Seirus Innovation Glove Review: Original All-Weather, Xtreme All-Weather, Hyperlite, and Softshell

Despite my recent posts celebrating the pleasantly warm weather we’ve enjoyed on the Monterey Peninsula for the past 2 months, it should be pointed out that I’m not completely immune from facing harsh winter conditions sometimes.

December through March tends to be the rainy season in these parts, and there’s also a slightly counterintuitive relationship between the beauty of our winter days and the coldness of the corresponding nights and mornings. If skies are clear and sunny during the day, our nights will be especially frosty and frigid. When skies are overcast, there’s a better than average chance that I’m going to get wet on my morning run - either through actual measurable rainfall, or from the moisture of dense fog blanketing my favorite valley trails.

What I’m getting at is, I run in cold weather sometimes – and over the past several weeks I’ve ventured out into my share of 30-degree mornings or steady downpours. And the reason I’m telling you about such unspeakable hardship (yes, really) is because I’ve also been using a collection of gloves that have made this misery quite a bit easier to bear.

The gloves are from Seirus Innovation, a company born primarily around ski and snow gear, but one that continually adapts and expands its product line to provide functional crossover potential for outdoor winter athletes. They currently have over 300 products in five main categories: gloves, liners, masks and balaclavas, hats, and "essential equipment" such as boot dryers and snow wallets.

Seirus has so many gloves to choose from that when setting up the review, I had a Paradox of Choice in trying to decide which models to test. So I basically told the rep, “I do a lot of trail running and MTB riding in wet conditions that get as low as 20 degrees”, and she responded by giving me 4 pairs to test: the Original All-Weather, the Hyperlite All-Weather, the Xtreme All-Weather, and the Softshell Lite. They’ve all performed very admirably for both running and bike riding, and I’ve used all of them frequently enough to distinguish my preferred circumstances for each.

Before describing the specifics of each glove, one important caveat should be pointed out about Seirus gloves: many of their models, especially the All-Weather versions, are marketed as 100% waterproof … which is only about 95% accurate. Of the four models I tried, only one was truly waterproof. For the others, the material that’s used is indeed impenetrable, but the seams aren’t sealed. (It actually says this on the packaging that comes with each pair of gloves, but the font size isn’t nearly as prominent as the “100% waterproof” part.) This style of construction improves breathability and flexibility, but it does allow water to seep through the seams. Consequently, you’ll see some negative reviews of these on various online retail sites posted by customers who expected them to keep their hands absolutely dry in all conditions.

So if you’re wearing an All-Weather glove and stick your hand in an icy stream or get caught in an ocean squall somewhere, yes, your hands will get wet. However, in my experience with them I’ve found that regular old rain stays out pretty well – and when water does trickle underneath the surface, the gloves act similar to a surf wetsuit, in that your body heat warms a thin layer of water that is trapped against the skin, keeping you comfortable despite being wet.

Seirus All-Weather glove

Now that we’re all clear on the waterproof/not waterproof question, let’s talk specifics, beginning with the most popular glove in the lineup: the Original All-Weather glove. Seirus uses a material called Weather Shield tri-laminate that is 100% windproof (same disclaimer about the seams here, though – you can definitely feel some air sneaking through) as well as waterproof, but manages to be breathable as well. Three layers are combined together: an outer shell of Polartec 4-way stretch fabric, a middle layer with the weatherproof membrane, and a wicking microfleece interior.

On the palm side there’s abrasion resistant leather, and the knit cuffs stay in place quite nicely on your wrist. I typically wear these for running when temps are in the 30s, or for MTB riding in the 40s. Perhaps the best aspect of these gloves – and this will be a recurring theme for all the models I tested – is how thin and flexible they are for the amount of warmth they provide. Wearing the All-Weather gloves, I still have enough dexterity to use zippers and headlamp buttons, which is a very nice perk when you’re reluctant to expose your fingers to the cold.

Seirus All-Weather Xtreme glove

For more extreme conditions, Seirus has the Xtreme All-Weather glove, which is the only truly waterproof glove in this lineup. It has the same 3-layer fabric as the Original All-Weather glove – but in this case the seams are sealed, preventing any water from seeping in. It has a Soft Grip palm, and the same snug form-fitting comfort as the Original. The Xtreme is a little bit thicker than the Original, so dexterity isn’t quite as good, but this has quickly become my best severe weather glove. I’ve used it comfortably for temps in the high 20s (as cold as it gets around here, really) as well as in the rain, and they work equally well as a cold-weather MTB glove.

