Which Gloves to Take to Elbrus: Three Layers for Your Hands

On Elbrus what you need is not one all-purpose pair but a set for different jobs: thin fleece gloves, thick gloves and warm mittens. That is precisely the three-level scheme specified for the nine-day ascent from the south. It lets you keep the feeling in your fingers for simple tasks and step your protection up quickly in wind, at a stop or when the temperature drops.

Why one pair is not enough

A single thick pair keeps your hands warm but makes it awkward to clip karabiners, adjust a rucksack, use a phone or straighten your clothing. A single thin pair is convenient but is not built for sustained cold and wind. On top of that, any glove can get wet — from sweat, from snow or from a flask of tea.

A system with several levels gives you a choice. The thin layer stays on your hands for short jobs, the thick gloves are for walking, and the mittens go on at the coldest moments. That does not mean all three pairs are always worn at once: the combination changes on the guide’s instruction and according to how you are doing.

What each layer does

• Thin fleece gloves give basic warmth and keep your movements precise
• Thick gloves protect you while walking and let you handle equipment
• Warm mittens reduce heat loss because the fingers sit together

Mittens matter particularly to people whose hands get cold quickly. But you cannot rely on how things feel in a shop alone. At altitude, wind, tiredness and a slow pace make conditions markedly harder than a brief try-on indoors.

How to check the fit

Gloves should not squeeze your fingers or restrict the circulation. Check that you can bend your hand freely, take hold of a pole, undo a zip and hold an ice axe. The cuff has to work with your jacket sleeve so that no strip of bare skin is left between them.

Try the whole set on together. If the thin glove is meant to fit under the thick one, put them both on. If the mittens go over the gloves, check that combination too. Size markings vary between manufacturers, so the letters S, M or L guarantee very little without a fitting.

Protection from wet and wind

For the outer layer, protection from wind and wet snow is what counts. Insulation that has got wet quickly stops working. A spare pair is better kept in its own waterproof bag inside your rucksack than in an outside pocket. After an acclimatisation day the whole set needs drying properly.

Chemical hand warmers may be a useful addition, but they do not replace suitable mittens. How well they work depends on the model and on air reaching them, and putting them in the wrong place can give a false sense of security. Sort out the clothing, the sizing and a dry spare first.

What to check on a training walk

Before the trip, go for a long walk in the full set. Try opening your rucksack, adjusting your hood, holding poles and getting a flask out. If every small task means taking both gloves off, the system needs changing. On the route, bare fingers cool down fast.

The full list of clothing and technical kit is collected in the Elbrus equipment list. If you plan to hire part of the set, check sizes and availability in advance at Rock and Rent. Your own thin gloves are worth bringing with you even if you hire the outer layer.

How not to lose a glove on the route

Gloves often come off for a few seconds and get put down on a rucksack, a bench or the snow. In wind that is enough to leave you short of part of the set. Wrist loops fitted as standard, or separate retaining cords, are useful — provided they do not get in the way and are compatible with the equipment you are using.

Give each pair a place of its own in advance. Thin gloves can live in an inside pocket, the dry outer spare in a waterproof bag, the mittens in a rucksack pocket you can reach. That arrangement saves time and means you do not have to bare both hands while you search.

When to tell your guide that your hands are cold

Do not wait for real pain or loss of sensation. If your fingers stay cold while you are walking, become clumsy, or your gloves have got wet, tell your guide straight away. Acting early leaves more options open: change a layer, take a dry pair, adjust a cuff or change the tactics.

Hiding the problem for fear of holding the group up is the wrong call. The state of your hands affects your ability to hold poles and an ice axe and to work with karabiners. The decision about carrying on is taken on the whole picture, not on one person’s wish to keep the pace up at any cost. At the next stop your guide can also check whether a cuff is too tight or the inner layer has got wet. The sooner it is mentioned, the easier it is to put right.

Related programmes

The routes from the south and from the north differ in their logistics, but hand protection is needed on both. Check the final list against the exact programme page.

In summary

A working set for Elbrus consists of thin gloves, thick gloves and warm mittens. It has to be dry, generous in size and compatible with your jacket and equipment. You can put questions about the set to Mountain Guide by telephone +7(988)382-98-44.