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Field Reports : Yoko Gloves

Name: Bruce Adelsman
Report Filed: August 13, 2002
Products used: Yoko 232 Strap and Rollerski Gloves
When: July/August 2002
Where: Twin Cities/Bemidji

 Yoko 232 straps 
                     I've used the Yoko 232 system for the past two winters. 
                      I still really enjoy the system and have converted all of 
                      my ski poles, including my classic poles, to the 232 system. 
                      (Read report on my initial experiences with 
                      the 232 system.) Last summer I decided I wanted to switch 
                      to the 232 system for rollerskiing. Unfortunately, Yoko 
                      doesn't make a 232 rollerski glove (and their lightweight 
                      winter glove is too hot for my tastes). Luckily, Yoko does 
                      sell a 232 strap that can be used with any pair of gloves. 
                      I used the 232 strap with the red and black 232 rollerski 
                      glove for most of the summer/fall last year. It worked very 
                      well, and I really enjoyed the switch. 
                    
 However, the strap wasn't perfect. It seemed a little 
                      crude, with a lot of velcro straps. In fact, getting in 
                      and out of the setup was a bit of a pain. The velcro, as 
                      is its nature, would grab onto everything -- the glove backing, 
                      socks, whatever it was next to. 
                    
  
                      In the photos from last winter's Nationals and in the Olympics 
                      I noticed a number of skiers with what appeared to be a 
                      new 232 strap on their gloves. Sure enough, this summer 
                      Yoko came out with a new version of the strap. The mechanism 
                      is the same, so it works just fine with the existing 232 
                      handles, but the strap construction is vastly improved. 
                      Gone are the yards of velcro, and instead much of the strap 
                      is built out of a cloth/nylon material. The edges are all 
                      nicely finished, improving the feel on your hand (especially 
                      bare hands), and giving it a more polished look and fit. 
                      The wrist portion of the strap has a neat loop system with 
                      a small velcro attachment. This allows you to quickly snug 
                      the strap to your wrist without any guesswork. 
                    
 The straps come in different hand sizes, but in a more 
                      simplifed small, medium and large. The plastic nub on the 
                      end of the strap is back, giving it a more positive locking 
                      feel to the system.

Overall, the new straps are a big improvement over the previous model.

Note: Although this report primarily covers using these straps for rollerskiing, it should be noted they will work great in the winter with your favorite pair of gloves!

Going Naked For as long as I've rollerskied, I've always used gloves. But with the improved 232 straps, I decided this summer to try rollerskiing without gloves. My main reason was to see if it would be more comfortable, in particular in terms of heat. I think I had the same beliefs as most skiers though: that gloves make the pole grip more comfortable and your hands less prone to blisters. Well, after a month of rollerskiing without gloves, I can say I really like the feeling. While my hands do seem to feel cooler, I was most surprised by some other factors. The most noticeable was the fit. I've always had some problems with the strap slipping up my hand as I rollerskied (the winter 232 gloves with the straps sewn into the glove solve this problem perfectly). With bare hands, the strap seems to stay in place on my hands. It's almost like the gloves were acting as a lubricant, helping the strap to slip. In addition, I really like the direct contact with the ski pole grip. It feels firmer, and almost like I have just a little more control. Ultimately, I didn't have any more blisters without gloves than I would normally with them. There are a few downsides. With the improved grip, I can also feel the manufacturing edges on the plastic 232 grip. It's not enough to really bother me though, and I'm guessing that the cork grip version of the 232 grip would eliminate that issue (and probably feel even more comfortable on bare hands). I also initially missed the soft backing on the gloves for wiping sweat, but a bandana on the wrist works just as well. And of course, if I fall I won't have the gloves to protect my hands -- and that might be the biggest factor in favor of wearing gloves. To recap, here's my list of pros and cons (your mileage may vary): Pros: - Cooler hands - Better grip (contact) - Better fit with the strap (less slipping) Cons: - Miss the glove backing (for wiping sweat) - Less protective (for falls)

Yoko Rollerski Gloves

Yoko also introduced a new rollerskiing glove this summer. The blue and black glove is more streamlined and designed to be cooler. It looks almost like the classic scuba diving gloves, and fits well. The back is all mesh for improved ventilation. The leather feels thinner than the previous versions, yet still provides plenty of padding. And the glove is smartly reinforced in key points, including the critical thumb-index finger joint. Finally, a comfortable and wide wrist strap keeps the glove firmly on your hand. Overall, the glove feels lighter and cooler than the previous model, and yet still provides the classic Yoko fit and comfort.