Seirus Hyperlite All-Weather glove

When the weather isn’t quite so nasty, Seirus has a Hyperlite version of the All-Weather glove, which provides the same weather resistance as the original with a bit less warmth - or as the website describes it, “half the weight, all the awesome.” They can be used as a single layer, but are thin enough to wear as a liner for a bigger, thicker glove if you happen to find yourself in Alaska or some other place I never hope to encounter. Dexterity with these thin gloves is pretty impressive, as I can even use my compact camera while wearing them. Right now I wear these for temps in the 40s, and they’ll probably become my go-to glove as winter turns into spring shortly.

Seirus Softshell Lite glove

The misfit, so to speak, of this review is the Softshell Lite glove, which uses a lighter Polartec stretch shell on the outer layer instead of the more rugged exterior of the All-Weather gloves. Wind and water-resistant barriers are only on the palm and side walls instead of on the entire hand surface, which decreases its utility in harsh weather. Finally, they’re not quite as form-fitting as the others, so finger dexterity is compromised just a bit.

Hearing all that, you might conclude that I don’t like them … but actually, I’ve used these more than any of the others. The softshell construction still provides good insulation, and breathability is noticeably better than the All-Weather models. They have great versatility for a wider range of conditions; I’ve worn them for multi-hour runs that started in the low 30s and finished in the high 40s, and my hands generally stayed at a nice consistent comfort level throughout. If I’ve got an early morning 20-miler to knock out and I know that it’s not going to rain, these are the gloves I’m taking with me.

On the whole, I've really been impressed with my Seirus gloves, and I honestly can't recall any mornings where I've felt like my fingers weren't warm enough. I suspect that the Xtreme gloves would be suitable for temps into the teens or even lower, but fortunately for me, I haven't had to put them to such a severe test. Regardless, there’s certainly something for everybody in this assortment, and a few pairs in rotation would probably be enough to get you through an entire winter. Most Seirus gloves are available at Amazon.com with slightly variable prices based on size and color; the links for each are right here:

Seirus Original All-Weather gloves retail for $27-$35.


Seirus Xtreme All Weather Gloves retail for $44.


Seirus Hyperlite All-Weather gloves retail for $25-$30.


Seirus Softshell Lite retail for $44.

*Products provided by Seirus Innovation
**See other product reviews on sidebar at right. If you have a product you'd like reviewed, contact me at info@runningandrambling.com.

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Jacks Peak County Park

"I don't want the world to see me -
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand -
When everything's made to be broken -
I just want you to know who I am."
- Goo Goo Dolls, "Iris" (video after post)


Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Monterey Peninsula, Jacks Peak County Park is something of a hidden gem for trail runners. At merely 500 acres, the park is really too small to do any high-mileage training – but the trails it does have are beautiful, and the park boundary also contains the highest point in the Monterey Peninsula.



My preferred running route is a perimeter tour that provides a great sampling of all the park has to offer, and is the easiest way to rack up 6 or 7 miles without having to backtrack. And on a day last week when most of the rest of the country was bracing for heavy February snowfall, Jacks Peak seemed like a great place to celebrate being a Californian.

Before we get rolling with the tour, a brief note about the name of the place: Scotsman David Jacks arrived in California during the Gold Rush and settled in the pueblo of Monterey just prior to California statehood in 1850. In the aftermath of the statehood movement and the Mexican-American war, he progressively – and quite controversially – became one of the wealthiest land owners in the state, at one point owning more than 100,000 acres in Monterey County, including most of the Peninsula.

Over the years his property was parceled out and changed hands several times, but the Jacks influence is still prominent in Monterey. Landmarks and roads bear his name, and one of his dairy farms was the origin of perhaps his best-known contribution to society: Monterey Jack cheese, which was first produced near the banks of the Salinas River. And then there’s the namesake peak, standing over the city as a monument to the guy who once owned nearly all of it.

The funny thing is, as far as peaks go, Jacks is rather unimpressive: it stands only 1068’ above sea level – by comparison, my favorite ridgeline in Carmel Valley (which technically isn’t part of the Peninsula) is more than 2000’ - and for the most part lacks the wide sweeping vistas that you hope for when climbing to the highest point in any given area. However, none of that changes the fact that it’s a cool little place to run, so I’ll stop the history lesson here and just get to the tour.


Despite its proximity to neighboring cities, the park has a very remote feel to it. To get there, you have to drive away from the city limits, climbing through pine and cypress forests until you’ve reached a small parking lot in a hilltop hideaway. It takes less than 10 minutes to get there, but it feels like you’re leaving the whole world behind.

