Cob Jockey

Today is going to be another long-term gear review post, re-reviewing things I've reviewed in years' past to find out how they're still holding up. Today I'll be sharing two things that I still love years later, and one that I hated and got rid of after less than a season.

STILL LOVE: Smartwool Women's Merino Midweight Pattern 1/4 Zip Top 

My original 2017 review here, and my updated 2021 review here.

Most similar currently available: Women's Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer 1/4 Zip 

Y'all. I got these shirts over SEVEN YEARS AGO. For seven winters, I alternated between just those two Smartwool shirts every time I went to the barn when it was below 50. And they held up beautifully. In fact, it wasn't until this Christmas when I received a new one that I finally admitted to myself it was okay to let the green one go. I had worn it so much, the wrist cuff had worn through where the fabric doubles over.

In addition to holding up, I've been comfortable wearing them in a wide range of temperatures, having worn them to everything from drinks at the bar to hiking to riding to farm chores, usually up until the temperatures reach the mid-50s or so.

Just like the hat, if you're willing to take care of wool following the manufacturer's directions (these are machine wash cold/delicate and lay flat to dry) merino wool almost can't be beat for cold weather gear.

STILL LOVE: Black Diamond Soloist Finger Cold Weather Gloves (and the SSG Ten Belows)

My 2023 review here

The lobster claw gloves (I have heard them described as the "spork" of the glove world, lol) have continued to work out exactly like I thought they would. Turns out, you don't need much more than an index finger and a thumb to do a lot of barn chores - even things like blanketing and haltering.

And when I don't need the index finger (walking around, driving the tractor, doing stalls) I put it in the mitten with my other fingers and it stays very warm. I have also started throwing a hand warmer into the mitten on very cold/long farm chore days, and there's more than enough room for it to sit comfortably in there.

 

Nothing keeps me warmer than the lobster claw gloves at truly cold temps below say 25F, although I still can't quit the SSG 10 Belows for less cold days and for riding. Believe me, I feel like I've tried most of the glove market at this point, and I still can't find anything else that's warm enough for me and yet provides just enough feel of the reins. It's always a compromise, and these compromise the best that I've found.

FAIL: LaCrosse Alpha Thermal Winter Boot

I only ended up wearing these for less than a season before giving them away for free on a local Freecycle group. They are just way too darn heavy, and not nearly warm enough. I am, at this point, severely allergic to any heavy winter gear on my legs (looking at you, Carhartt bibs). My hip flexors can't take it, especially when I'm also picking my legs up to walk through snow.

I have since switched to hiking-brand snowboots for chore boots, and I've been so happy with that decision. I haven't found a pair I like enough to review yet, but even with some minor gripes about the ones I've tried so far, they're miles better in terms of warmth, comfort, and weight than the LaCrosse boots, and are holding up just fine to the demands of chores.

It's been a while since one of my product review posts! The number of folks that reach out to me publicly and privately to tell me how valuable they find these posts means a lot, and I have a couple of great additions to my winter wardrobe this year that will make for good reviews.

First up. My new lobster claw "Alpine climbing" gloves.

I let the other co-op members go out of town with their families at Christmas this year, which meant I had a LOT of chores. I had hoped my own family would come visit, but that didn't end up happening, so I was alone on Christmas, AND we had some of the most brutal winter weather I've ever experienced, with wind chills pushing -40F and the horses staying inside for multiple days since we don't have shelters outside.

Christmas morning was the first time they could safely go out in three days, and Disco was a perfect gentleman for turnout despite that. Good baby.

I'm not typically one to complain, but man it sucked. I bought myself a consolation present in advance: the best ultra cold weather barn gloves I've found so far, the Black Diamond Soloist Finger Cold Weather Gloves, which are designed for "technical Alpine climbing", which I hoped meant they would be more durable than ski gloves.

 

These gloves have a 100% waterproof outer shell, a removable/washable liner with 340g of insulation, and a Kevlar-reinforced goat leather palm. They also feature a split finger design, with the thumb and index finger being separate and the middle, ring and pinkie fingers together in a mitten space.

