This summer I was given a pair of these gloves to try out. I live in Virginia. It’s hot and humid here so checking out cold weather gear can be difficult. But now, it’s cooling off and come places already have snow.
HEAT 3 gloves originally started as a custom-made item but are now in their third generation. They were designed specifically for special combat forces in Germany and Austria and are fairly well known in Europe. And now, they are available in the US, through Condor Group. Below, the owner of The Heat Company explains where the inspiration for the HEAT 3 Gloves came from:
HEAT 3 gloves were originally designed for special combat forces in Germany and Austria (SEK, Cobra). They came to us and told us that there would be need for a 1 piece glove which meets warmth and tactility at the same time. Also they complained about bad quality of some military equipment especially in the glove/mitten section. We came up with the concept to try to build the perfect glove according to the special forces’ requirements. Together with 2 Austrian glove designers we started the project “HEAT3 Special Force” The designers had a lot of experience in designing gloves for winter sports and work protection as well. Our idea was to put the “cost factor” totally aside. We had many big discussions during the designing process. When asking for alternatives regarding materials or ways to design we found out that glove designers usually tend to work in one direction, sometimes automatically exclude alternatives, as they are perfectly aware when it gets costly (in terms of labor, material, etc. ). So the pressure of designing an affordable glove is always part of the designing process. Our part was also to take this pressure out of the designing process. “What if costs do not matter at all and you just go for the best solution?” this was the core question. We from The HEAT company all grew up in the alps, coming from different backgrounds but combining expertise from different fields such as professional ski racing, alpine touring, ski instructors, hunters, etc. What came out was our glove HEAT 3 – a combination of glove and mitten – 1 piece of high quality equipment for all people suffering from cold conditions.
Meanwhile we find proof for the success of HEAT 3 gloves from many customers, soldiers, special forces, military, police forces, mountaineers, skiers, polar expeditions, etc
Right off the bat, one thing that makes the HEAT 3 SMART gloves stick out is that they are a combination glove/mitten design. Another feature I really like is that both the thumb and index finger incorporate silver fabric for use with touch screen devices and this feature is present on both the right and left gloves. Additionally, the palm is made from full goat leather for more warmth and grip. They are insulated with Primaloft and the cuffs feature four ounces of additional Primaloft to keep your wrists warm.
The combination of glove/mitten hybrid combined with the smart phone compatible finger and thumbs makes this a great choice for serious winter handwear. You may also notice that there is a zippered compartment on the mitten shell that can accommodate a chemical handwarmer pack or aides-memoire.
A little about the HEAT 3 SMART’s elastic mitten function. Thumb flaps and mitten finger flaps allow for optimal warmth while still allowing for movement of the fingers and thumb when required. The gloves also integrate Safety straps with elastic wrist bands prevent the gloves from falling off.
In addition to the Green seen in the main photo, they are also available in Black, Brown, Grey and Tan.
www.theheatcompany.com/en/gloves/heat-3-smart
Retailers interested in carrying the HEAT 3 SMART may contact Valentin at Condor Group for information.
Tags: Condor Group, The Heat Company
My only concern would be the durability of the palm zipper. Other than that, it seems like quite a deal. Compared to the (similar) OR Swoop, it’s a pretty fair price.
“Condor” Group?
That’s the name we were given.
I agree about the palm zipper, especially with the location -right at the natural fold location. Also, it’s a bummer the liner and shell are combined; you would have to carry a separate set of liners if you ever wanted/needed to ditch the shell.
On their website they sell liners. However I think the design of these gloves is specifically for times when it’s too cold to drop to liners for any reason, but dexterity is necessary. Those conditions do exist.
I was looking for a solution for cold weather gloves with the kind of convertible mitt/gloves in the Heat 3. I decided to order a pair (from the European website). Ordered and just received them in less than 2 weeks. Initial impressions are very, very good. I say give them a try.
And once you enter a US address, the price updates with a lower, non-VAT tax price. And international shipping is included.