Incidentally - see that city above? That’s not Monterey; it’s actually the neighboring town of Seaside, adjacent just to the north. The route I take for this run doesn’t offer a direct Monterey view until the very end, but it’s always worth the wait to get there.


I park outside the main entrance, and jog past this sign that consistently befuddles me. For the remainder of this report, let’s pretend that trail running isn’t a sport, OK? Otherwise I might get in big trouble.


Entering the park is like stepping into another world. The first stretch of trail reminds me of running in the Sierras, with its tall evergreen trees, soft pine needles underfoot …


… and cool vistas that periodically open up before you. In this shot, my route will eventually take me down the left side of the far valley and back up the other side, towards the Peak that is out of the frame to the right.


There are a few family picnic areas in the park, such as this one at the trailhead to the Earl Moser trail, named after one of the early trail benefactors at the time the park was established.


I’m thinking that Earl must have liked single track, because his trail contains a lot of it …


… as well as a few small meadows that almost take you by surprise when you encounter them. For the vast majority of time you spend on this side of the park, you’re completely enveloped in the tall pines, almost making you forget that you’re anywhere near the ocean …


… except for periodic glimpses of the coastline jutting into the ocean from a distance.


After a long gentle downhill into the valley, there’s a trail junction that always does two things to me: 1) gets me excited that I’m approaching the final climb to Jacks Peak, and 2) irrevocably plants the intro song into my head for the rest of the run. It’s happened enough times that I know not to try changing it: there’s simply no way I can run on the Iris Trail and not carry the Goo Goo Dolls’ "Iris" along with me.


Although it’s plainly a love song, the chorus is still somewhat appropriate: I don’t want the world to see me. It’s extremely rare that I encounter anyone else on this trail, which is exactly the way I like it when I’m looking to escape the day for a while. That kind of feeling in that kind of setting is simply the most wonderful experience I can ask for – and the Iris Trail never fails to deliver. I just want you to know who I am.


After a roller coaster climb, the trail finally emerges from the tree cover to offer views of coastal hills in the distance …


… before rewarding you with a wide-open look at Carmel Bay and Point Lobos at the southern end of the Monterey Peninsula. Remember how I said that Jacks Peak itself is rather unimpressive? Climbing up it is somewhat anticlimactic as well. This vista is seen from the lower shoulder of the peak on the south side; from here, the trail switches back and forth up toward the top …


… with the killer view fading into the trees the whole way. From a scenic standpoint, this section of trail is definitely a prospect of diminishing returns …


… because by the time you reach the actual top of Jacks Peak, your view has all but vanished. On the plus side, there’s a nice little bench to sit on, and a patch of grass to throw a ball around in … if sports were legal here, that is.


It’s not until you descend down the opposite side of the peak that you get your only direct view of the city of Monterey. The wait is rewarding, though, as the sight of Monterey gently sloping down to meet the sea always fills me with joy.


At the observation point, I decided to goof around a little bit and show off the new shoes I was wearing, but the lighting for this picture was terrible. I’m still including it, though, because here’s what I had to do to get this shot: 1) balance my camera on a small rock on top of a larger rock on top of a sloped bench seat, 2) hop up from the log on the ground to the 4”-wide railing without injuring myself, and 3) stand up without losing my balance and pitching over the 50’ drop on the other side ... all within 10 seconds. I just hate to have an effort like that go wasted.

Nevertheless, I did recognize that the shot of my shoes was pretty bad, so …


… I sat down on a log to take another one. It’s a prototype of something that should come to market later this year. Unfortunately, at this point I think that’s just about all I’m allowed to say.


Continuing along the trail, you turn away from Monterey and soon see the city of Seaside through the trees again, meaning that you’re close to the main park entrance and the end of the run. I usually linger at the car and take in the view while stretching for a few minutes before heading back to rejoin the rest of the world below.


Finally, here’s one more shot of my footwear, the style of which should be a dead giveaway for anyone who’s followed this blog for a while. Rest assured I’ll post more information about them as soon as I can.

**

As for the song, I have one more connection to it that is completely unrelated to running. Back when I was a baby blogger, one of the first writers I discovered was a remarkable girl who was dealing with more hardships at a very young age than most people have to face in their entire lives. She poured her heart into her writing, revealing both stark vulnerability and an admirably strong spirit. One day she used this song to conclude a particularly memorable post – her blog is private now, otherwise I’d link to it – that immediately hooked me, and commenced what became my favorite “blogger relationship” (yes, there are such things) over the years.

