use the gloves for a long time you’re going to notice that break down.
The Alternatives
If you’re looking for an alternative option to the Flylow Tough Guy gloves, take a look at some of these other choices:
- Flylow Ridge Glove – These are another favorite option among skiers who want a minimal profile with the comfort and dexterity of a leather option. They are similar to the Tough Guy except they don’t have the nylon hand back. Other than that, they still come triple-treated and are ready for action right out of the store.
- Burton GORE-TEX Gloves – If you don’t want a leather glove but still want an affordable option that will be effective in a range of conditions, these are worth checking out. They aren’t the warmest option out there, but are decent enough to work in all but the coldest conditions.
Final Verdict
The Flylow Tough Guy gloves are some of my favorite ski gloves on the market. I would highly recommend them for their comfortable fit, high-quality performance, and affordable price. Even if you don’t ski, they are great for any winter activity.
They aren’t going to give you the best extreme cold-weather protection, but they are capable at the resort and in mild backcountry situations as well.
