Introduction
The winter season is coming to an end, even though in many Italian places is still snowing. The time has come, after 4 months of intense use, even in adverse conditions, to talk about Vallerret gloves. In this winter season I was lucky enough to be able to try on the gloves of this brand, in particular: the "Markhof Pro 2.0" and the Primaloft / Merino Liner under-gloves with touch inserts. Let's find out how they behaved and what the pros and cons are, so you can get ideas for the next cold season.
Description
Let's start with "Markhof Pro 2.0".
The first thing to know is that they are gloves made for medium/cold and not extreme temperatures, in fact the indicated thermal resistance is 3 stars out of 5. Consequently, if we are going to Alaska or to climb a high mountain in winter, we will not be able to expect them to do the right thing.
I used them throughout the winter in the Italian mountains and in March in Iceland, with temperatures between -10 and +10 C °, in the rain, with snow, with strong winds, and I must say I'm was very satisfied, even considering the quality/price ratio. In particular, they proved to be really valid in the moments when I drove my drone, Mavic Pro 2, that is when the hands remain motionless on the remote control, and exposed to the cold for several minutes.
We know that the main problem for photographers is the hands: used to set the shooting data on the camera, often exposed to extreme weather conditions, they must be kept warm, so as not to create discomfort and difficulty in facing the work. The composition of Markhof Pro 2.0 turned out to be an excellent solution: made in goat leather, with an outer shell in 2-layer DWR and water-resistant suede, they provide excellent protection against agents weather. Inside they are padded with 100% Merino wool, in addition to a Thinsulate intermediate layer, which adds that extra warmth to face the cold winter temperatures.
Never cumbersome (another aspect of no small importance to better handle photographic equipment), they give the possibility to discover the tip of the index finger and thumb, in order to have easy access to the reflex and to the touch screen. The part of the glove that is turned backwards to uncover the fingers, is fixed with a magnet and is not an obstacle during work.
The palm of the glove is covered with a motif that depicts, in a stylized way, an iconic German landscape, entirely non-slip, to provide greater grip when handling the equipment. I have to confirm that the non-slip part does a really good job and is really well made and distributed.
The back of the gloves has a very useful pocket, for example as storage for additional SD cards, for a microfiber cloth for lens cleaning or, as in my case, for self-heating inserts (also found on Amazon at great prices) for provide additional heat to the hands.
Finally, the elastic and very soft "Jersey" cuffs allow the gloves to be worn comfortably and simply, preventing the glove from moving or sliding during the activity.
The only aspect worth noting for future buyers is to pay a lot of attention to sizes. The gloves are slim fit and very tight, just to be as bulky as possible. On the Vallerret website there is a page dedicated to sizes in comparison to the correct measures for the purchase. I, for example, normally carry an M, not having very large hands, but in any case I had to buy an L for better comfort and not feel the fingers "forced".
Let's now pass to the "Primaloft / Merino Liner" glove liners.
Here there is not much to say: they are made of Merino wool and Primaloft to give extra comfort once worn underneath at Markhof Pro 2.0. The touch inserts on the index and thumb really work very well, so much so that it seems to work with bare hands. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they sin a little in the overall construction. The fabric, in fact, used frequently, in just two weeks, begins to spoil, presenting small holes and unstitched stitches. So unlike gloves, I think this product can be improved from next season, providing a more appropriate quality / price ratio, and like Markof Pro
2.0.
Conclusions
After spending the winter running around in the cold with gloves almost always on, I can say that the "Vallerret Markhof Pro 2.0" are really a great product, in my opinion also not too expensive, (which is not detrimental to quality ). Don't think you can stay for hours in the pouring rain or put your hands in the water, because the gloves, even with an impermeable layer, get wet in the long run. However, they are easy to dry (we in Iceland with the warm air released from the car nozzles have dried them within an hour). At the time of this review the cost of gloves is 74.95 euros, sold directly on the manufacturer's website www.photographygloves.com. They are also sent together with a small bag that is very convenient for storing and transporting them.
On the contrary, instead, as already mentioned, I believe that the "Primaloft / Merino Liner" under-gloves did not prove to be up to expectations and, therefore, the quality of the product that has a price of 34.95 euros can be improved.