And in case you’re wondering … yes, my wife knows about all this, and she happens to love the girl too. So there’s nothing sneaky going on, aside from a song that simply gives me a lot of happiness.


Goo Goo Dolls, "Iris" (click to play):

*See other photo tours under tab at top of page.

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Harbinger of Spring

One early morning last week found me in the middle of the Fort Ord open space, knocking out the miles of a long solo training run. It was a morning like countless other mornings – I had already been awake for a few hours before the sun came up, running on trails that are so familiar I could practically navigate them in my sleep.

That’s why I was somewhat surprised as I neared the crest of a two-mile climb and saw a lonely skeleton of a bush silhouetted against the stark gray sky, and thought to myself, I don’t remember there being a bush right here.


My eyes then darted to the top of the bush, and that’s when my mind started acting really funny. Sometimes the combination of sleep deprivation and prolonged physical exertion makes me see things in an unusual light … and as I approached the bush in question, I was wondering why someone left a Kleenex on the top of this skinny shrub in the middle of the night.


It was only when I slowed down and walked up close that I finally figured out what I was looking at …



… it was a flower. (And sorry about the poor picture quality. Remember, I was sleepy.) Our unseasonably warm weather must have tricked it into thinking it was springtime already – or maybe it was just anxious to get winter over with and jump right into the joys of spring. Clearly, this was a flower I could identify with.

I’m still not quite sure how I’ve never noticed this bush before, but that doesn’t really matter. More importantly, this little flower was a nice reminder that Monterey County’s most beautiful days are right around the corner … as are the ultras that are looming on the calendar in preparation for the big one this summer.

Either one of those things would have been enough incentive for me to keep running – so having both realizations hit me at the same time gave me twice the inspiration that I needed. In the middle of a solo 20-miler, that’s a pretty cool feeling to have.

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Natural Running Winner; Random Shots of Beauty

We're taking advantage of yet another beautiful Monterey weekend to take the family for a day hike, so I'll make this brief:

Five Fingered Pesci, contact me - you've won the Natural Running book! To everybody else, the book is available for $13 from Amazon.com - unfortunately, it's not available on Kindle yet - and it makes a great instruction manual if you're working on your minimalist form.

*

Now for this weekend's Random Shot of Beauty:


View looking south toward Carmel Bay and Point Lobos, as seen from Jacks Peak in Monterey, taken from a trail run that I'll describe in more detail next week.

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Soft Star Clearance Sale; Merrell Barefoot Education Page

An update and an announcement before today’s regularly scheduled post, which itself is another announcement … I know that sounds a lot more confusing than it should be. Let’s just get to it.

First update: You’ve still got a little bit of time to enter the giveaway contest for Danny Abshire’s Natural Running book, with the winner announced here on Saturday.

First announcement: If you’re not already aware of Soft Star's annual clearance sale going on right now, you need to check it out. Basically, it’s a progressive sale to blow out their current inventory of irregular or custom-designed shoes, boots, and moccasins. Throughout the year, their hand-made products occasionally end up with small blemishes or imperfections, or customers will order “off-menu” styles only to immediately return them. True to their green sensibilities, Soft Star saves these unused goods and gives them a second life through its clearance sale. Yes, some of the color combinations are odd, but the majority of stuff you’ll find is actually pretty decent-looking.

The way it works is you go to the sale page, click on your shoe size, and read the descriptions of what they have available. This week all of the items are 25% off. Whatever’s left over next week will be 35% off, then 50% off the following week, and 70% off during the final week. After that, maybe they’re given to the homeless or something – I’m not really sure. Just go take a look and see if you can grab yourself a deal.

*
As for the main announcement today: Earlier this week Merrell unveiled a dedicated microsite specifically for teaching people how to run barefoot, and the fact that a site like this even exists represents just how far the barefoot movement has impacted mainstream shoe industry awareness.


In my dealings with Merrell’s reps, I’ve been impressed not only with their willingness to provide products to review (I’ll be testing and reviewing their men’s Trail Glove and women’s Pace Glove in the near future), but also with their commitment to developing a resource to instruct people how to progress to barefoot activity gradually and safely. Until very recently, these sorts of discussions were confined to the realm of discussion groups, online forums, and private entrepreneurs such as RunBare – but now in 2011, the major industry players are just starting to address the important gap between barefoot theory and successful execution.

