Hestra Army Leather Heli Review

The Hestra Army Leather Heli gloves don't stand out in any one performance metric, but they don't fall short in any, either.

Performance Comparison

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Dexterity

Hestra gloves are known for their dexterity, and although these gloves have good sensitivity, they could be better. Nonetheless, they are plenty capable of performing tasks like buckling boots, zipping jackets, and manipulating helmets. The finger tailoring isn't as good as other high-end products, but it's good enough, considering the price.

Water Resistance

These gloves feature a Gore-Tex membrane that keeps water and wind out of the inside of the glove. They also feature large, long wrist gauntlets that easily fit over the cuffs of large puffy jackets, making it easy to seal out stormy weather. During our test period, we were unable to get water to penetrate the inside of these gloves, but in our long experience with Hestra gloves, the palm leather eventually wears down and becomes more absorbent. Hestra includes a leather treatment wax with these gloves, anticipating this eventuality. Overall, these gloves offer great weather resistance for the average skier and a good lifetime of weather resistance for guides and ski mountaineers who need excellent protection.

Durability

The supple leather palm is similar to that of other Hestra gloves we've tested in the past, and that experience tells us that these should last about 125 days of use. For the average skier, that's 3-5 years of use, which is great. But for professionals like ski guides and patrollers, that is just over one season. Realistically, few gloves exceed that lifespan, but there are a few on the market that can.

Features

These gloves are loaded with useful features. They have wrist straps that tighten the glove in place, gauntlet cuffs that fit over jackets to seal out bad weather and cold temps, and wrist leashes so that you don't lose your gloves when you take them off on windy days or chairlift rides. They also come with a carabiner to keep the pair together, and a small loop of fabric on the back of the index finger that facilitates hanging from a harness when alpine climbing or mountaineering. Finally, the liner is removable and can be used during fall hiking or spring skiing.

Should You Buy the Hestra Army Leather Heli?

While not cheap, these gloves deliver good performance across the board. If you are looking for a solidly-constructed glove that will last a reasonably long time and deliver good performance across a range of metrics, these are a great choice and a good value.

What Other Ski Gloves Should You Consider?

If you like the all-around performance that these gloves deliver, check out the Rab Khroma Freeride, which costs just a little more and offers a higher performance. The Arc'teryx Fission SV is a little more expensive but offers the best performance on the market. If you are on a budget and looking for a quality glove that won't break the bank, the Gordini GTX Storm Trooper II is a clear choice.