Thanks to Pioneer Sports for supplying the Yoko 232 straps and Rollerski gloves for our field reports. Pioneer Sports is the U.S. distributor for Yoko Gloves. Check the Yoko Web site for more details on their full product line.

Name: Bruce Adelsman
Report Filed: July 18, 2001
Products used: Yoko 232 Strap
When: June/July 2001
Where: Twin Cities

 As the rollerskiing season approached this year, 
                      I wasn't looking forward to using my old poles. The pole 
                      itself was decent (although entirely too long, but that's 
                      another story), but it used the old early 90's platform 
                      style Exel grip. The grip always required a few workouts 
                      of hand blistering each spring, and also had to be adjusted 
                      just right to ensure you didn't hammer you hand on the platform. 
                       Since I had enjoyed the Yoko 232 System 
                        this past winter, I was eager to give it a try with my 
                        old poles. While Yoko doesn't produce a rollerskiing glove 
                        with the Yoko 232 system, they fortunately do offer a 
                        strap system. The 232 strap system works with pretty much 
                        any glove, allowing you to convert it into a 232 glove. 
                        It's basically a couple of velcro straps with a soft, 
                        kevlar-like mitt. I haven't tried it yet, but one should 
                        be able to use strap without a glove (i.e. bare-handed). 
                      
 Pros:

                        Using the new strap, I found I had the same comfort and 
                        performance as with the glove based system. I am very 
                        happy to say there wasn't any blistering break-in period, 
                        and they felt comfortable even after a 50K rollerski on 
                        a hot July morning. 
                      
 Cons:

                         
                        My biggest gripe is all the velcro adjustments, especially 
                        if you use them with a glove. First there's the velcro 
                        strap on the glove itself. Then the 232 strap has two 
                        velcro adjustments, one for adjusting the pole attachment, 
                        and the other for fixing the strap to the glove. Once 
                        you have the pole attachment strap positioned correctly, 
                        you don't really need to mess with it again. But both 
                        glove straps have to be opened to remove the glove. 
                      
 The second gripe is getting the pole attachment strap 
                        set correctly. On the winter 232 gloves, that strap is 
                        sewn into the glove, thus it doesn't require any adjustment. 
                        It's one of those things you find you'll tweak for the 
                        first 5-10K, until you find the right setting that feels 
                        comfortable yet keeps your glove closely attached. The 
                        good news is, once you've got this set correctly, you 
                        won't need to do it again since the strap doesn't need 
                        to be undone to take off the gloves. 
                      
 Both of these cons could (and hopefully will?) be address 
                        by Yoko if they issue a 232 system rollerski glove next 
                        season. 
                      
 Bottom line:

                        While all the velcro straps are a nuisance, I still prefer 
                        the 232 strap and glove combination to any of the previous 
                        pole/strap systems I've used. The comfort is really superior, 
                        and I enjoy the quick release from the pole, allowing 
                        me take a drink of water while I'm still rollerskiing.

Thanks to Pioneer Sports for supplying the Yoko 232 strap for our field reports. Pioneer Sports is the U.S. distributor for Yoko Gloves. Check the Yoko Web site for more details on their full product line.

Name: Bruce Adelsman
Report Filed: November 30, 2000
Products used: Yoko 232 System
When: November 2000
Where: Snowflake Nordic, Telemark Resort

 The new Yoko 232 Glove/Grip system takes the 
                        recent strap system changes and brings it to the next 
                        level. Instead of having the strap system attached to 
                        the pole and then having to insert your glove and adjust 
                        the straps to secure the fit, the new Yoko system integrates 
                        the strap directly into the glove. Gone is all the strap 
                        adjusting. Now you really can quickly attach and detach 
                        from the poles (Exel QLS required you to initially attach 
                        and adjust the strap). 
                         When I first looked over the glove/pole system, I 
                          was a bit skeptical. I wondered how the strap would 
                          fit -- would it be too loose or too tight? And the new 
                          thumb platform looked like it could be painful if that 
                          glove adjustment wasn't just right. And then there is 
                          the slightly different way you are supposed to grip 
                          the pole. 
                        