By way of comparison, Vibram’s website has FAQ pages devoted to biomechanics and barefoot running, but neither one of these has extensive information about how exactly to get started. Terra Plana is further ahead in this arena, with a pretty decent barefoot FAQ page as well as a dedicated training page featuring famed barefoot coach Lee Saxby. The site has some great video content demonstrating correct technique and the proper progression from walking to running, but then steers people towards Saxby’s pay-for-play training camps in order to receive ongoing instruction once you’ve gotten started.

In creating their own education site, Merrell did things a little bit differently. First, they went out and recruited a well-respected contributor to those online forums and discussion groups: Jason Robillard, whose Barefoot Running University website has grown impressively in the past couple of years. They then produced some video content that’s currently on the webpage, introducing runners to the barefoot movement and providing basic instruction for how to start from scratch. The videos feature Jason and two newbies (who just so happen to be Merrell staffers) jogging through the snow and talking about the primary concepts and precautions of minimalist running.

From Merrell website

As the Merrell Barefoot line expands to include lifestyle shoes in addition to running models for both adults and – hallelujah! - children, the company will augment their educational presence as well, gathering research and news articles from around the Internet, and introducing their own innovations such as a barefoot training iPhone app and a Merrell Barefoot iTunes mix featuring songs with a beat to match the ideal 180 steps-per-minute cadence of proper barefoot running.

So if you’re just starting down the road of minimalist footwear and are looking for some good fundamental instruction on how to progress the right way, take a look at the Merrell microsite, and keep checking back as it’s updated throughout the year. It looks to be a valuable resource as the minimalist wave gains more widespread acceptance.

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From Berkeley With Love

I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this here – which, considering the number and variety of things I have mentioned, is kind of shocking – but back in college I went through a phase when I was a hardcore spy fiction fan. I tore through Ian Fleming and John Le Carre novels like they were comic books, and spent many hours combing the library shelves for anything with a hint of espionage to it.

(I also happened to be an enormous Get Smart fan, although I’m pretty certain that has less to do with my spy jones and more to do with the fact that I’m completely juvenile. But that’s neither here nor there.)

So when an unmarked envelope arrived unexpectedly at my house a couple of weeks ago, and was then opened to expose a nondescript white plastic tube concealed inside, I have to admit that I got a little bit of a spy charge out of it. I imagined that it was something mysterious and secret meant for my eyes only … and as luck would have it, I wasn’t too far off.


Along with the plain white tube were two letters, which included the following excerpts:

The tube in this package contains a new product …

There are only 26 tubes like it in the world.

You have been chosen to test this product …

If you wish to mention it on your blog, we ask that you wait …

Thanks for your attention and discretion.

Pretty much all it was missing was the part where the letter would self-destruct in 30 seconds. If these folks were intending to trip my spy sensors, the result was clearly a mission accomplished.



The second letter spelled out the details for me: the new product is GU Brew electrolyte tablets, which are electrolyte tablets that will be available to consumers in April. In the meantime, I get to test my sample vial of orange flavor to see how they work. Once the tablets are officially released, they will be available in two additional flavors: peach tea (which sounds delicious) and lemon lime.

I’ll hold off on the details about my experience with this product before posting a standard review closer to the release date. Of course, since this is the Berkeley-based GU company we’re talking about, and because I've had something of a partnership with them over the last year or two, I decided to request a favor to see if I could offer a product giveaway contest in conjunction with the post. (Just think of me as the Spy Who Loves You). And because they’re completely awesome, they said yes - which means there might be something in all this for you at some point as well.

All spy metaphors aside, I’m actually quite intrigued to try these tablets. I’ve used similar products before, and while I like the theory of dissolving electrolyte tablets, in practice I ended up giving away a lot of my Nuun tabs because they just weren’t practical for me to use on a regular basis (more specifically, they kept leaking out of my water bottles, which was a major annoyance.) I’m hoping that GU’s product will be better – and by the time April rolls around, I should have a pretty good idea of whether or not they are.

In the meantime, I’ve chosen to accept this mission like a loyal agent, so I’m headed back into the field to do some information gathering. If I don’t mention this subject again for a while, rest assured that I’ll have plenty of intelligence for you when I come back in from the cold.

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La Sportiva Hobnail Kit Winner; CamelBak Groove Winner APB

A very quick post right now before a full-length one later tonight ...

Toshi Moshi: I'm still waiting for you to contact me to claim your CamelBak Groove bottle. You've got until close of business Thursday before I pick another winner.

Tyler S: I'm sending a sent of La Sportiva hobnails to North Dakota for you. Congrats!

To both of you guys - e-mail me so we can make arrangements. To everyone else, stay tuned for another post shortly.

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