Whether you photograph scenics, macro or wildlife, the winter can be a tough environment on your body. The hands and face seem to take the brunt of the cold, and are the first to feel the cold. It seems I am always on a quest for the perfect pair of gloves that give me the touch I need for operating my camera and the warmth to keep out the cold. I have tried deerskin gloves, synthetic snow gloves and lightweight fingerless gloves. They have all had pros and cons, but how do the Freehand gloves compare?
I purchased my Freehands Photo Gloves (large) from Amazon for $31.95 (US dollars) plus shipping. The gloves operate differently from other gloves in that the ends of index fingers and the thumbs can be pulled back so your bare fingers can easily operate the controls on your camera. When you are done changing the settings you can replace the flap leaving your fingers warmer than say fingerless gloves.
I find this concept to be great in theory, but frankly I found them a bit clunky to use. When both hands are gloved I found it less than quick to open the flaps on the finger and thumb. It does work, but just not as quickly as I would like.
Next, the product uses something called "thinsulate" by 3M which is supposed to make thinner material warmer. I found the gloves to be adequately warm at 27 degrees fahrenheit, but my fingertips were still quite cold. I'd guess that about 40 degrees and the gloves would be quite warm. Below 40 and it's kind of a gamble. I would definitely take other gloves along with you if you feel it is going to be really cold.
As far as comfort, I thought they were quite comfortable and I could operate the controls on the camera and controls in my car with relative ease even without pulling the flaps back. The construction is fine and I like the black color when shooting wildlife.
Conclusion
Honestly, I would not buy these gloves if you need really cold weather gear. Odd since these are designed for cold weather. If you are the type who needs gloves in higher temperatures like the 40s then go for it. Otherwise save your money or maybe try some of the cross country skiing gloves. I have heard good things about them from Moose Peterson.
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