The removable liner. It's basically a sleeping bag for your hands.

I hoped that design would split (lol) the difference between the dexterity of gloves and the warmth of a mitten, and that's exactly what it does. They were more certainly more cumbersome than gloves, but I was able to do and undo blankets (slowly), throw hay bales, and open tab-top Ziploc supplement bags without taking the gloves off. Turns out I really don't use my middle, ring and pinkie fingers for much at the barn, unless I'm riding, which clearly these gloves are not suitable for.

 

In terms of warmth: WOW. Without a doubt the warmest gloves I've ever worn. For reference, my SSG 10 Belows have 100g of insulation, and these have 340g. Truly, they're so warm most of you will not need them, because you'll never experience temps cold enough to need them, they are that warm.

My index finger does tend to get a little cold when it's in its little pocket, but unless I actually need my index finger for something, I tend to tuck it into the mitten area where there's more than enough room for it, and then it stays warm.

(And for reference: it was so brutally cold that when I did take the gloves off for less than two minutes, my hands froze so quickly and thoroughly I had to spend 10 minutes in the heated office to avoid frostbite. They definitely got put to the warmth test.)

Some of the fuzzy liner visible on the inside. It's fleece against the skin and then 340g of Primaloft Gold insulation between the fleece and the waterproof shell.

Features I love: I love that the liner is removable. All of my gloves are washable of course, but these are going to dry faster and stay waterproof longer if I'm only regularly washing the liner. And in theory you could buy a second liner to alternate with, although I haven't found them for sale anywhere.

I also love the long cuffs. The SSG cuffs are elastic and designed to fit against the skin, which is annoying when you wear a smartwatch and have other sleeves in the way. The Black Diamond cuffs go comfortably over your coat sleeve and have a toggle to seal against snow getting into them, although I didn't feel the need to use it.

What are the negatives? First, I wish they had straps to keep them attached to my wrist when I take them off like the SSG 10 Belows do, although I can fix that with aftermarket glove straps. Second, they won't go small enough for everyone. I wear a medium in SSGs and a 6.5 in Roeckl, and I'm wearing the X-small here. Third, they are not cheap, at $129/pair (I paid $99). 

(I recommend buying them in a fit of rage when you JUST CAN'T EVEN with f****** winter anymore. It makes the price easier to swallow.)

Bottom line: If you have actual barn chores to do in climates where it's regularly below 15F, I can wholeheartedly recommend these. If you live where you just think it's cold (lol) or you only go to the barn to ride, you'd be better served by buying something cheaper that will give you more dexterity.

What: Black Diamond Soloist Finger Cold Weather Gloves

Where: Amazon or the Black Diamond website

Price: $129 (I paid $99 on sale)

Colors: Black, Dark Curry (brown)

Sizes: Men's XS to Men's XL

I didn't say anything to my trainer about my glove purchase, just showed up, hopped on and started warming up.  After FWPG's lesson ended, my trainer watched us silently for a while, and then when I was on the far side of the arena from her, she said:

"Your hands are looking much more even today...in your white gloves."


I said, "Yeah, I bought them after you called me out on my hands so much when I wasn't wearing gloves.  I wanted to make it easy for you to see my hands no matter where I was."

"It definitely does make it easier to see, I approve."

That was the last we directly spoke about it.  She's always got x-ray vision for positional faults, but when I was wearing the gloves, she was able to call me out on my issues no matter how close or far I was from her.  It especially highlighted my two worst faults to her: carrying my right hand higher than the left, and letting my left hand go flat.

Hanging around after I put him back out,hoping for cookies.

So, in summary, two white thumbs up!  They did exactly what I wanted them to do, and I'll be wearing them when I lesson with her in the future.

It's drilled into us from the time we start buying our first show outfit: black gloves until your hands are steady.  White gloves draw attention to the hands, and you don't want the judge to notice that.

