I’ve never been a big fan of wearing gloves while belaying and rappelling. Actually, I never though I would be a fan even though I’ve never tried it, with the exception of winter climbing. As of today, my mind is changed.

When it comes to climbing, descending is often the most dangerous part. If you’ve ever gone down too fast with the only option being to grab the rope tighter, further burning your hands, you know how dangerous this can be. Outdoor Research designed the Air Brake gloves to make descending and belaying safer by taking the risk of burning or otherwise hurting the skin on your hands out of the equation.

Made of a breathable leather with extra padding in the palm these gloves will keep your hands cool while still protecting you from burns and causing the rope to slip.

These gloves would also come in handy on via ferret routes so don’t forget them on your next trip to the Dolomites. Those steel and iron shards sticking out of the cable ends can leave a small but painful wound that might cause you to take your concentration off the work in front of you; a bad idea when you might be 1,000’ off the deck.

Links

Outdoor Research Air Brake Gloves: http://goo.gl/0SOQzj

More gear reviews: http://goo.gl/0x4zz