 With the early snowfall this year, I got my first 
                          crack at using this new system in mid-November up at 
                          Snowflake Nordic in Duluth. Within just a few kilometers, 
                          I quickly realized my preconceptions were all wrong. 
                          The glove/grip system is very comfortable -- in fact, 
                          I'd say its the first system that hasn't caused any 
                          blisters. With the tight integration of the strap and 
                          attachment to the pole, and the new thumb platform, 
                          I found I naturally changed my grip to the recommended 
                          method. You simply don't need to grip the pole as tightly 
                          as other systems, and thus my hands are more relaxed 
                          and less likely to cramp. In addition, I found the thumb 
                          platform was actually quite useful. I could feel my 
                          thumb grasping the platform as I followed through with 
                          the poling motion, and again, it felt quite natural. 
                          Finally, I found the pole living up to the hype: It 
                          feels extremely light, yet very stiff (and strong, as 
                          I fell with it about three times in my first days back 
                          on snow.) 
                        
 Overall, I am very happy with the new system. I feel 
                          like it's a major step up in comfort, and one less thing 
                          to worry about when I'm out racing. I only have two 
                          knocks on the system:

                          1) The price -- Since it is new, it is fairly expensive. 
                          Hopefully the cost will come down as it becomes more 
                          widespread.

                          2) Because the strap is sewn into the glove, you need 
                          specific gloves. The problem here is if you need to 
                          suddenly change gloves. For example, if the race temperatures 
                          are much colder, you might want to use a warmer glove. 
                          Or maybe you warmed up using one pair of gloves, and 
                          now you'd like to switch before the race. Yoko does 
                          sell two versions of the glove, so you can buy a colder 
                          weather version. And they do sell the grips and gloves 
                          separately, so you could have a backup pair of gloves 
                          (and even retrofit old poles).

                        
 Side note: When I had the new Yoko poles cut 
                          to my size, I asked John Dyste at Finn 
                          Sisu to cut them to the "appropriate" height for 
                          me. I've been using 162.5cm poles for as long as I've 
                          been skating (I'm 5'10"). John cut the new poles closer 
                          to 158cm. The shorter length makes a huge difference: 
                          I find I'm compressing more, and pushing forward with 
                          more thrust, instead of "pulling" myself with the longer 
                          poles. I've since had my training poles cut to this 
                          length too. After finding I enjoyed the shorter length, 
                          I dug around and found a great article 
                          from Ian Harvey on this very topic in Master Skier 
                          -- looks like I had my head in the sand (snow) for a 
                          couple of years.

Thanks to Pioneer Sports for supplying the Yoko 232 System for our field reports. Pioneer Sports is the U.S. distributor for Yoko Gloves. Check the Yoko Web site for more details on their full product line.

Name: Margaret Adelsman
Report Filed: August 13, 2000
Products used: Yoko 232 Gloves
When: August 2000
Where: Various locations/conditions

 I have recently had the opportunity to test-drive 
                          the Yoko 232 rollerski gloves and to offer my perspective 
                          on them. It has been awhile since I've had a chance 
                          to do much rollerskiing, so my base-line for comparison 
                          consists of either bare hands or my old favorite thin 
                          leather Saranac racing gloves. It didn't take many kilometers 
                          to realize that the Yoko gloves are superior to both 
                          of these. 
                           When putting the gloves on, I initially noticed 
                            the feel of the seam where the mesh attaches to the 
                            "leather" surface (this is synthetic Clarino leather). 
                            While it seemed a little scratchy at first, I was 
                            surprised at how I did not notice it while rollerskiing, 
                            nor did I experience any discomfort or chafing from 
                            the seams. In contrast, I found it a great design 
                            to have the meshwork on three sides of each finger 
                            (top and both sides) with Clarino leather only on 
                            the bottom face, allowing for maximal ventilation. 
                            I could actually feel this effect at times, especially 
                            on a breezy day-really a bonus on some of these hot 
                            summer days. The thumb, which tends to take more of 
                            a beating anyway, is completely enclosed in the synthetic 
                            leather material. For my relatively "out-of-shape" 
                            hands, I found the advertised blister-free quality 
                            to be pretty true. Since I was not on snow last year, 
                            and have only rollerskied a little this summer, I 
                            did have a few sore spots (no big surprise), but no 
                            real blisters. 
                          