After my lesson last week, (in which I forgot my gloves and my trainer subsequently nailed me on all kinds of hand faults) I started wondering why we don't make a point to lesson in light colored gloves, when we WANT to call attention to our hands.  That's the point behind these jackets too, isn't it?

I know I just used this picture, but in my Thursday lesson she started nailing me for my right hand always being too high, which looks like it has been a problem for a while, judging by this picture.  Definitely don't need attention drawn to those hands...

I like fun blog experiments, and this seemed like a good one.  I ordered a pair of white Roeckl Chesters, which I will wear for lessons and see if there is any difference in the feedback I get.  I won't wear them for anything but lessons with my long-time trainer, so nobody gets the wrong idea and thinks I'm full of myself.

(Yes, I know they won't stay white.  That's okay. I am decades away from being competent enough to wear white gloves for showing.)

(I can't ride in anything but Roeckls.  At least I got a good deal on these.  I'm currently going through a crisis of conscience over wanting a pair of black ones for showing, and not being able to pull the trigger based on the enormous cost-per-wear of paying $50 for something I'll wear for approximately what, 60 minutes per year?  I have literally both added them to my Riding Warehouse cart and picked them up in a brick-and-mortar tack shop last week and put them back twice.  Ugh.)

SmartPak price: $46.95 + shipping.  My price: $35 with free shipping on Ebay

I'm not sure why am I even reviewing these?  They're amazing, and everyone knew it but me.  They are the best gloves I've ever owned.  And hi, my name is Jen and I have a serious glove collecting problem so I'm qualified to say that.  (But I only buy when they're on clearance, which is why I hadn't bought these yet.)

This is just my collection of winter gloves.  I wish I felt this way about saddle pads. From left to right: SSG Winter Rancher, SSG 10 Below, Mountain Horse Avioraz, Carhartt Winter Chore Glove, TuffRider touchscreen winter riding glove, SSG fleece lined something or other, Back on Track ceramic glove liners, SSG silk glove liners.

Would you believe at one point I actually hated riding in gloves?  Ha!

Things I like about the Roeckl Chesters:

• Fit: They come in half sizes, and a 6.5 is perfect for my small hands/long skinny fingers - even my really long pinky, which I've learned SSG just does not accommodate, even if I go up a size.
• Grip: Outstanding
• Feel: As thin as the lambskin Tailored Sportsmans I was addicted to in college

Lambskin palm/crochet back Tailored Sportsmans I got for $5 from Dover.  They're amazing feel-wise, but they just do not last.

• Seams: The gloves these replaced (below) had a seam in such a bad spot, my left ring finger went partially numb for a week after a lesson a few weeks ago!  The seams of the Roeckl Chesters aren't at all noticeable.

These are a serious do-not-buy.  I bought them because they were cheap and Nick was unemployed and I had ripped out of my summer gloves.  I thought they'd break in, but instead, they just made my finger go numb, slipped all over the place, and were bulky in my hands.

• Touchscreen compatible...sort of: Saying "press harder!" to make your glove touchscreen compatible is cheating a little bit, but oh well.  It does work.
• Breathability: It's been super hot and humid here, and while they're definitely not made of mesh (they do make a summer Chester as well), I haven't noticed my hands getting sweaty.

Like they are tailor-made for my hand

Due to having an unemployed husband, I have dutifully avoided even taking a peek at Smartpak and Dover all summer long.  I've even deleted their "Sale!" emails without opening them.  But this "Favorite Things Under $50" contest of Nicku's saw me clicking those buried bookmarks in order to find photos of my favorite things.  Must...exhibit...self-control...

(Go enter Nicku's contest yourself here!)


#5: Toklat Pony Bareback Pad

It's "just" a bareback pad, but I love the 1970's-style plaid that looks like it belongs on a couch in a room with dark wood paneling.

