Showa Temres Gloves, often called Smurf Gloves, are named after a 1980s Belgian comedy and popular TV show featuring blue creatures that live in mushroom-shaped houses in the forest. Inexpensive, waterproof, PU coated gloves provide excellent craftsmanship and are used in industrial applications such as commercial fishing and cleaning.
- Model: 281 Temres
- Insulation: Not included
- Interior: Nylon
- Outer: Micro-ventilated Polyurethane
- Latex Free: Yes
- Weight: 1.8 oz in size XL
They come in an unlined model (281 Temres) that makes a great rain glove (promoted by Andrew Skurka) and a covered model (282 Temres) popular with snow climbers, which I’ve used successfully on winter hikes.
I’ve been testing the 281 Temres unlined gloves this spring in rainy Vermont, preparing for a hiking trip in England and Scotland, which will no doubt require walking in cold, pouring rain, perhaps for days at a time. Since there is almost no tree cover on my trail, I need rain gloves that will keep my hands warm while still providing the right amount of protection.
I’ve tried other rain gloves, rain mitts, and rain pogies on previous hiking trips in Scotland with unsatisfactory results, but I’ve had great success with the insulated 282 Temres for winter hiking, so I figured the uninsulated 281 Temres was worth a try.
There are a few things about the 281 Temres that appeal to me so far.
- Durability: I can zip and unzip jackets or open and close backpack straps while wearing them.
- Wrist Gauntlets: They have long gauntlets that extend below the wrist and can be tucked into the wrist cuff of my rain jacket to help keep warm.
- Layering: Layers well with fingerless sun gloves OR ActiveIce which I like to wear when hiking, and Tenkara fly fishing. More on size below.
- Waterproof: Completely waterproof, no seams.
- Price: At around $20 per pair, the price can’t be beat.
- Long-lasting: They’re tougher than nitrile gloves, for example, and thicker than the Playtex dishwashing gloves of my youth.
- Conversation openers: These green gloves are a great way to start a conversation with people I meet while hiking!
The manufacturer says the Showa 281 gloves are breathable, whatever that means. After years of disappointment, I tend to reject such claims because they are neither repeatable nor credible. But if commercial fishermen swear their hands are dry, I can be convinced.
In terms of sizing, you want to size up. I usually wear a medium to large size glove, but I wear an XL on the 281 Temres. That gives me enough room to fit a sun glove inside. But there isn’t enough room for me to use the Zpacks possum down liner, my favorite warm, lightweight glove. I’ll have to get the XXL for that.
Just goes to show that the best backpacking gear is often no backpacking gear at all.
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