 From a woman's perspective, I have been wearing 
                            a size 8 glove, and I would consider my hands to be 
                            M to L in women's sizes. A common problem for me in 
                            the past has been gloves that fit everywhere except 
                            for being too long in some fingers, but I found the 
                            Yoko gloves to be a pretty correct fit. While I had 
                            to pull it over nearly as far as I could, I was also 
                            able to fasten the Velcro wrist strap securely enough 
                            to keep the glove from working down my hand much during 
                            a workout. I think this is also a common problem for 
                            folks with rather narrow wrists. 
                          
 I haven't washed and dried the gloves yet, but they 
                            have stayed quite soft and supple after several sweaty 
                            outings. The gloves are predominantly black, with 
                            some red backing, but I've not had any problems with 
                            the black color bleeding onto my hands after they 
                            get damp. This has been an issue with some synthetic 
                            leather gloves that I've tried in the past. I look 
                            forward to being able to maintain that soft quality, 
                            especially as I pulled that old favorite pair of leather 
                            gloves out of storage recently and discovered that 
                            only a crinkly mass of hardened leather remained. 
                            So far these gloves have performed very well and have 
                            added one more level of comfort to my off-season rollerski 
                            outings.

Thanks to Pioneer Sports for supplying a pair of Yoko 232 gloves for our field reports. Pioneer Sports is the U.S. distributor for Yoko Gloves. Check the Yoko Web site for more details on their full product line.

Name: Jay Tegeder
Report Filed: January 27, 2000
Products used: Yoko Windstopper
When: January 25, 2000
Where: Como Golf Course, 10F and windy

Fantastic! I skied them in 10F windy conditions at Como with a liner and they worked perfectly. Then, I took my liners out after one lap and they still worked superbly. What's amazing is that they are a very thin glove, not much thicker than what we use for rollerskiing.
On a scale of 1-10, I'd give them a 10.

Name: Bruce Adelsman
Report Filed: January 24, 2000
Products used: Yoko Windstopper, Yoko Profi
When: January 2000
Where: Various locations/conditions

I've been using both Yoko Windstopper and Profi gloves for the month of January. Windstopper: In the past few years I've had more problems with cold hands and haven't found a pair of gloves that really keeps them warm on training days. Until now, that is. The Windstopper gloves do indeed provide excellent warmth and comfort. I've used these gloves in conditions I normally would have switched to lobster mit-style gloves. The gloves are very well constructed and fit good, although I feel the sizings run just a little larger in this model than the Profi. The gloves are comfortable enough without being bulky, allowing me to use them in races as well as training. I can wear a pair of liners inside the gloves on really cold days, although I'm not sure it's adding much -- the gloves really are quite warm. Surprisingly, they also seem to breathe well as I've not had them soaking from sweat after a workout. Profi: These gloves had a big wow factor on me when I first put them on. They fit perfectly -- snug, but not too tight. The neoprene cuff with velcro fastener allows you to get a perfect fit around the wrist everytime. The gloves are made out of "Clarino", a synthetic leather with a lycra backing and some Thinsulate insulation. The Clarino material is really great stuff: the first time I skied with these gloves, I immediately noticed how well they gripped the pole. The palms really grab without slipping. Plus they seem to breathe well, keeping my hands warm without getting really wet. I've raced in Profi gloves a number of times now and won't go back to my old racing gloves. And, heck, these gloves just look cool! Only two minor complaints: I'm use to having somewhere on the glove I can use to wipe my face/nose during a race. Without any cloth backing on the Profi, I'm having to use my ski suit instead. And on the Windstopper, the Windstopper label tags are really kind of big, causing a little extra work to slip the ski strap over them sometimes.
Bottom line: These are the best pairs of ski gloves I've had in all my years of racing. I expected a lot of Yoko based on their high reputation, and these gloves deliver.