#4: Winner's Circle Stiff Brush
I got this brush probably a decade ago, when my mom's childhood friend took us to Saddler's Row in Palatine, IL (my first and only trip there!).  I used it daily on Venice for a year, and now have used it daily on Connor for two years, but I wouldn't use this on your thin-skinned Thoroughbred!  It's a super-stiff mud-busting machine that still looks brand new, despite often being used in place of a curry comb.  My mom's friend swore by it and bought one for each of us, telling us it was almost the only thing we'd ever need.

#3: SSG 10 Belows

These gloves are the only reason my Reynauds-afflicted self can make it through 8 hours of stalls per week during an Indiana winter.  I think that says everything.

#2: Tailored Sportsman lambskin-palm crochet-back gloves (actual model name is "Ladies A Rated Hunter")


Can you tell I like gloves?  I've written about these before.  I love them, and have schooled in nothing else for years.  But now they're really and truly discontinued, so I'm going to have to move on when this pair bites it, probably to something synthetic.

#1: Fleck Superflex Dressage Whip


I have actually bought two of these, because I left the first one at the Hoosier Horse Fair and felt
lost without it.  It's wonderful.  It's light and balanced, super whippy so that I barely need to flick it to get a response from Connor, and the golf-grip handle is easy to hold, even in my small hands.  Bonus, it comes in my preferred laughably short 100cm length (including lash), which means it will never grow legs and walk away, since nobody else in my barn likes them that short.

What product can you not live without?

I want to tell you a story about gloves.

I hate them.  Passionately.  Despite this, I own tons of them.  I've lined them up for you, because I know you're interested.

From L to R: generic leather insulated work gloves, Mountain Horse Avoriaz gloves, SSG 10 Belows, SSG Deer Suede Winter Gloves, Berne work gloves, Carhartt insulated work gloves, Carhartt non-insulated work gloves, Tailored Sportsman A Rated Hunter gloves, SSG silk glove liners, leather show ring gloves

There's one pair, though, that's different from all the rest.  That would be these:

Mine don't look like this anymore.  Add about fifteen holes and a lot of dust, and you've got mine.

The listing in the closeout section of Dover in 2009 had no picture, and said only "Tailored Sportsman Glove.  Orig $38.99, now $9.95."  That was all the description it had. So, I figured, I had birthday money to blow, I was always getting yelled at for not wearing gloves while riding, Tailored Sportsman is trendy and has well-made products...why not take a gamble?

It was love at first sight.  Turns out they are crochet upper, lambskin palm with elastic-gusseted fingers.  I think maybe they're supposed to be for summer showing, but they became my schooling gloves, and even as a glove-hater, I loved them so much.  If you have to have something between yourself and the reins, lambskin is as good as it gets.  Not sheepskin, not pigskin, not calfskin, not cowskin.  So thin it's ridiculous, and supple, and good until around 50 degrees, lambskin is the perfect material for a glove hater.  Pretty soon, I started to like gloves and couldn't ride without them.  I rode in them like they were never going to wear out.  Only...

They did.  And I couldn't find them anymore.  Anywhere.  My Google-fu was useless.

They did make it through three years of intense riding: riding with my college ring on, trail riding, Cob-halter-breaking, IHSA shows, ISHA shows, WPCSA shows...you get the idea.  But they needed replaced, and the Internet was not helping.  I finally found one pair at a tiny saddle shop in Florida that happens to have a website, they were on clearance, and a half-size too big, but I bought them anyway, and put a comment in the "Notes" section of my order that said that I cannot live without these gloves, and if they ever come across another pair (this was their last pair) to please make a note on my account and contact me.

So this is it.  I have purchased the sole remaining pair of Tailored Sportsman Ladies "A" Rated Hunter Gloves on the Internet, and when this pair dies, I might just have to give up riding forever.  If you, dear reader, ever come across a pair in your local tack shops, buy them for me (size 6) and I'll pay you back double what you paid for them.  And buy you lunch.  With a glass of red wine.

Dear original pair of the most wonderful gloves ever to grace my Cob-loving hands: rest in peace.