In my opinion, finding a good pair of gloves is one of the most challenging things when it comes to getting dressed for snowmobiling. When we choose a pair and take off, we must not forget that we put our comfort and the danger of freezing our extremities in the manufacturer’s hands, which we have decided to trust. Off the trail, it gets tougher, as several additional variables come into play. The gloves need to be warm but not too warm, and they also need to breathe well. When I received my 509 Range gloves, I didn’t realize how much I would love them as the season progressed.
This pair of gloves is thick, warm, comfortable, warm, made of fabric, and once again warm … it would seem like the off-trail driver’s worst nightmare. And that’s exactly where I was wrong…
The 509 Range gloves
I’ll be honest. I hardly wore the 509 Range gloves at the beginning of the season because I didn’t have to travel to get to my snow spots. I just threw myself into the deep snow. Who would need warm gloves in such conditions?
Then came a weekend when several kilometres were required to reach our snow holes. Even worse: we were going to shoot videos for the SeldMagazine.com Web series, which meant that I would spend long periods sitting around doing nothing. That’s where the Range gloves come in. A bit like the 509 helmets, I immediately fell in love with the fact that they are “plug and play.” They’re so comfortable!
Velcro allows the glove to be adjusted as needed
On the trail, the glove is very warm and surprisingly precise despite its thickness. I can reach the brake without restriction, even in an emergency. On the other hand, dexterity stops there. As soon as I want to do something that requires more finesse like zipping up my coat, I must take off my glove. Did I mention that several times during my rides, somewhere between -10 and -15 degrees Celsius with not too much wind, I had to stop my heated handles altogether?
The moments when the Range gloves made all the difference and were most appreciated were when my first pair was soaking wet that I could wring them out and when it was time to head home at the end of the day. I would open my backpack, put on these hand slippers, which warmed up almost automatically. It’s the first time that I understood that having an adapted off-trail set of light and breathable gloves is not necessarily enough; you also need gloves that will get you home dry and warm! However, this heat comes at a price. You need to allow several hours for the glove to dry completely. As it is very difficult to fold the glove completely, I opted for the boot dryer. No more drying problems after that!
I’m going to end this article with the weirdest conclusion I’ve ever made with the magazine: the 509 Range gloves are the perfect gloves to put in your backpack if you have to travel to your favourite off-trail spot. Even though it’s anything but suitable for off-trail maneuvers, I would never leave without them when I head off on a snowmobile. As soon as I must do some trail riding or my hands freeze, these gloves are up to the task. Thanks to 509 for allowing me to try these amazing gloves this season!
